Stop and think about dementia today

This Farmdoc’s Blog post’s close to my heart. Today’s mid-way through National Dementia Awareness Week [1]. And, whether deliberate or coincidential, yesterday was World Alzheimer’s Day [2, 3]. Alzheimer’s is but one type of dementia, but the highest profile one. Its continuing rising prevalence has major implications for individuals, families, communities and nations. World Alzheimer’s Day was initiated by Alzheimer’s Disease International in 1994. It’s a day when people and NGOs world-wide raise public awareness, via the media, of the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s [4]. This year’s theme is ‘Dementia: it’s time for action’. I think the difficulties faced by the family of a each person with Alzheimer’s must be appreciated by carers and governments. Much Alzheimer’s research is being done world-wide, but to date there’s no confirmed cause and so no effective prevention or treatment. Increased research on both these topics must be funded. Given the ageing of Western populations, unless effective prevention and treatment can be discovered and implemented, Alzheimer’s will have dire manpower and resource implications for health budgets already under huge pressure. The NYT recently published this review of Alzheimer’s [5] which I found more informative than any review I’ve read in medical journals. I can’t bid you ‘Happy National Dementia Awareness Week’ or ‘Happy World Alzheimer’s Day’. But today at least, stop and think about dementia. And if you’re not personally touched by it, spare a thought for those who are.

This week's compendium

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1.OECD members voted unanimously to invite Israel to join [1]. It’s nice to start a compendium with some good news.

2. a report concluded that a federal government plan to give every Australian a unique e-health record would save our health system A$7.6b a year and prevent 5,000 deaths [2]. It’s due to start in July 2012.

3. Grammar Girl gave us the rundown on adverbs [3]. She did it so expertly.

4. a paper in the Archives of Internal Medicine concluded nuts – any nuts – helped blood lipid levels; and the more the better [4]. Okay then.

5. a UK study showed just five minutes of fresh air and exercise makes a huge difference in mood and self-esteem [5]. And the effect’s even bigger if water – e.g. a lake or river – is added.

6. I read of sharedearth.com which is a kind of craigslist linking prospective gardeners with those with gardens [6a, 6b]. And it’s free of charge.

7. a Canberra University report on saving in Australia showed the best savers are aged 45-54 years, and men are better savers than women [7]. Ho hum.

8. regarding dementia, a US study showed spouses of dementia sufferers have a 6-fold increased risk of developing dementia themselves [8a]; and whilst a review showed a current lack of evidence that omega-3 fatty acids are effective in dementia prevention [8b], an Israeli breakthrough has brought stem cell therapy a step closer [8c]. Currently the scope for prevention’s bleak; but treatment via stem cell therapy looks promising.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

farmdoc's blog post number 629

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…

1. an ABC News headline proclaimed ‘Dubai unveils world’s tallest building’ [1]. I’ve no idea how Dubai kept it veiled until then.

2. American researchers found that antidepressants’ benefits appear greatest in those with the most severe depression [2]. Seems obvious to me. Maybe I’m missing something.

3. Ginkgo biloba extract was found to not prevent or delay cognitive decline in older adults [3]. Cross Ginkgo off the list, then.

4. but using a mobile phone may [4]. If the benefit’s due to the electro-magnetic field, then there’s no need to talk into the infernal contraption. All you have to do is turn it on and hold it near your brain.

5. a leading British cancer surgeon told of a campaign to have him struck off the UK medical register because he supported the Israel Medical Association [5]. Whatever happened to rational discussion. I guess it hasn’t permeated down to the human scum in British cesspits.

6. the Jordanians and other Palestinian Arabs made a claim on the Dead Sea Scrolls which were discovered in the West Bank in the 1940s and 1950s [6]. The West Bank’s never been part of Jordan or any other Palestinian Arab entity. Nice try, but, fellas.

7. Grammar Girl revealed that in the US not only do people say ‘y'all’ as an abbreviation for ‘you all’, but the also say ‘w'all’ as an abbreviation for ‘we all’ [7]. Yeeeeha!

8. on Thursday darling Brendon celebrated his birthday in fine style [8]. Sweetheart Vivienne and I are sorry we weren’t there. We missed out on a treat.

Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.

farmdoc's blog post number 601

Here’s this week’s compendium. This week…
1. Gunns Limited’s chairman John Gay has offloaded 3.4M (i.e. 20%) of his Gunns shares [1]. Hardly a gesture of confidence when Gunns is still seeking finance for its controversial A$2.5B pulp mill project.
2. I read this joke [2]: “Johnnie.” “Yes teacher.” “If there are twenty sheep in a field, and one gets out through a hole in the fence, how many sheep are left in the field?” “None, teacher.” “Johnnie, there are still nineteen sheep left in the field. Obviously you don't know arithmetic.” “Sorry, teacher, but I do know arithmetic. Obviously you don't know sheep.” Yep.
3. the day before President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Oslo University named Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ‘Dictator of the Year’ for his achievements in ‘inspiring hostility among nations, increasing human suffering’. There were 11 candidates; Khamenei received over 72% of the 4145 votes [3]. A worthy winner indeed.
4. I read that Israel has the highest density of tech start-ups in the world. Israel’s venture capital dollars per person are 2.5 times the US’s, 30 times Europe’s, 80 times India’s and 300 times China’s. Israel has more companies on NASDAQ than any country except US; and more than all of Europe, Japan, Korea, India, and China combined [4]. A surprise, yet not a surprise.
5. a medical journal paper titled: ‘Age-associated cognitive decline’ calls such decline ‘an important human experience which differs in extent between individuals’. And it says the determinants of the differences in age-related cognitive decline are not fully understood…(but)…There is growing appreciation that factors affecting general bodily ageing also influence cognitive functions in old age [5]. The more research done on cognitive decline and dementia, the more likely scientific breakthroughs will be.
6. the Journal of the American Medical Association published a paper concluding that among women with breast cancer, soy food was significantly associated with decreased risk of death and recurrence[6]. How fascinating.
7. the Age reported that in 2008-9, during the GFC, the profits of Australian businesses soared to record highs. Corporate profits continued to increase – up to a record 27.7% of national income [7]. Why have corporate dividends fallen, then?
8. I was lucky enough to have several Skype conversations with darling Indigo. She has such a wicked sense of humour.
Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc's Blog readers, a wonderful week.