Researchers: Alzheimer's disease skyrocketing among Latinos
03:03 PM CST on Wednesday, January 28, 2009
HOUSTON—One day in 1993, Jesus Ulloa noticed something was wrong with his wife, Frances.She started to repeat things and exhibit other odd behaviors, like ordering checkbooks they didn't need.
Then came the shocking news: The strong, charismatic, loving mother of his six children had Alzheimer's.
It didn't take long for the debilitating brain disease to take its toll.
Her forgetfulness soon got worse, and she lost the ability to walk.
Then her old friends started shying away.
"To me, this is the new leprosy, like the leprosy of the 21st Century. People, as soon as they know somebody has Alzheimer's, they stay away," daughter Laura Garrett said.
Doctors said that's one reason why so many Latinos and Spanish-speakers wait so late to get diagnosed – they consider the disease to be taboo.
Even though friends left, the family came together, and now they work as a team to care for their mother at home.
The Alzheimer's Association of Houston knows one of its biggest challenges will come from the city's growing Hispanic population.
"And that's why we try to educate the community that there are certain neurological changes that occur in the brain, and the earlier they can get a diagnosis, the earlier there can be an intervention," John Meade of the Alzheimer's Association of Houston said.
When it comes to Latinos, Alzheimer's forecasts are startling.
Researchers expect a 600-percent increase in Hispanics suffering from the disease by the year 2050.
They believe the dramatic rise will be partly due to diabetes and lack of medical care.
Others simply won't be diagnosed early enough.
"So what has happened is that the Hispanic community is now eight times more at risk," Dr. Adrianna Strutt of Baylor Neuropsychology said.
Strutt is trying to turn those numbers around by studying current Alzheimer's tests and coming up with new ones designed specifically for Latinos and Spanish-speakers.
"At least with this research, what we are trying to do is get rid of all those extra factors that could be clouding the results," Strutt said.
Strutt said traditional tests don't always catch Alzheimer's early enough in the Latino community.
As for Frances Ulloa, she's now in the final stages of Alzheimer's.
Her family agreed to share her story in the hopes that other families will seek help early on.
Related Link and Information:
http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp#brain
Introduction
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder named for German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906. Scientists have learned a great deal about Alzheimer's disease in the century since Dr. Alzheimer first drew attention to it. Today we know that Alzheimer's:
- Is a progressive and fatal brain disease. As many as 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer's gets worse over time, and it is fatal. Today it is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. For more information, see Warning Signs and Stages of Alzheimer's Disease.
- Is the most common form of dementia, a general term for the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Vascular dementia, another common type of dementia, is caused by reduced blood flow to parts of the brain. In mixed dementia, Alzheimer's and vascular dementia occur together. For more information about other causes of dementia, please see Related Dementias.
- Has no current cure. But treatments for symptoms, combined with the right services and support, can make life better for the millions of Americans living with Alzheimer's. We've learned most of what we know about Alzheimer's in the last 15 years. There is an accelerating worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, or prevent it from developing. Learn more about recent progress in Alzheimer science and research funded by the Alzheimer's Association in the Research section.
It is not a linear disease in the sense that some days the patient is more lucid than other days, there are ups and downs in terms of cognition and interpersonal communications. It is a terrible devastating disease that mainly those who have had a family member stricken with it can appreciate, especially if it is a parent. I believe in the long run that Alzheimer's research and new discoveries will help humankind better observe, understand and treat a whole range of mental disorders and learning disabilities.
Preventative measurs include creating new memories, being open to new experiences, learnng on a constant daily basis and taking care of our nutritional needs.
Education for Liberation!
Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta
Email: peter.lopez51@yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/THIRD-WORLD-NEWS/
KeyLink: http://www.NetworkAztlan.com
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