The Myth of Alzheimer's - Dr Peter Whitehouse on ABC Radio National

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/breakfast
It's a word that evokes fear in most of us: a slow loss of our ability to think straight, to remember things, even to recognise our loved ones. And so it is no surprise that repeated surveys show that many people would prefer death to Alzheimer's disease.

But just what is Alzheimer's disease? It's been a hundred years since the term first emerged and, despite three solid decades of research and investigation, we still don't know what causes it and how best to treat it.

Professor Peter Whitehouse, Professor of Neurology at the Case Western Reserve University, and his wife, Catherine Whitehouse, are keynote speakers at HammondCare's 8th Biennial International Conference on Dementia.
http://www.dementia.unsw.edu.au/DCRCweb.nsf/page/HammondCare
http://casemed.case.edu/dept/neurology

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[worldrunner]

@chitchant From appearances of your channel, you seem like a progressive feminist. So the values espoused in your commentary surprise me -- controlling Alzheimer's patients with major tranquilizers?? How is this ethical or in line with opposing abuse of power? I took care of my mother for 10 years and did indeed endure times when she physically struck me. The disease was robbing her and she was literally fighting to maintain her dignity. Have some compassion instead of violating human rights!

[worldrunner]

Some of the information, regarding having supportive communities, is very valuable. Scientific research itself shows that social isolation literally changes the brain, and that depression is positively correlated with Alzheimer's / dementia. Therefore, volunteering in the community and keeping up a meaningful life is part of prevention. Nutrition and exercise also are important facets of brain health. Positive social relations have indeed been shown to slow onset of early to moderate Alz.

[MyHealthyCoach]

The Myth is that Alzheimer is incurable, The truth is that Medical doctors cannot cure it, and many people who have not gone through the pathway of doctors have not been cured. But others who have not gone through the medical doctors paradigm have had the symptoms alleviated and no longer have any symptoms and thus have been cured.

[chitchant]

OK, so the 'Myth' is a cynical marketing ploy to sell his book, and we really are facing a tsunami of patients with dementia related diseases. Has the doctor not had to deal with extremely violent patients, whose only control is the mega use of major tranquillisers? He does seem a bit naive - "human relationships" when the patient no longer knows their family or themselves.

Yeah, Fran does rock ;)

[eveningniteshade]

Fran rocks!