trim, alzheimers answers maybe

TRIM
yesterday i blogged on trimming time
here is a link to the blog from central texas gardener for more
on pruning and trimming with links
on what to trim and when

ALZHEIMERS ANSWERS MAYBE
the theory of alzheimers is that beta amyloid accumulates in
the brain
this accumulation is what causes the spiraling destruction
of alzheimers disease

if you can stop the beta amyloid production and stop its accumulation
and remove it if its accumulated
maybe just maybe you can prevent or treat alzheimers

if you wait too long and allow destruction to occur then it may be too late

you know me
at least some of you do
i seem a normal healthy person
few can detect i have a problem
heck yesterday i had to convince a social security worker that
i could handle my own financial affairs
i did
my wife she was happy about that

i carry the double gene apoe4 and have short term memory loss
my parents and younger brother had alzheimers disease
so the odds are i have it also
i am on aricept (donepezil) for this possibility

but
i may be too late for this treatment since if i have alzheimers disease
as i may be too far along this path

my wife she and i went to the alzheimers research center at ut southwestern
last weekend to a brunch where they discussed research that was
being done

three new studies that are being started nationally will be done there
as one of the studies sites

the a4 study
basically they will be doing neuropsych tests on folks who have no
issues
do the beta amyloid pet scans called amyvid
and
do spinal taps for beta amyloid and tau proteins those two proteins that
become abnormal in the spinal fluid in alzheimers disease
all three of these tests become abnormal before the disease is noticed

then those who are positive will be placed in a study using one of the
new alzheimers vaccines called solanezumab
the vaccine uses antibodies that attach itself to the beta amyloid and
removes it from the brain
thus preventing the development of alzheimers disease
thats the theory and hope

the study subjects will be placed either in the antibody group
or a placebo
no placebo for me
there is a 50% chance that i would be in a treatment group
i already know my beta amyloid levels in my spinal fluid are abnormal

my problem is that the study requires you be 65 and im not quite there yet
dang it

if you are kin to be and are 65 or older you are a good candidate for this
study
or if you are worried or at high risk
they need people to volunteer for the study
the center serves folks from oklahoma arkansas louisiana and texas

you have to have intial scans neuropsych tests to see if you are at risk
if accepted
you will get monthly infusions of the new alzheimers vaccine or get placebo
if you are in the vaccine group
and
if this vaccine works
and
if you are
getting alzheimers you will not get alzheimers disease or the progression
will be slowed
the study is programmed for i think two years
if it works this drug may be on the market in 4 years

i personally want to be in this study bad but  im one year too young

but there are other studies coming up using this same new vaccine
but not until next year

time is of the essence

you may contact the alzheimers research center at ut southwestern at
214-648-9343
ask for kathy koch
or
go to www.alz.org to find a study in your area


there is another study starting up at the alzheimers research center
using the same vaccine in folks who have early alzheimers disease
my problem on that one is that i am not far enough along in the
disease process to qualify


then another study they will be doing is called the sniff study
using nasal insulin
sniff it up the right nostril it goes to the right brain
sniff it up the left nostril it goes to the left brain
it manages to go right to the smeller nerve the olfactory nerve
and travel bypassing that blood brain barrier to get directly to
the hippocampas where alzheimers disease starts

it raises the insulin level there and forces more glucose into the
brain cells
slowing down the disease and maybe preventing it

my spinal tap guy
the one i jokely accuse of rupturing my disk last time he did mine
is the head study person for the study
no thats not what caused my ruptured disk
that was years in the making

my spinal taps i know they sound bad didnt hurt
actually i didnt feel anything
but i did when they drew my blood

so these three studies are available in this area
you again can call the alzheimers research center at
214-648-9343
ask for kathy koch
or
check the clinical trials section of www.alz.org
for your local centers at
the alzheimers association website

we need you help
your kids nieces nephews and the future generations
need your help

we wont know if this works unless you and i volunteer
please help us

remember
saying i dont want to know may not be a valid excuse anymore
as
maybe in the future you will want to know so you can be treated


when you call them tell them i sent you
dr nash
the
organicgreen doctor

what if

WHAT IF
for those of us who follow the alzheimers research
there are two things that we know about and are anxiously awaiting
the results

a4 study
colombian study

in both these studies
people in the a4 study who have
positive beta amyloid in the brain on scans called
amyvid pet scans and abnormal levels of beta amyloid and
tau levels in the spinal fluid
and in the case of the colombian study
family members who carry the gene for alzheimers that
means you will get the disease will also have these
two tests done

no one in either group have any symptoms yet

both studies will have regular amyvid pet scans and spinal
fluid analysis for the beta amyloid and tau
both imply if positive that the patient will get or will have
alzheimers disease

however

the study subjects will also be given one of the new alzheimers vaccines
which will induce or produce antibodies against
the beta amyloid and remove it from the brain

over time we will know if giving this vaccine early on
will prevent the development of alzheimers disease
which it will if the beta amyloid theory is correct

how does this affect me
the ogd

this last week i had my regular yearly visit with my neurologist
for follow up for
my early mild cognitive impairment amnestic type
that may turn out to be from alzheimers disease
diagnosed almost 3 years ago

i have been stable over this period of time except for some
mild problems with short term memory that only i notice

i presently take aricept (donepezil) 10 mg for the possibility
of having alzheimers dsease
its used when the diagnosis is first made or in my case
strongly suspected

i take care of my health
especially my blood pressure and cholesterol
2 of the 3 most important to control to prevent or slow down
alzheimers diesease
the third is diabetes which i dont have
more about this later

what i am looking for in research studies now

im in the alzheimers disease neuroimaging initiative now
its not a treatment study but its the most important one ever done
on alzheimers disease
the information from this study has provided the basis for the
a4 and colombian studies

i want to get treatment now while im so early no one notices anything
these two studies would be what im looking for

the colombian study is restricted to family members in colombia
that carry that awful gene which means they will get it
i know that i dont have that gene since ive been tested

the a4 does not
if i qualify i will get the beta amyloid scan amyvid and yes have
to get that dang spinal tap again and again
but i might receive one of those new alzheimers vaccine
that if it works would slow down the process at least while
i was on the study
unless of course i would get put in the control group
which i dont want to be in

if i dont qualify for that one
i will get in a nasal insulin study for 6 months
the nasal insulin increase the glucose into the nerve cells
in the brain where alzheimers starts as the insulin travels up the
olfactory nerve the smeller nerve i call it
which may slow down but wont prevent the disease
this may be my fall back study

then in 2014 or 2015 there is a study that will start in arizona

where those who carry the apoe4/apoe4 double gene like i have
which increases your chance of getting alzheimers disease significantly
will be given either a new research drug or one of the new
alzheimers vaccines
and
will be followed over a period of time monitoring the
beta amyloid scans and levels and the tau levels to see if they decrease
and to see if it prevents the development of the disease

the budget cuts and sequester had shut this study down
but the nih scrapped up funds to get it going

i am on the contact list for that study when it starts
i will do it if i qualify
but
please on please dont put me in the control group

the organicgreen doctor