A few weeks ago I trekked
to Washington, D.C., to attend a conference on the Prevention of Alzheimer’s
Disease and Cognitive Decline. Sound boring? Well, if you’re fortunate enough
to live past 60, it becomes a timely topic. For that matter, it becomes a
timely topic for everyone who may not think they are aging but know that their
parents are.
The conference was
sponsored by the National Institute of Health. I had never visited NIH before
and I was astounded by this massive campus dedicated to health and science.
Years ago, when we travelled to DC with our children, we would visit the
Smithsonian, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial and the Vietnam
Memorial. I admit, I would get teary-eyed, proud of our nation. So when I
arrived at the NIH, I found myself once again in awe of America—Golly, our
taxes help support all this good stuff!
You see, I am a believer
in both the need for good government and good science and so at NIH, it would
seem, is the intersection of both.
Were there absolutes
given, black and white answers made? No. No quickie sound bites to deny the
reality that Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline are complex issues.
Although there was no magic wand waving, I felt gratified that here was a place
that brought together many scientists from all over the country who were
willing to confer with each other. They presented not only their own research
but also the documented extensive researches of scientific literature to assess
Alzheimer’s through many lenses: environmental, socio-cultural, and
nutritional, to name a few.
This particular conference
was meant to define what direction future research should take, not lay down
absolutes. Nevertheless, there were some promising takeaways for prevention of
cognitive decline.
Exercise (walking is fine)
and stimulating environmental enrichment wins again.
One meal of fish a week
seems to give protective benefit. Remember when you Mom said fish is brain
food? She was right!
Saturated fats—bad;
Vitamin B12—good.
Poor social networks and a
decline in social engagement seem to be correlated with a higher risk of
Alzheimer’s disease. The thinking is that large social networks may enhance
brain reserve. This may be due not only to intellectual stimulation, but also
to emotional connection. (One brain needs another.)
Postscript:
I was drawn to this conference primarily because I work with an aging
population at a local retirement facility. Cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s
disease are uneasy facts of life there, especially for the family members who
witness such decline. The following is a list of some resources for those
dealing with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia in their family:
Alzheimer’s Disease:
Unraveling the mystery
NIH Publication Number: 08-3782
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Alzheimer’s Disease
Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center
(800) 438-4380
http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers
Love, Laughter and Mayhem:
Caregiver Survival Manual
by Cindy Keith R.N., B.S.
• Kayta Curzie Gajdos
holds a doctorate in counseling psychology and is in private practice in Chadds
Ford, Pennsylvania. She welcomes comments at MindMatters@DrGajdos.com
or (610)388-2888. Past columns are posted to www.drgajdos.com.
About Kayta Gajdos
Dr. Kathleen Curzie Gajdos ("Kayta") is a licensed psychologist (Pennsylvania and Delaware) who has worked with individuals, couples, and families with a spectrum of problems. She has experience and training in the fields of alcohol and drug addictions, hypnosis, family therapy, Jungian theory, Gestalt therapy, EMDR, and bereavement. Dr. Gajdos developed a private practice in the Pittsburgh area, and was affiliated with the Family Therapy Institute of Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, having written numerous articles for the Family Therapy Newsletter there. She has published in the American Psychological Association Bulletin, the Family Psychologist, and in the Swedenborgian publications, Chrysalis and The Messenger. Dr. Gajdos has taught at the college level, most recently for West Chester University and Wilmington College, and has served as field faculty for Vermont College of Norwich University the Union Institute's Center for Distance Learning, Cincinnati, Ohio. She has also served as consulting psychologist to the Irene Stacy Community MH/MR Center in Western Pennsylvania where she supervised psychologists in training. Currently active in disaster relief, Dr. Gajdos serves with the American Red Cross and participated in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts as a member of teams from the Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Now living in Chadds Ford, in the Brandywine Valley of eastern Pennsylvania, Dr. Gajdos combines her private practice working with individuals, couples and families, with leading workshops on such topics as grief and healing, the impact of multigenerational grief and trauma shame, the shadow and self, Women Who Run with the Wolves, motherless daughters, and mediation and relaxation. Each year at Temenos Retreat Center in West Chester, PA she leads a griefs of birthing ritual for those who have suffered losses of procreation (abortions, miscarriages, infertility, etc.); she also holds yearly A Day of Re-Collection at Temenos.Dr. Gajdos holds Master's degrees in both philosophy and clinical psychology and received her Ph.D. in counseling at the University of Pittsburgh. Among her professional affiliations, she includes having been a founding member and board member of the C.G. Jung Educational Center of Pittsburgh, as well as being listed in Who's Who of American Women. Currently, she is a member of the American Psychological Association, The Pennsylvania Psychological Association, the Delaware Psychological Association, the American Family Therapy Academy, The Association for Death Education and Counseling, and the Delaware County Mental Health and Mental Retardation Board. Woven into her professional career are Dr. Gajdos' pursuits of dancing, singing, and writing poetry.
- Web |
- More Posts(250)
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...
Comments