Neuro Note #1 - Alzheimers
For my first neuro note I watched a Tedx Talk by Lisa Genova, a neuroscientist, titled "What can you do to prevent Alzheimer's." This was a very informative Tedx Talk that described what Alzheimer's is, neurobiology causing it, and ways people can prevent it. I knew I wanted to do my neuro note on dementia/Alzheimer's as my personal experience with my uncle, Chuck, who died of Alzheimer's is what drew me to the field of science. While I know a great deal about what Alzheimer's I did not know what was going on biologically. I specifically chose this Tedx Talk as my resource because the word "prevent" jumped out at me. Above the age of 85, 1 in 3 people become diagnosed with Alzheimers. That is a huge percentage. It is likely that you will be effected by Alzheimer's in some way if you have grandparents, relatives, parents, or a spouse. It could also effect you personally. Anytime I learn about a neurological disorders I immediately think "could this happen to my parents, my future spouse, or even myself?" The odds are high and therefore it is important to be informed. But what if it doesn't have to happen to anyone in my life? This is why I didn't hesitate to pull up this Tedx Talk when I saw that wonderful word that OT's love to use; prevent.
There is no cure for Alzheimer's, making the word "prevent" all the more important. Lisa Genova explained that Alzheimer's is caused when there is a build up of amyloid beta peptides in the synapses between neurons in the brain, cause microglia to become over active and destroy the synapses all together. This build up can begin at around age 40 and last for 20 years before it reaches the "tipping point" where the symptoms finally present. So the key is to prevent this buildup and to keep our synapses strong. The first way is by getting deep sleep. During slow wave deep sleep the glia cells rinse cerebral spinal fluid through our synapses to clear out waste, like buildups of amyloid beta plaques. Missing a single night's deep sleep alone can begin the buildup, which begins a cycle of being unable to fall in to deep sleep, leading to even more buildup. Second is taking care of your cardiovascular health. Studies have found that around 80% of Alzheimer's patients had cardiovascular disease, showing a possible link between the two. Therefore eating right and exercise can help prevent Alzheimer's. Lastly, but still very importantly, is being a lifelong learner. We love to talk about neuroplasticity in neurobiology, and for good reason, because the brain has the ability to create new neurons and functional synapses. The more you can learn about something, the more backup connections you can form, meaning more pathways to try to remember certain pieces of information. Meeting new friends, reading books, and learning new languages are a few examples of ways to build those connections. The more you can recruit you senses and emotions, the stronger the connections will be. So do not just do activities that are imply knowledge retrieval. This was a piece of information that was news to me and I feel a common misconception as I remember my uncle being advised to play lots of card games and word puzzles. However, it is not trying to recall information that forms these new pathways, it is learning new information.
TED. (2017, May. 19). What can you do to prevent Alzheimer's | Lisa Genova [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twG4mr6Jov0
There is no cure for Alzheimer's, making the word "prevent" all the more important. Lisa Genova explained that Alzheimer's is caused when there is a build up of amyloid beta peptides in the synapses between neurons in the brain, cause microglia to become over active and destroy the synapses all together. This build up can begin at around age 40 and last for 20 years before it reaches the "tipping point" where the symptoms finally present. So the key is to prevent this buildup and to keep our synapses strong. The first way is by getting deep sleep. During slow wave deep sleep the glia cells rinse cerebral spinal fluid through our synapses to clear out waste, like buildups of amyloid beta plaques. Missing a single night's deep sleep alone can begin the buildup, which begins a cycle of being unable to fall in to deep sleep, leading to even more buildup. Second is taking care of your cardiovascular health. Studies have found that around 80% of Alzheimer's patients had cardiovascular disease, showing a possible link between the two. Therefore eating right and exercise can help prevent Alzheimer's. Lastly, but still very importantly, is being a lifelong learner. We love to talk about neuroplasticity in neurobiology, and for good reason, because the brain has the ability to create new neurons and functional synapses. The more you can learn about something, the more backup connections you can form, meaning more pathways to try to remember certain pieces of information. Meeting new friends, reading books, and learning new languages are a few examples of ways to build those connections. The more you can recruit you senses and emotions, the stronger the connections will be. So do not just do activities that are imply knowledge retrieval. This was a piece of information that was news to me and I feel a common misconception as I remember my uncle being advised to play lots of card games and word puzzles. However, it is not trying to recall information that forms these new pathways, it is learning new information.
TED. (2017, May. 19). What can you do to prevent Alzheimer's | Lisa Genova [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twG4mr6Jov0
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