Ironic - advances save lives so Alzheimer's can take them

This is ironic. Alzheimer's in now the sixth leading cause of death, because people are living longer because of advances in other causes. 

Alzheimer's disease doesn't just steal memories. It takes lives.

The disease is now the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., and figures released Tuesday by the Alzheimer's Association show that deaths from the disease increased by 68 percent between 2000 and 2010.

"It's an epidemic, it's on the rise, and currently [there is] no way to delay it, prevent it or cure it," says Maria Carrillo, a neuroscientist with the Alzheimer's Association. More than 5 million people in the U.S. have the disease, she says, and that number could reach nearly 14 million by 2050.

One reason Alzheimer's deaths are going up is that deaths from other causes, like heart disease and prostate cancer, are going down, Carrillo says. "We're living longer," she says, "and unfortunately age is still the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease."

Pat Summitt steps down

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Pat Summitt was relaxed, smiling and even cracking jokes — looking and sounding totally at peace knowing she will never coach her beloved Tennessee Lady Vols again.

The Hall of Fame coach who just eight months ago revealed she had been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, Alzheimer's type, has turned the program over to longtime assistant Holly Warlick.

"It was really a great ride for me," Summitt said Thursday, speaking on the Tennessee basketball court named after her before a crowd of about 200 fans, faculty and friends.

"I just felt like it was time for me to step down knowing that Holly was going to be in great hands," Summitt said. "She's a great coach and you know I'm going to continue to support her. You know It's never a good time, but you have to find the time that you think is the right time and that is now."

I have been an admirer and fan of Pat Summitt for many years, I wish all "coaches" possessed the same qualities as Pat. She was loyal to her University, a dedicated coach, and a friend and adviser to those athletes who played for her. She totally supported all the programs at Tennessee, and I think that her enthusiasm and support for all the sports, persuaded many to consider attending there. She is in a class all her own, and there are very few, if any, who can compare with Pat. She will put up a courageous fight. 

Aerobic Exercise May Improve Memory In Seniors

There's a very small structure deep in the center of our brains called the hippocampus. It's smaller than your pinkie, but it plays an absolutely essential role in learning and memory. The hippocampus encodes new information so that we can recall it later. Without a hippocampus, we would be unable to form new memories; we'd only be able to remember the old ones.

As part of normal aging, the hippocampus shrinks. And this shrinkage speeds up as we grow older, foreshadowing memory problems and dementias like Alzheimer's disease.

But there's been some good news in the past decade: Scientists have discovered that in certain areas of the aging brain, new cells are born and grow throughout through life. Neuroscientist Peter Snyder, a researcher at Brown University's Alpert Medical School and Rhode Island Hospital, says the hippocampus is one of those brain areas that continue to form new cells and make new connections between cells.

"What we're finding is that of all of these noninvasive ways of intervening, it is exercise that seems to have the most efficacy at this point — more so than nutritional supplements, vitamins and cognitive interventions," says Snyder, who studies what we can do to maintain memory as our brains age.