I know alot of diabetics. Only one has become senile. On the other hand, I also have known several people with Alzheimer's. They all were very active, highly intelligent, and didn't have diabetes. I learned a long time ago in Sociology 101 that a person can prove anything by statistics. It just depends on who is being asked. I know that diabetics often do become senile, however.

Maybe they just don't know how to fix it and they are just trying things out. If this works, that is great. Until you have a parent or another close family member with Alzheimer's, you just cannot understand how much you desire they find a way to make it stop. Especially when that person got it at an early age. It is a very hard experience to slowly watch simple tasks become so difficult that he/she gives up due to frustration. I have a feeling nothing will be in time for my parent but I wish it could happen. He/She is missing out on so much and I really miss having them to talk to and interact with.

I read that Alzheimer's has something to do with aluminum. Maybe we are absorbing it from soda cans?

The worst thing for my mother-in-law was when she couldn't remember who family members were. Can you imagine looking around yourself and being surrounded by strangers constantly. Never "seeing" the people you know and love? Heartbreaking disease.

"This doesn't mean taking supplements is a good idea doctors warn." Since the pharmaceutical companies fund most of the studies, why would something as simple as not being Vitamin D deficient be profitable for them.

Stem cell research could ultimately lead the way to a cure, but, as others have noted, not in time for my 87 year old mother. I share the feeling of heartbreak and helplessness with the others here. We need to solve this for the next generation, if possible.

Aluminum?  Come on, those studies were done almost 30 years ago, my grandmother had Alzheimer's when she was in her early 50's.  In  1977, the only information they could give us at that time was it was caused by aluminum, deodorant (has aluminum in it) even teflon pans were thought at one time to cause it.   It is caused by plaque that builds up in the brain on the nerve endings that prevent new memories, or the eventual long-term memories that we store.  Experts are not even sure how it is caused..but it sure as hell isn't aluminum..

This study agrees with the idea of putting two concepts together.

1) Old age dementia is driven partly by chronic inflammation, and 2) weight training reduces inflammation. Combine these and you could say that weight training may help prevent age related dementia.

Resistance Training at Eight-Repetition Maximum Reduces the Inflammatory Milieu in Elderly Women

http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/2010/02000/Resistance_Training_at_Eight_Repetition_Maximum.13.aspx

Both my father in law and mother had Alzheimer's. Neither died from the disease, but it was tough watching them try to cope with it's symptoms. We were caregivers for both of them. 2 1/2 years for my FIL and 2 years for my mother. You try REALLY hard to help them and return some of the care they gave you, but the realities are that it's incurable, it's progressive, and the time will come when you have to place them. In my mother's case, God intervened. She fell, hit her head and died of a subdural hematoma (bleeding on the brain). We placed my FIL and within 3 months he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. What's the sense in knowing if you're prone for Alzheimers? You can't stop it, can't cure it, and going to spent the rest of your life worrying anout what you're going to go through. NO, we don't want to know nothing about that, not unless it can make a difference? It doesn't.

Much of the information describes Alzheimer's patients as sweet and passive with regard to their patients' young grandchildren. I can not find any information on how to handle almost advanced level alzheimer mother in law who is consistently verbally abusive toward my quiet, well behaved empathetic 6 and 8 year old children who constantly tip toe around her. She has started to slap my husband and I have caught her trying to grab at my son several times. Her uncontrolled conduct bothers them more and more. Is there any valid reason why they need my children need to be exposed to her? Her care giver husband refuses to give her the medicationthat will make her controllable around the grandchildren. ( I don't see how it does her any good to be so out of control either.) Her daughter is in total denial and makes her behavior worse. Her son, my husband, says that she is going to die soon (another delusion as she is otherwise healthy) and that I should show some compassion and that its my fault that it hurts our daughter to be called ugly and ridiculed by her grandmother about her long beautiful wavy hair. I am sorry that she is terminally ill and struggling with a horrible disease, however, I have to protect my children from her verbal abuse. I can not justify making a joke out of it or ignoring it any longer. I do not think that my children should be exposed to her because she is so out of control. I do not know how my father in law lives in this hell but adults make their own choices and he is not acting in anyone's best interest including his wife. I also acknowledge that part of my frustration about my husband's response to this situation about this situation is that her abusive behaviors and her family's enabling and excusing responses are the same that she has demonstrated throughout my husband's entire life before with Alzheimer's. Thanks for letting me vent.

I am so very sorry that you and your family are suffering from this horrible disease. Although the behavior that your mother-n-law is exhibiting is very typical of dementia, you should most definately protect your children. I'm sorry that your husband and the rest of her imediate family is in denial about this disease - that is also very typical. First and foremost, if she is exhibiting these behaviors, there is no reason your kids need to see their grandma like this. Secondly, please get help from the Alzheimer's Association, or go to the website, www.silveradosenior.com They specialize in all things dementia and have a 24 hour chat line where you can get resources to help your family get through this difficult time.

My theory is that Alzheimer's is not actually a disease caused by a virus or bacteria or other malady, but is the body's reaction to a lack of oxygen flow to the brain. When there is a lack of ozygen, the brain systematically starts to shut down all but the most essential parts that will keep the body breathing, heart beating, and multiple other functions required to survive. This explains why exercise has such a major impact on prevention of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The human body has the ability over a period of time to adapt its environment in multiple ways:

1. Lift weights and the muscles will get stronger.
2. Do cardio exercise and the heart muscles and lungs get stronger.
3. Go without shoes and the feet develop tougher skin.
4. Practise any skill and the body's nerves and muscles adapt to become more proficient at that skill.
5. The body can adapt to tolerate heat and cold after a long period of time.
6. Starving the brain of oxygen short term causes fainting. Starving the brain of oxygen long term causes the brain to isolate and disable portions of the brain not necessary for life functions.

I have observed many elderly people over the years. The people who are active have noticeably better mental capacity. I don't know if there will ever be a way to reverse the shutting down of brain cells, but there must be ways to prevent it.

There needs to be more research into preventing Alzheimer's and dementia. Unfortunately, the large pharmaceutical corporations will not likely pursue this route since it is not in their best interests unless there is a drug that they can sell and profit from. In fact the wide use (maybe over-use) of blood pressure medications might be contributing to the rise in Alzheimer's disease. When blood pressure is lowered, blood flow to the brain is reduced (lowering oxygen to the brain).

Write your congressman to support research in Alzheimer's disease that addresses prevention and exercise before its too late.