Alzheimer Disease Sourcebook »

Omnigraphics' Health Reference Series is designed for the general reader seeking guidance on how to avoid serious illness by following preventive lifestyles and recognizing early warning signs. It also supports the layperson who has received a diagnosis of a serious disease or disorder as well as the family member or nonprofessional caregiver who must learn to care and to cope with the illness. Each volume in the series deals comprehensively with a particular area of medical concern and contains material found in publications issued by the National Institutes of Health and other agencies and associations. Nowhere else can general readers find this information conveniently collected, coordinated, and indexed in book form.

According to recent statistics Alzheimer disease affects more than 5 million Americans. Medical researchers do not fully understand what causes it, and there is no cure. The risk for developing Alzheimer disease increases as a person ages. About five percent of men and women between the ages of 65 and 74 have Alzheimer disease, and nearly half of those 85 and older may have it. Because the U.S. population as a whole is aging, the estimated number of affected people is expected to grow dramatically. By the year 2050, as many as 14 million people may be victims-unless medical researchers can find a means of prevention or a cure.

Alzheimer Disease Sourcebook, Fourth Edition provides updated information about Alzheimer disease and other types of dementia, including multi-infarct dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Binswanger disease, Huntington disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. It explains recent advances made in understanding thecauses of dementing disorders, improvements made in diagnostic procedures, and discoveries that have helped identify potential treatments. For people newly diagnosed with Alzheimer disease, it offers information about coping with mental changes and long-term planning. For caregivers, it offers suggestions about many practical aspects of daily life, including planning activities, managing behavior problems, and helping people with dementia maintain their skills. A glossary and directories of resources provide additional help and information.

Preface     ix
What You Need to Know about Alzheimer Disease
Questions and Answers about Alzheimer Disease     3
Alzheimer Disease Facts and Figures     11
The Brain and Alzheimer Disease: New Insights     27
Understanding Alzheimer Disease Risk Factors     47
Genetics and Alzheimer Disease     61
Can Alzheimer Disease Be Prevented?     67
Stages of Alzheimer Disease     79
Can the Progression of Alzheimer Disease Be Slowed?     85
Other Dementias and Related Disorders
Dementia: An Overview     97
Delirium Versus Dementia     129
Mild Cognitive Impairment     137
Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Multi-Infarct Dementia     141
Subcortical Dementia (Binswanger Disease)     147
Lewy Body Dementia     149
Frontotemporal Dementia     155
AIDS Dementia Complex     161
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease     169
Huntington Disease     177
Parkinson Disease     197
Down Syndrome and Dementia     203
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus     207
Cerebral Atrophy     209
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome and Alcohol-Related Brain Damage     211
Copingwith Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias
Maintaining Cognitive Vitality as You Age     223
Memory Loss and Forgetfulness: When Should I Be Concerned?     233
Steps to Diagnosing Alzheimer Disease     241
If You Have Alzheimer Disease     247
Living with Early-Onset Alzheimer Disease     255
Nutrition for People with Alzheimer Disease     263
Driving and Alzheimer Disease     267
What Medications Are Used to Treat Alzheimer Disease     271
Alternative Treatments and Therapies for Alzheimer Disease     279
Planning Guide for Long-Term Care     285
Legal Issues in Planning for Incapacity     297
Caregiver Concerns
Alzheimer Disease: A Guide for Caregivers     309
Answers for Long-Distance Caregivers     321
Caregiver Stress     337
Home Safety for People with Alzheimer Disease     345
Depression and Alzheimer Disease     365
Activities at Home: Planning the Day for the Person with Dementia     369
Tips for Traveling with a Person with Dementia     377
Understanding and Handling Dementia-Related Behaviors     381
Understanding Alzheimer-Related Sleep Problems     393
Coping with Problems Related to Sexual Behaviors      399
Hiring In-Home Help     403
Handling Hospitalizations     411
Late-Stage Care for Alzheimer Patients     429
End-of-Life Decisions     437
Alzheimer Disease and Dementia-Related Research
Alzheimer Disease Clinical Trials     447
Studies to Detect and Monitor Alzheimer Disease     455
New Genetic Clues Regarding Dementia     463
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Do Not Prevent Alzheimer Disease     471
Loss of Body Mass Linked to Development of Alzheimer Disease     475
Studying the Effects of Mental Exercise on Seniors' Thinking Skills     479
Study Finds Mix of Disease Processes at Work in Brains of Most People with Dementia     483
Cardiovascular Risks May Also Increase Risk for Alzheimer Disease     485
Diabetes Linked to Increased Risk of Alzheimer Disease     489
Dementia and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) May Share a Common Pathological Process     491
Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE): Phase I Results     493
Study Suggests New Treatments for Alzheimer Disease     503
Study Identifies Predictors of Alzheimer Disease Longevity     507
Brain Autopsy and Brain Tissue for Scientific Research     511
Additional Help and Information
Glossary of Terms Related to Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias     535
How to Enroll in The Safe Return Program     545
Alzheimer Disease Centers (ADCs) Program Directory     549
Directory of Resources for Additional Information about Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias     557
Additional Reading about Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias     571
Index     579