Our brain consists of about 100,000 million neurons that are “surrounded” by a trillion supporting cells. These cells are set trillion synapses (connections), that are modulated by different chemicals that are known by the name of neurotransmitters. One of the neurotransmitter is acetylcholine.
Acetylcholine and hippocampus

Acetylcholine is associated with memory , attention, learning and sleep. It has been observed, for example, that people with Alzheimer’s disease have low levels of acetylcholine at cerebral cortex can have up to 90% less than normal people. This decrease in acetylcholine is directly responsible for memory impairment experienced by patients with Alzheimer’s.

In any case, a person has memory lapses or forgetfulness does not necessarily mean you are at the beginning of a process of dementia, most cases of memory lapses are simply due to the existence of inattention. Does having many slip indicates that our brain acetylcholine concentration is low? Nor is this relationship in 100% of cases.

Anatomical level, lapses of memory are caused by defects in the functioning of the hippocampus , the area of the brain responsible for storing our memories. You could say that the hippocampus is the “memory of our brain.” This region is involved in some psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia or depression.

Memory lapses and excess glucose

In one study, by MRI, the size of the hippocampus was correlated directly with the memory function. This study was conducted in 102 elderly, aged between 81 and 94 years, they showed that the best results in the neuropsychological tests correlated with people who had larger volumes of the hippocampus. In other words, the larger the size of our hippocampal memory works best for us. This could explain why patients with schizophrenia or depression, which have decreased the size of the hippocampus, have impaired memory.

In another study, also conducted magnetic resonance imaging in the elderly was found that the higher the concentration of glucose in the hippocampus was his worst performance, especially in an area called the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. This area is responsible for episodic memory control-unlike similar situations and places. Alterations of the dentate gyrus is what produces the famous déjà vu (the inability to differentiate between two similar situations). The dentate gyrus is the one that plays the tricks to have the sensation of having lived there before.
Memory lapses and exercise

In a study of 60 adults aged between 60 and 80 years found that aerobic exercise (brisk walking) at least 30 minutes three times a week, increased hippocampal volume, which resulted in improved memory. Moreover, increased hippocampal volume was also associated with higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

In conclusion, limiting consumption of sugar, treating glucose intolerance and increasing aerobic exercise could limit the number of forgetfulness.

The cure for Alzheimer’s disease still take time to be available. Current goals are to delay symptoms, quality of life to the person concerned and as soon as possible, it becomes a chronic disease.
Usefulness of the drug

A key aspect to consider once diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease, is that the sooner treatment is applied, the more likely that the brain retains its skills and the disease progresses more slowly. It is known that the medication does not stop the disease, but it does serve to slow their development and that the person concerned shall enjoy greater autonomy for longer and may continue doing many of their daily activities.

During the time that the drugs are effective, while the brain is not badly damaged, get prevent the breakdown of a brain chemical: the acetylcholine , which is essential to keep thinking and memory. Other drugs prevent the substance called glutamate to accumulate too much, because that would cause neuronal damage.

Currently there are over ten new drugs being studied, and although there reason to hope that improve the current treatment, specialists are cautious and remember that not all patients will get the same benefit.
Cognitive stimulation therapy

Must be applied together with the appropriate medication, because they make many Alzheimer’s patients do not forget how to perform most basic activities. When the impairment is still mild, these therapies are usually used in day centers attending to patients. Sometimes they are also taught to immediate family.
Amazing advances

Oleic acid. It is the main component of olive oil may help in the future to control diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer . In the Universities of Alicante Balearic Islands and is being implemented to study the development of fatty acids that serve to prevent both conditions. Apparently, oleic acid can be used for the development and survival of neurons, this being of paramount importance for Alzheimer’s disease, since neurons are precisely those that are deteriorating.

“We know that the interaction between peers is a protective factor for the health of our brain and mind, this work provides new evidence for the importance of socialization in the prevention of cognitive impairment” – says Dr. Facundo Manes, director of INEC and the Institute of Neurosciences, Favaloro Foundation.

There are about 600 diseases that affect the brain. And it is striking that those who are more dangerous to our brain that tell us more. Parkinson, for example, takes 18,000 lives each year. This disease has taught us how the brain controls our body.

Knowledge of the mechanisms of memory are clear in Alzheimer’s disease. And by stroke researchers learned to keep isolated the damaged brain cells. In the most serious diseases are the best opportunities for science.

To stop the tremors caused by Parkinson’s began to inject genes directly into the brain might work in a better way than drugs.
The saliva of bats, meanwhile, has a powerful and safe compound that serves to break up blood clots that cause stroke.

During the course of 2007 the scientists first used brain stimulation in electric shock therapy in the form of paradise implant to a patient to wake up after five years of vegetative state.

But unfortunately it is also true is that for now only get relieve symptoms. These diseases continue to baffle scientists and medical researchers. No one could be cured so far. So the purpose of both the brain work is to discover the root cause of disease.

As explained by the principal author of this work, Robert Wilson, “Our results suggest that the benefit of delaying the signs of cognitive decline could lead to more rapid evolution of dementia in later years, but the question is why this happens.”

According to the experts argue over the article, the activities that stimulate the mind can protect and slow cognitive decline, but will not prevent neurodegenerative lesions associated with dementia. Is, they manage to increase the brain’s ability to function relatively normally, despite the brain damage that occur. This occurs until it is diagnosed dementia. From this moment, “observed a more rapid decline in people who had an active lifestyle mentally.”

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center (Chicago) assessed the mental activity of 1,157 people aged 65 years without dementia. At three and six, these people responded to a questionnaire on cognitive habits: listening to the radio, watch TV, read, play games and visit museums. The higher the score, the greater was also the brain stimulation. Over the next six years, found the rate of decline, which incidentally was more rapid among those who had delayed.

“This is not due directly to brain stimulation exercises, which in fact are still highly recommended,” said Jose Carlos Garcia Moncada, chief of Neurology, Hospital of Vizcaia Galdácano. “What happens is that by delaying the onset of dementia, patients who suffer from them is less. Let us note the more rapid deterioration in a shorter time. “

The leaves and seeds of ginkgo, prepared in cooking, tincture, extract or powder, increase blood flow favoring the correct microcirculation, both cerebral and peripheral, as also recommended in case of varicose veins, hemorrhoids, or other conditions that affect blood vessels.

Ginkgo is also used to prevent strokes and Alzheimer’s disease and the effects of arteriosclerosis and senile vascular insufficiency. The Ingredients to serve this tea include: ginkgo 2 teaspoons and 1 cup water. To lapreparación is necessary to put the grass in the cup and pour boiling water, then let stand 5 minutes and strain. Finally have a cup 3 times a day.

In simple terms, the idea is to create in a laboratory, a protein that is very similar to proteins that normally are deposited in the brain of the sick patient and eventually cause the symptoms of dementia.

By exposing a healthy individual and any risk factors, such as a history of having close relatives with the EA, it creates antibodies created in the lab and also with proteins that are characteristic of AD.

This would prevent therefore, protein synthesis and deposition years later that will cause the first symptoms of dementia.

Already there have been many scientific studies and is expected to close in the future hopefully be approved this vaccine, which will undoubtedly be a great addition to the treatment of AD.

Galantamine: Another Alternative for the Treatment of Alzheimer

Soon more will be available in the Chilean market the drug Galantamine (Razadyne ER in the U.S.) and is part of the therapeutic alternatives for Alzheimer’s disease with early or intermediate.

Its mechanism of action is blocking an enzyme called Acetilcolinesteras, resulting in an increased concentration of acetylcholine in the brain and thus, improved part of the disease symptoms.

Route of administration is oral, and there is a prolonged-release (ER Razadyne) and conventional one. This drug, which in recent years is already being used in Europe, will enter into competition with other therapeutic alternatives that are already in the market for Chile: Donepezil, Rivastigmine, Memantine, and Cerebrolysin (also soon to be released to the market).

Impressive are the findings derived from a study on Alzheimer’s by a team of U.S. scientists from the Universities of California at Los Angeles and Southern California: the application of a drug for arthritis managed to turn “in ten minutes” some signs of disease in a patient of 81 years.

The trade publication Journal of neuroinflammation (Journal of Neuroinflammation) reports that physicians applied to the spine of the patient an injection of Etanercept, a drug used to relieve pain and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

The professionals said the patient, who was just beginning to exhibit the symptoms of the disease, could remember the name of your doctor along with the date and place where he was, but ten minutes before had been unable to do so.

However, Dr. Anthony Alvarez, the Biomedical Research Centre in Spain, called for caution with the subject.

“We must be cautious whenever we speak of the experience of a single patient,” he told the BBC the professional currently working on a vaccine against Alzheimer’s disease.

Notes also that it is necessary to show that the drug is safe and runs on a significant number of patients.

In these compelling findings was a team of specialists from the University School of Medicine, Boston, who published his findings in the journal Neuropsychological.

THE BAD MEMORY

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. This chronic disease is strongly associated with age, and irreversibly develops as time passes.

Early symptoms include loss of memory and confusion, but when evil spreads arise personality changes, altered behavior and loss of cognitive abilities. People with this disease often do not recognize family members or have difficulty speaking, reading or doing everyday tasks such as combing hair or bathing.

At the moment there is no cure for the disease, but treatment with several drugs can slow its progress.

THE BENEFITS OF MUSIC

The U.S. researchers looked at whether music could improve memory in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Brandon Ally, the lead author, worked with volunteers to the pathology and healthy participants. Each information submitted heard words spoken or sung and often accompanied with music.

At the end of the experiment, Ally noted that volunteers with Alzheimer memorized the words better when music was present. By contrast, learning of healthy people was exactly the same with or without the songs present.

“Our results support the hypothesis that patients with Alzheimer’s disease better memory when the letters are accompanied by music. However, contrary to what we thought, healthy adults do not receive this benefit of the songs,” said Ally.

Researchers believe that a deeper understanding of the effect of music could open the way for the development of effective therapies for the disease.

Researchers at Boston University, U.S., in collaboration with scientists from the Rotterdam Study, coordinated by Monique Breteler, the Cardiovascular Health Study, led by Oscar Lopez, AGES-Reykjavik study, coordinated by Lenore Launer, the study in May AD , directed by Steve Younkin, the European Consortium of Alzheimer’s Disease, who leads Philippe Amouyel, the ACE Foundation in Barcelona, coordinated by Merce Boada, and the Consortium for Genetic and Environmental Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease, directed by Julie Williams, have identified two genes that may be risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease late onset.

The work, published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association, was carried out by analysis of genome wide association. The researchers have identified two new genes in specific locations in DNA. These genes appear to be independent of those already established by its association with the disease of Alzheimer’s, such as apolipoprotein E (APOE).

The first is located near a gene called BIN1 on chromosome 2, while the second gene is located near several genes as EXOC3L2, BLOC1S3 and mark4 on chromosome 19. “The identification of these new genes points to new biological pathways involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Despite the benefits will probably be within a decade, to examine these pathways could lead to new ways to postpone, and perhaps avoid treat neurodegenerative diseases, “said Sudha Seshadri, a researcher at the Framingham Heart Study.

For its part, Breteler, of University Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands, has warned that “these findings were replicated in an independent population, noting that the locations found not improve the quantification of risk of AD. The value of these is that associations could provide findings on the pathophysiological mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease. ”

Family history
In an accompanying editorial, Nancy L. Pedersen of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (Sweden), says that this multicenter study points out that family history is of great importance, including Alzheimer’s disease late onset. “Today the world population faces an increased prevalence Alzheimer’s disease because life expectancy has risen past 75 years.

Findings like this reinforce the limited utility of individual genetic profiles for Alzheimer’s and lead us to collect information on age, sex, and family history and APOE status. “