Preventing Alzheimer's

Today I listened to a Ted Talk by Lisa Genova, the author of the novel Still Alice.  In her talk entitled "What you can do to prevent Alzheimer's", Lisa describes the pathology behind the most common neurodegenerative disease and possible ways to protect your brain from it.  She explains that Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is caused by plaques of amyloid beta accumulating within the synapses in a brain.  This phenomenon occurs naturally in the brain as it ages, but it becomes a problem once the number reaches a tipping point and becomes Alzheimer's disease.  Although there is no cure for this disease, Lisa suggests that certain measures can be taken to help prevent these plaques from reaching their tipping point.  Cardiovascular disease and lack of sleep are two examples of health problems that lead to an overgrowth of amyloid plaques in the body. If we make an effort to decrease these stresses on our bodies, then it can significantly reduce the risk of developing AD.  Preventative measures are more effective than trying to treat AD once you have it; however, she goes on to say that the effects that AD have on the body can be reduced through neuroplasticity and creating more connections in what she calls a "cognitive reserve".  For example, learning a new language like Italian will stimulate the brain and therefore create new connections.

I chose this for my neuro note because I have been interested in Lisa Genova's work ever since we discussed her book Still Alice during class.  I think it is remarkable that she is a neuroscientist and a talented author who has the creativity to implement her knowledge through a work of fiction.  After seeing this Ted Talk, I am going to continue my knowledge through reading Still Alice.  She briefly discussed how the main character, Alice, has a rare genetic component that put her at a great risk to develop AD. I also wanted to learn a little more about Lisa's background, so I explored her "About Me" page on her website: http://lisagenova.com/about-lisa/

She appears to be a truly intelligent person.

My main take away from this video was that Alzheimer's Disease is not necessarily inevitable. It seems that if someone lives long enough, he/she will more than likely get this disease.  However, science is making some serious headway with finding preventative measures and hopefully someday, a cure. As an occupational therapist, it might be a good idea to show this Ted Talk to someone recently diagnosed with AD so he/she can begin to facilitate ways to promote neuroplasticity.  This video could bring hope to many people.

Genova, L. (2017, April). What you can do to prevent Alzheimer's [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_genova_what_you_can_do_to_prevent_alzheimer_s#t-820240