Q&A With Dr. Joe Quinn

Can you explain the risks of dementia as it relates to other illnesses, such as heart disease?
I hear this question a lot. Risk factors are identified by studies that compare people with dementia and people without dementia. Their life experiences and medical conditions are evaluated to see what commonalities those people who develop dementia share. More...

Caring for Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Holidays are often a time for families to be together, for sharing and carrying on traditions that have long been a part of a family’s history. But for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, holidays can be a time when a person with memory loss may not be able to participate as she (or he) once did in activities or conversations.
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Medications Currently Available for Alzheimer’s Disease: Are Modest Benefits Better than No Benefits?

There are two main classes of medications that have been FDA (Federal Drug Administration) approved and are available for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Cholinesterase Inhibitors

Cholinesterase inhibitors make up one class of medications. The most common cholinesterase inhibitors are Aricept, Razadyne (formerly marketed as Reminyl), and Exelon. These drugs work by boosting the chemical in the brain called acetylcholine, which we believe helps with memory and alertness, as well as thought process. Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease show a decrease in their levels of acetylcholine, and these drugs work to raise that level and/or increase the brain’s response to acetylcholine.
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Changes in Research Detect Subtle Changes in the Brain Sooner

While traditional research methods have helped us to better understand Alzheimer’s disease, at the Oregon Center for Aging and Technology (ORCATECH), we’ve been able to improve both the accuracy and speed of our results by using existing technology to develop new research methods. We think this technology will make a substantial difference in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s, and perhaps even play an important role in prevention.
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Research, Clinical Trials, and Hope

As a physician treating people with Alzheimer’s disease and as a teaching professor involved in research at Oregon Health and Science University, I’m often asked about the latest research findings and any possible breakthroughs in discovering a cure for this progressive and devastating disease.
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Elder Care & Elder Rage: Know the EARLY Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

For eleven years I pleaded with my elderly father to allow a caregiver to help him with my ailing mother, but after 55 years of loving each other, he insisted on taking care of her himself. Every caregiver I hired to help him sighed in exasperation, "Jacqueline, I can't work with your father—his temper is impossible to handle. I don't think he’ll accept help until he's on his knees himself."
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Difference Between Normal Forgetfulness and Dementia

Is it Different From Alzheimer's Disease?

Dementia is not a specific disease but rather a descriptive term for a collection of symptoms that can be caused by a number of brain disorders. It was not long ago that the word senility was used to describe these disorders. However the word senility means “old age and feebleness of body and mind.” Since old age does not necessarily result in feebleness of body and mind and younger people may be afflicted with these disorders, the word senility has been replaced by dementia.
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Is Alzheimer's Disease a New Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia in individuals over the age of 65. At the beginning of the 20th century, a woman by the name of Auguste D in her early 50s, was admitted to the hospital because of increasingly odd behavior. Her symptoms were memory problems and strong feelings of jealousy, accusing her husband of infidelity. She had episodes of disorientation and was hiding objects. When she was examined by Dr. Alzheimer, a prominent German psychiatrist, he noted that she was unable to remember her husband's name, the year, or how long she had been at the hospital. She was able to read the words on the page but did not seem to understand what they meant. She also accentuated the words in an unusual way. She had episodes of agitation and hallucinations as well as irrational fears.
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Neuropsychological Assessment: Briefly

Psychologists who have unique training and expertise in the use of specialized neuropsychological tests to assess changes in memory and cognitive functioning are called neuropsychologists. They can assist in distinguishing what is normal cognitive function from what is not. Finding a neuropsychologist who specializes in geriatrics or who has had a lot of experience with older people is important.
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The Place to Start When Challenging Behaviors Occur: Possible Causes Related to a Person's Health and Comfort

Why do difficult behaviors occur?

There are a number of challenging behaviors we associate with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other progressive types of dementia. Some of these behaviors include wandering, agitation, not wanting to bath, and wanting to go home.
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Difference Between Normal Forgetfulness and Dementia

Dementia is not a single disease, but refers to a group of symptoms that are caused by numerous brain diseases or other conditions. These symptoms include memory loss, problems with language, poor judgment, change in personality, mood or behavior. Knowing that your relative has dementia explains the symptoms, but does not fully explain WHY the person is having these symptoms.
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They Call it Home Sweet Home: But is it Safe for People with Memory Loss to Live Alone?

Let's be honest: few of us will want to leave our homes when we grow older, despite some possible safety issues. Our home is not just a house – it is a place that is full of memories and one that symbolizes our independence. The comfort and security that our home gives us is not measurable, yet it is something we all understand.
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Dementia With Lewy Bodies

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is considered to be the 3rd most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease (AD). There are specific distinctions, which can help you and your physician differentiate between the two. AD tends to start with short-term memory problems but DLB begins with sleep, behavioral and personality changes before memory impairment becomes obvious.
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Stories

Being with My Father

Two hours after we all went to bed, I was still awake on the couch in my sister’s family room. An unlikely book pulled from the shelf held me captive: The Great Influenza. It was the story of an epidemic that took 675,000 lives in the U.S. alone right at the end of World War I. Normally science and medicine hold little interest for me, but this was mesmerizing; it read like a mystery. Still, just after 11:00 pm, I was drifting, so I turned off the light and was instantly asleep.
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He Just Didn't Want to Think Anymore

"At first, it was subtle things that only I noticed," says Judy C. about the behavior of her husband Jim, who began to show signs of disturbing memory loss and mental confusion in 2001. The couple was living their dream of early retirement on a 38-foot sailboat, the Star Dancer, cruising up and down the Atlantic coast and exploring the Florida Keys and the Caribbean.
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