Page 144 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2018

GOLDEN YEARS lower your risk Alzheimer’s
Number of Americans with Alzheimer’s
ON THE RISE
story by Alexis Williams
photo courtesy of Singing River Health System
As Americans live longer, there’s a higher prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, currently more than five million Americans are living with the disease and by 2050, this number is expected to reach nearly 14 million.
Recently, Alzheimer’s research received a funding boost with
$425 million awarded by
Congress to the National
Institutes of Health for
research. This brought the total
funding for Alzheimer’s and
dementia research at NIH to $2.3 billion annually.
Singing River Health System neurologist, Dr. Bill Evans, believes research is essential and that research shows the earlier the symptoms of the disease
are treated the better. “The pathology precedes the symptoms by 15 to 20 years,” he said. “By the time someone is symptomatic, the damage of the disease has already been set in motion.”
of symptoms around age 70. However, he has had
patients who present with early onset
Alzheimers in their 40s
and 50s. He also sees the disease to be more prevalent
in women than men, as national trends indicate as well.
Exercise is essential to helping patients with any type of cognitive impairment.
“I encourage all of my patients to get into a regular exercise routine,” said Evans. “Walking one mile a day to get the heart rate up and pump blood to the brain is important. It’s more than just a cardio factor, exercise releases neurotropic factors in the brain.”
In addition, Evans recommends the Mediterranean diet to his patients and at
Evans points specifically to stopping
certain proteins in the brain from going
awry and causing toxicity in the brain cells that cause the disease. “The medications we have now temporize symptoms and help with the neurotransmitters in the brain. They improve the symptoms for a little while, but do not stop the progression or reverse the disease,” he says.
Genetics and environmental factors play large roles in determining who will develop Alzheimer’s as they age. In Evans’ practice, he typically sees presentation
Dr. Bill Evans
least increasing healthier foods in one’s diet. “Vascular components and high blood pressure and diabetes increase the risk of damage of small blood cells in the brain,” he said. “If we can help the underlying issues for heart health, then you can lower your risk or slow the progression of cognitive decline.”
800.272.3900 - 24/7 Help Line | www.alz.org
144 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • November 2018
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