Brainwork 'holds of Alzheimers'

CraigC

Registered User
Mar 21, 2003
6,633
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London
Not sure if anyone came across this article in the Daily Mail, but it is now available online.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...ain.html?in_article_id=363366&in_page_id=1774

Just thought it may stimulate some reaction, hopefully directed at the Daily Mail letters pages (that's what I will be doing). I wonder if Dr Andel studied a decent cross section of the population! and how he came to this conclussion. I'm personally very sceptical as I hear more and more stories of peoples past lives visiting homes and meeting relatives. My father like many had very challenging job and did 'complex' work right until the day he retired. He then continued to stimulate his mind even after the onset of alzheimer's. I really can't believe there is any connection between peoples jobs and the onset of dementia. The study and its conclussions are is misleading and insulting in my opinion.

Kind Regards
Craig
 

daughter

Registered User
Mar 16, 2005
824
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Hmmm, I'm inclined to agree with you Craig. Admittedly, my Dad was a manual worker but he was always doing crosswords.

I suppose we could set up a poll here, (just for interest of course - I analyse data for a living and I would never trust statistics! :p )

Best wishes,

PS. What did you think about the other article on green tea?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...ain.html?in_article_id=363149&in_page_id=1774
 
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rummy

Registered User
Jul 15, 2005
700
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Oklahoma,USA
I have heard this before but have wondered how they can account for all the people with alzheimers that had intellectual or otherwise knowledge based professions.

President Regan for one!

Debbie
 

Canadian Joanne

Registered User
Apr 8, 2005
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70
Toronto, Canada
One facet the sturdy did not address was the economic side of the equation. People who become lawyers, doctors etc tend to come from economically privileged backgrounds. Maybe there's a nutritional basis in early life. Maybe it's because wealthy people get better medical care all their lives. Maybe with all that money family members with AD, which still has a great stigma, are better hidden away and their disease covered up. I'd put my money (what I have of it) on that one.

Maybe it's because sharks don't get Alzheimer's - but that would apply to lawyers only. (Just kidding folks).

All I know is that my mother did crosswords every day and read extensively - murder mysteries (because of the puzzle element), history and so on. She also read the newspaper every day. She worked mostly in accounting all her life. She was a bright and clever person and now I'm left with her shell.

I have heard this argument before but then what about Iris Murdoch? Now there's someone whose life was entirely of the mind.

The study seems badly constructed and shoddy. Craig, I'm with you.
 

CraigC

Registered User
Mar 21, 2003
6,633
0
London
Hi Hazel et all,

I read the article on green tea, thanks. I've kicked caffeine and tried all sorts of teas and drinks, but green tea is hard to stomach must admit. I'd heard of the connection for helping prevent cancer but not alzheimer's. Interesting though.

I'm starting to think that there is no sure way to avoid the Alzheimer's lottery. My dad had such a healthy lifestyle and diet. The article just triggered one of those angry moments, just now and then while your dealing with all this stuff, you get to thinking WHY. My dad once said that if anything serious happened to me, and he couldn't fix it, he'd find out why it happened and then do all he could to make sure it never happened to anyone else. One of my many attractions to the alzheimer's society. But articles and research like this are just plain unhelpful in my opinion and take the focus away from serious medical research.

kind regards
Craig
 
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daughter

Registered User
Mar 16, 2005
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Doh! sorry Craig, and I've just set up a poll! :eek:

PS I agree with what you say about there's seemingly "no way to avoid the alzheimers lottery". :(
 

CraigC

Registered User
Mar 21, 2003
6,633
0
London
No problem at all Hazel....

Sorry, didn't mean to say that the discussion/information wasn't interesting, it was just the way the the conclussion was drawn in the article/research like it was some sort of amazing discovery that no one had thought of before. Ground breaking stuff! Was ranting as usual and trying to stimulate discussion.

A poll would be harmless, but a £200,000 (that's a wild guess BTW) research project on the subject would be was ill spent in my opinion ;)

kind regards
Craig
 

Kriss

Registered User
May 20, 2004
513
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Shropshire
My Aunt spent the majority of her working life as a research chemist then latterly as a teacher and once retired as an accountant. Hardly "brain dead" professions!

Kriss
 

Norman

Registered User
Oct 9, 2003
4,348
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Birmingham Hades
I agree with Craig,there is always someone running a research project and producing wonderful new theories,for in the end that is all they are theories.
I do not believe Alzheimer's Disease is common to any one group.
I thought about a few people around me that were victims of this horrible disease and what were their occupations.
A few that I have known personally:Head Master and JP,Policeman,environmental officer,Seaman,Secretary,Policewoman,politicain and many Housewives.
Can't see much similarity there !!
Norman
 

jc141265

Registered User
Sep 16, 2005
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Australia
Brainwork, or is that %$%(rhymes with pass)work?

Dad was a mainframe computer programmer, then operations manager of a factory then General Manager, his brain was super-powered, I've never met anyone in my whole life as smart.

He did however come from a VERY poor background.
 

daughter

Registered User
Mar 16, 2005
824
0
Uh-huh! See what I mean about stats - there's always yet another variable that can be added to the analysis! :)
 

Canadian Joanne

Registered User
Apr 8, 2005
17,710
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70
Toronto, Canada
I agree, Hazel, right now everything is a guess about causes. So far, except for the genetic early onset type of AD, we haven't any firm idea about what causes it. Lots of theories, no absolute facts.

I think it just happens. I don't think they will find one great overwhelming cause. There may be lots of little, incremental pushes but I think that will be all.

It's very irritating to me that there seems to be an element of blame somehow - as if it's to do with one's choice of work or diet (the old aluminium pot thing) or reading or lack of reading etc etc etc. It just happens. It certainly happens more frequently as one ages so that's a factor. But I'm sick of the blame game. Bad things happen for no reason in this world. I don't need or want my mother blamed for her disease. :mad:
 

rummy

Registered User
Jul 15, 2005
700
0
Oklahoma,USA
Well said Joanne,
I think I've just been looking for reasons why, not blame. Perhaps if I know why Mom got it then maybe I can avoid it by doing something differently.
The neurologist told me that my Mom's AD wasn't caused by drinking or anything else and that even though it is a genetic disease, it isn't hereditary. ( Guess I'll test that one out in a few years :eek: )
Mom was a credit manager for General Electric. When she retired she turned to crafts and gardening.
Since it doesn't hurt to drink green tea and read, I think I'll do it even if it doesn't work! At least I'll feel proactive. :)

Debbie
 

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