Alzheimer's Club

"PORTSMOUTH — Penny. Apple. And what was the third word the exam-giver had said to remember?

Oh yeah, table. Or was it desk?

Thousands of Americans received a free screening Tuesday, Nov. 15, as part of National Memory Screening Day, an Alzheimer's Association of America event to promote early detection of the disease and related illnesses. Locally, at the Brichel Center for Neurodevelopment, cofounder William Mautz and center clinical director Sandra Lovell administered the 10- to 15-minute screenings to walk-ins and those who had set up appointments. The screening included a series of memory-related questions involving time, place, subtraction and word recall. Test-takers lost points for incorrect answers.

For some it offered reassurance; for others, it pointed to a need for more examination. The screening did not offer a diagnosis. If visitors wanted, the center forwarded the results to their primary care physician, he said. For those who seek a complete dementia exam, it can take four or five hours, said Mautz, who holds a doctorate in neuropsychology.

Interest in and research into memory are growing with the aging of the baby boomer generation, typically described as those born between 1946 to 1964, a time of increased birth rates and prosperity.

Mautz speculated that boomers' interest stems from having seen parents experience memory loss, and because the boomers have been very health conscious, as a generation. In any case, because many of this generation are approaching an age when Alzheimer's disease develops — most victims are more than 65 — more people will be actively dementing in the coming years, said Mautz. In the last five years research has emerged about a condition called mild cognitive impairment, he said.

Those identified with this do not have full-blown dementia, but will develop the disease in three to six years. The Alzheimer's Association says early diagnosis of Alzheimer's gives patients a better chance of benefiting from treatment and more time to plan for the future. While there is no cure for Alzheimer's, drug treatments may stabilize symptoms, and care strategies and activities may prevent behavioral problems, the association says.

Memory problems, however, are not necessarily a product of Alzheimer's. Factors including depression, anxiety, or head injury can contribute to memory loss, Mautz said. Still, the sheer number of people expected to develop Alzheimer's recommends greater awareness, a goal of the national screening day, he said.

Another reason to continue research into and test for the disease is society's planning for the high cost of caring for people with the end stages of the disease. An estimated 5 million Americans have the disease, according to a Brichel Center news release. One in 10 of those 65 and older have it, and almost half of those 85 and older. The incidence is expected to triple by mid-century

The Brichel Center, located at 20 Ladd St., was also founded by psychiatrist Joshua Gear. It offers a variety of psychiatric and neuropsychological services. Its memory services include consultation, baseline memory testing, comprehensive diagnostic evaluation and individual memory training and education."

Source: Terry Gate. Baby boomers' interest grows in monitoring memory. Democrat (23 November 2005) [FullText]