Alzheimer's

 

This essay has to do with Alzheimer's Disease( AD) which has been described as just one of 50 or so dementias.  Factually, A D is found in up to about 50% of people aged 85 and older . And,an A D pathology is found in 60-85% of all dementias in the US.. World Health Rankings had the  US ranked 8th for AD and Dementia .

 AD is a complicated degenerative disease . A University of Washington study of 3400 autopsies of  older men and women, taken from the normal population, found that 45% had plaques and tangles associated with AD  Additionally, 33% had evidence of tiny strokes from vascular multi--infaret dementia and another 10% had Lewy bodies that are found in  both Parkinson's  and Lewy body dementia.  Also, many  had a combination of two or more of these brain pathologies present at autopsy.

Other autopsy studies found that older people get dementia with 65-85% of  plaques and tangles of A D in the brain.  However, only 30% of these people had pure AD. The rest had evidence of Alzheimer's pathology, vascular dementia or stroke.  30-50% had Lewy body dementia ;and  20 to 30% had Parkinson's disease. Also, 48% had more than one type of dementia  which appeared to accelerate the deficits and speed of decline.  However, the famous Nun-studies showed that  having the plaques and tangles of AD. in the brain ,did not necessarily mean someone will become mentally disabled with dementia .In other words, a thorough understanding A.D.  is limited at this time and is one possible explanation as to why there's no effective treatment..

It's been stated that only 5 to 10% of all A.D. cases run in families of the early onset familial type and 90 to 95% of all A.D. cases typically do not run in families, in the late onset sporadic type.  Yet ,it has also been stated that risk factors for A.D. is about 50% genetic and about 50% lifestyle.

Listing of lifestyle  risk and risk reduction factors for A.D includes 1. Genetics and family history(50% of risk).  2.  Age and sex(more women than men) .  3.  High blood pressure.  4.  Cardiovascular disease 5.  Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and diabetes.  6.  Traumatic brain injury.  7.  Low educational achievement ,low mental stimulation and smaller brain size . 8 Poor diet, toxins, lack of exercise and obesity.  9.Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. 10. Chronic inflammation, hearing loss, low social support. 11.  Chronic stress, anxiety, depression and sleep disorder .12. History of caregiving for family members with dementia.

The high  number of people in the US with an AD diagnosis is not surprising based on lifestyle risk factors.  On the other hand, people who live to 100 years old( centenarians) have remarkably low levels of dementia.  This is especially true for the 50% of  centenarians who live independently.  There are  over 70,000 centenarians in the US. Although there are genetic factors involved, centenarians are having  a long and healthy life. The most important  predictor, for them, is the lifestyle they had  led.  To repeat, brain health is associated with lifestyle. Protect your brain. Smart centenarians have the know how!

A few statistics pertaining to the brain.  The adult brain weighs about 3 pounds; the size of a medium cauliflower; 100 billion neurons and 100 trillion synapses.  Essentially, there are three brains of a human being.  There is the archaic brain , the old brain and the new brain.  The Archaic Brain is involved in the pathophysiology of dementia such as Alzheimer's. 

 The Old Brain has a number of functions pertaining to A.D.  These functions include 1.  Mood, memory, and hormone production control . 2.  Anterior cingulate structure primarily responsible for cognitive, emotional and attentional processing.  3.  Hippocampus functions related to memory formation, spatial memory and navigation.  4.  The amygdala is primarily responsible for fear, fight  or flight responses and anger. 5.  Hypothalamus is the major controlling organ of the autonomic  endocrine system regulating temperature, hunger  thirst, sexual arousal and the sleep-wake cycle .6.  Hippocampus and other limbic areas are selectively destroyed in dementias like A.D. 

 The New Brain is where most dementias destroy areas of the cortex and or white matter connective tracts to produce cognitive impairment.  With that being said, it's no wonder there's been inadequate treatment for dementias because of the complexity and workings of our miraculous brain. 

Although memory doesn't encompass all cognitive abilities,  it's an important facet of cognition.  And, different types of memories are related to different parts of the brain.  Memories are classified according to length as short-term and/or long-term.  Short-term memory encodes information into the cortex to hold onto for approximately 30 seconds. An example might be remembering a phone number long enough to call that number . Also, short-term memories are forgotten unless they are consolidated into long-term memory.  

Long-term memory consolidates information into long term storage so that information can be retrieved at a later time.  The hippocampus, of the limbic system, is heavily involved in storing long-term memories.  Long-term memories can be retrieved at a later time with free recall being less effective than cued or recognition recall. 

Declarative memory is a conscious recall of facts and information such as who is the President of the United States.  Episodic memory includes facts and events tied to specific time which they occurred.  Example: what happened on your 21st birthday, the day you graduated from college .This type of memory is first impaired in A.D.  Procedural memory is unconscious knowing of how to do actions, operations ,tasks and skills. Examples include how to ride a bicycle, and how to drive a car.

Warning signs for A.D. includes 1.  Memory loss that disrupts daily life.  2 Difficulty with planning or solving problems.  3 Difficulty completing familiar tasks.  4 Confusion with time or place.  5 Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. 6 New problems with words and speaking or writing. 7 Misplacing things and losing ability to retrace steps. 8 Decreased or poor judgment.  9 Withdrawal from work or social activities, 10, Changes in mood and personality.

Billions of neurons die as a result of A.D. pathology.  These neurons die from several different interrelated causes which makes it very difficult to develop drugs that will significantly alter the course of the disease.  There are at least seven mechanisms for neuron death in A.D. Will there ever be appropriate and meaningful treatment for A.D. in my lifetime?  I don't know but certainly the current GOP policies regarding AD funding ,cutting grants  and witnessing the brained drain is making things worse for too many individuals in our Republic.  And, maybe the GOP motivation is just that they don't care.

In summation 1. The US has  high rates of A.D. 2.Lifestyle factors are responsible for about 50% of A.D. pathology. 3.  The human brain is remarkable and complex. And A.D.  functions interactively between  the archaic brain, the old brain and the new brain . 4. A.D.  Is progressive; accompanied with aging ,and  exhibiting a weakening in a changing  body. 5.Psychologically ,psychic energy that was previously  directed towards meeting ego needs of achievement, aggression, dominance, independence , self reliance and so forth is now directed towards affiliation by pleasing and cooperating with another with dependency and attachment coupled with insecurity, anxiety and fear in the direction of the end. 6..There is no effective treatment for A.D.7. The GOP has drastically cut  A.D. research funding .

Reference

Brain Injury: Alzheimer's, Stroke And Head Trauma.  Institute for Natural Resources.

Deja Vu ?

 

Describe our 2025 Republic ? This essay provides a few socioeconomic, political, and psychological notions that characterize the 1929 German Republic and will compare them to our 2025 Republic.  Similarities between the two republics are to be noted

In 1929 Germany , the following are a few factors  attributed to an embittered , vulnerable angry and sadistic lower middle class that was affected by large-scale unemployment and increasing  militaristic strength forces perpetuated by social Democratic leaders of heavy industry and following their WW1 defeat along with the unfair  Versailles Treaty  With that introduction ,a brief listing of significant factors follows: 1.  One political party became dominant, backed by the industrialists and the Junkers(landowning aristocrats).  At that time, there was inner tiredness,insecurity,  resignation ,anger and disappointment with their political leaders. In fact, the Kaiser, and others were  ridiculed.and scorned. 3.  There was a spirit of blind obedience to a leader and hatred against others especially those  that were non Aryans.  4.  The lower middle class loved the strong and hated the weak with expressed hostility. They  were envious and rationalized their moral indignation with an enhanced respect for authority, the craving for submission and lust for power  .5. With the depression and  inflation, their savings and sense of security was severely threatened .They sought security which affected their narcissistic pride related to their economic decline.  This decline and insecurity was also  related to  social prestige as their sense of superiority was threatened as they had no one to look down upon.  6.. There was a breakdown of family, and the authority of the father. And the younger generation acted as if he didn't care about receiving their parents approval .Parents lost prestige and authority as the younger generation believed they were superior to their elders.  Economically, the parents were deprived of their role of backers and providers  for the economic future for their children.  Furthermore, this older generation grew more bitter and resentful as the chances for making a living diminished. 7.  With increasing social frustration,they thought of their life in terms of the nation which now had no or little chance for the future or to a return  of the great German Reich. Previously,the German Reich was a symbol of social prestige and security.  They experienced feelings of powerlessness, anxiety, and isolation as well as a resentfulness against the urban creditors with whom  they were in debt.  9 .This individual insignificance and powerlessness was related and perpetuated by monopolistic capitalism 10.. This Nazi regime proved to be economically detrimental to the have nots  but it fostered the interests of the most powerful group of German industry and furthered  the development of monopolistic capitalism- the haves.

Pertaining to Trump voters in 2024, we find a larger share56%  of young men, especially white men, voting for him . Also; 24% of black men and 47% of Latino men did likewise,  especially those aged 45  and older . 

Stated polling  percentages important to young men and women in the 2024 election were : 1. 66% of young men were deeply pessimistic about Biden's handling of the economy as did women  aged18 to 44 .  Almost 2/3 disapproved of Biden's overall job performance while 50% of white men approved  of Trump's previous handling of his presidency 2.  40%  of these males listed inflation and the cost of living among the top three issues followed by immigration, the border ,and  jobs. 3. Inflation and cost of living were most frequently listed as a top issue among  women. 

Economically speaking ,57.4% of Americans have accumulated less than $1000 in savings. The median retirement savings of the richest 10% are 35 times higher than the median retirement savings of the poorest 20%. One quarter of non-retirees have no retirement savings at all.A monopolistic capitalism is a major reason  perpetuating the increase in economic inequality.

The degree of health in our republic is 76% of those experiencing the lowest levels of well-being in 2023 were males aged 25 to 44.  2.  76% of men and 73% of women in the US were either  overweight or obese in 2021 4. There were  905,000 deaths due to cardiovascular disease in 2021, We have a poor health republic  and longevity is related to high-quality education, earning a sufficient income and importantly,making smart cognitive and physical  lifestyle choices

Our current authoritarian led republic is supported by appointed  government loyalists, Congress ,Supreme Court ,corporations,  Tech billionaires  and about 40% or more individuals 2.  Political figures, comedians,journalists , universities,rule of law and scientists are  attacked and discredited by  Trump 3.  Trump is making the economy worse for the have nots and better for the haves. 4.  Foreigners and immigrants are state enemies “justifying” or an excuse for a police and military state  5. White nationalism, racism, hate , prejudice and verbal and  physical  attacks are increasing.  6.  Trump's sadistic rhetoric and executive orders reinforces acts of violence ,splitting and hate 7 .Trump's MAGA slogan is about restoring and compensating for feelings of anxiety, powerlessness and insecurity and is the symbol for social prestige ,dominance,exploitation and  power  of a past white USA. The immigrants, Democrats , people of color ,minorities and other non-MAGA types are evil and must be threatened,  attacked and referred to as non humans. 8. Evil and scapegoating  are enemies of  reason, objectivity, and rational judgment.  9.  Trump's political strategies are ,largely  in part, for his TV  audience  based on his narcissism and his need for self glorification.10 Individuals are arrested without due process and being sent to countries other than their own .

It's apparent that there are familiar themes pertaining to both Germany's 1929 Republic and our 2025 Republic . For example: 1.  We have an embittered, insecure ,anxious ,angry and sadistic lower middle and upper lower class( the have nots) as indicated , in part, by the amount of hateful  social media toxicity and their voting record..  2.  We have one political party in control that's backed by biotech industrialists , CEOs , corporations and 40% or so of the population.  Biden , Harris ,Schumer, Jeffries and other Democrats are ridiculed and attacked.  3.  There is blind obedience to Trump and  hatred and disrespect toward people of color , Democrats, foreigners and non-Christians. 4. We have overt hostility, respect and loyalty for Trump, craving for submission  and pursuit  for power, control and domination.  5.  We have inflation, massive personal and student debt along with minuscule savings.  In the past( MAGA) the white population looked down upon people of color, other peoples with discrimination 6.  There is a breakdown of family and the younger generation has difficulty respecting the older generation. The older generation is also bitter and resentful as their economic resources have  been severely diminished 7. Because of the  economic insecurities, the have nots experience feelings of powerlessness , anxiety ,isolation and scapegoat their  resentment. 8 . Their individual insignificance is related to  monopolistic capitalism with its increasing income inequality . 9. The authoritarian  GOP is proving to be economically detrimental to the have nots but not the haves 

Another consequence or contributing factor for   authoritarianism is the  monopolistic economic inequality which affects the mental and physical health of the lower middle and upper  lower class. Pertaining to Dr.Emeran  Mayers microbiomes research, ,there's an ongoing ,two way.relationship between the mind (brain)and the  body (gut).  As a result of an  unhealthy lifestyle, chronic  physical disease such as heart ,type II diabetes, obesity and cancer, as well as the cognitive,-Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, depression, and anxiety, are common.  This unhealthy lifestyle also affects not only the cortex but the limbic  and archaic systems in our brain as well..Other common disorders  Includie stress, suicide, sleep , mood and IBS that’s related to the mind and body connection. ..

Poor lifestyle choices  include  antibiotic meds , diet laden with sugar, salt and ultraprocessed foods, lack of exercise, few social connections and inadequate meaningful contributions,have been identified as contributing factors for physical and mental illness. Ultraprocessed foods are easy ,convenient, inexpensive ,taste good and appeal to the have-nots.Unfortunately, poor diet affects major decision making.

 In essence,it's been found that   inadequate lifestyle choices  affect  the brain's cognitive decision-making. Also, add the amount of time spent,  lies ,hate, conspiracy, paranoia,and misinformation propagated and found on social media sources.  In other words, cognitive decision-making from brain impairment ( lifestyle, food , social media ) characterizes many of these Trump voters. And, It's not a surprise that a  significant dumbing down  has and continues to  occur  for them . And their  attitude, emotions , thinking and behavior is constantly reinforced by authoritarian lies,dominance  and craziness throughout our cultural  mediums .Furthermore,our nation’s  health, medical care,economic,and  happiness statistics  compared to other nations  do not lie and indicate a realism concerning our nation . Our republic is in trouble. It's not surprising that as our mental and physical health is declining .In fact, a positive  correlation exists  with threats to  democracy ,rule of law ,economics and freedom as authoritarian oppression  pervades this nation at this time. 

Reference

Fromm, Erich.  Escape From Freedom