Healthy Volunteers Are Key To Understanding Alzheimer's
As the baby boomer population gets older, experts say finding prevention strategies for Alzheimer's disease is more critical than ever. But as NY1's Shazia Khan explains in the following Health and Fitness Report, money is not all that's needed for the research."If it weren't for my wife, I would be in serious trouble," said Alzheimer's patient Milton Rothburd.
After 56 years of marriage, those words perhaps never ring truer than they do today. Since 80-year-old Milton Rothburd was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2000, his wife, 77-year-old Lois has helped him every step of the way.
"She lays out my clothes and says, 'this is what you are going to be wearing today,'" said Milton Rothburd.
"Not only that, I also make sure you bathe and take your medication," added his wife.
"And that's very important," said Milton. "She sees to it that I get the right pills every day."
The Alzheimer's Association estimates more than five million people in the United States are currently living with the illness. Its latest report also finds 10 million Baby Boomers will develop the disease.
"Unless we do something about it, we are going to be faced with huge societal burdens and personal burdens based on this population shift," explained NYU Center of Brain Health Director Dr. Mony de Leon.
De Leon says funding alone will not help in the development of prevention strategies. Participation of the unaffected population in studies is equally critical.
"The numbers are really suggestive that 25 to 40 percent of normal individuals have some pathology in the brain that is related to the process of Alzheimer's disease," said the doctor. "This is individuals over 65. This is a very large number. Obviously that larger number is not going to get sick. But why that's the case, is really what needs to be investigated."
Lois participates in studies in honor of her husband and her mother.
"I see the decline and the deterioration in my husband and I think it's one of the most criminal things that could possibly happen to a person," she said. "My mother declined even further, so I saw the indignity of this illness. If I can do anything to help so that people don't have to go through this, I feel my life has been worthwhile."
Those interested in participating in one of the center's ongoing Alzheimer's studies can go to med.nyu.ed/cbh or call 212-263-7563.