#Symptoms of Vascular Dementia

[feminist-space]

Cat in the Hat:

"The German Health Minister gave an important update on the Covid situation yesterday.

I’ve written up the section of his speech from the video below for easy reading.

It’s immensely refreshing to see a government minister warning of the harms of Covid in such a transparent way."

https://x.com/_catinthehat/status/1732092683508678954

Prof. Karl Lauterbach

Health Minister, Germany

4 December 2023

"This second (long Covid) round table was very interesting, lasting three and a half hours. It serves as a unique forum for dialogue among scientists, researchers and those affected by long Covid, facilitating the exchange of ideas.

There are many new findings about long Covid. Not all of them are good news. One piece of not-so-good news concerns the fact that long Covid is actually still a problem for those who are newly infected. One estimate that has been put forward is that the risk of contracting long Covid now, even after vaccination, is around 3%. Now you may say, "that's not such a big risk" , but there are tens of thousands of people who are repeatedly affected in a short period of time. And so, the long Covid problem has not yet been solved.

We have also established that there really are many subgroups of long Covid and that we do not yet have a cure. And it was clearly pointed out that we are also dealing with problems here that will challenge society as a whole, because vascular diseases often occur after long Covid. Throughout Europe, we are currently seeing an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease in the middle-age group - from 25 to 50. This is associated with the consequences of Covid infections.

We also very often find cognitive impairment in older people. And one participant pointed out that it may well be like the Spanish flu, where 20 years after the Spanish flu there was a significant increase in Parkinson's disease and probably also dementia.

This is something we must pay attention to, as the past infection afiects how the immune system in the brain functions, as well as the brain's blood vessels, potentially increasing the long-term risk of these major neurodegenerative diseases. This is why we need to conduct very intensive research. This research has played a major role.

What is the overall assessment of the situation now?

We have to be careful. Long Covid is not curable at the moment. We also know that over 40% of those who have several manifestations of long Covid, for example, five or more, still have symptoms after 2 years, so it doesn't seem to heal spontaneously. We also know that those whose symptoms are more pronounced at the beginning are less likely to heal.

So some of what we know from the demographics of long Covid has been confirmed, and we now know more precisely which mechanisms in the brain, but also in the blood vessels and the immune system, are responsible for this. Professor Scheibenbogan will explain this briefly later.

At this point, I can only say the following - this is particularly important to me:

First of all, long Covid is a disease that stays with us and that we cannot yet cure. And we are seeing an increasing number of cases as the waves of infection continue to affect us.

Secondly, Covid is not a cold - with a cold, you don't usually see any long-term effects. You don't see any changes in the blood vessels. You don't usually see an autoimmune disease developing. You also don't usually see neurological inflammation - these are all things that we see with long Covid. Therefore, one should not assume that Covid infection is just a common cold. It can affect brain tissue and the vascular system, and we still lack an effective treatment, making these studies crucial.

Significantly, we know that the risk of long Covid decreases when you're infected but have been vaccinated. That's why it's concerning that only 3 million people have been vaccinated with the new, adapted vaccine. That is a very bad result.

Please protect yourself from severe infections.

Please protect yourself from long Covid.

Currently, the danger posed by Covid is indeed being underestimated. Nothing is worse than infecting someone at Christmas who then becomes seriously ill and may not fully recover."

Alt text is included in all images of this post.

[sleepymccoy]

Per one single request (and that is all I need to carry on) here is an expansion of my tags on this post

What even is dementia?

Basically, it's an umbrella term. It describes a set of common symptoms, primarily worsening cognitive loss.

It's kind of like saying you have a cold. A cold is not a diagnosis, it's a grouping of different illnesses, like rhino virus (the most common), influenza, covid, the list goes on.

So, you can have dementia and Alzheimer's, but you wouldn't describe yourself as having both. You'd say "I have a type of dementia, Alzheimer's disease." In the same way you'd say, "I have a cold, I think it's just a rhino virus but it's a whopping my ass."

So why'd you pick Alzheimer's for that example?

Well, Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. It's where all the stereotypes you'd know about it come from. This is gonna be a text heavy post, so have a graph

University of Queensland

Before I talk about them in more detail though, what's a brain?

Your brain is made up of segments that control different specific bits of your body.

I always knew that if you hit the back of your head you might go blind, cos the eye and sight stuff happens at the back of the head. This is true.

I love a copyright warning on a photo. This post constitutes personal use

Alright! An important thing about dementia is that it moves through the brain steadily, going piece by piece. It doesn't do it all at once. So you have a starting spot, and a progressive loss of cognition as it kills your neurons. We figure out the dementia type by the symptoms, cos the brain is so defined

So if you hit the back of your head, the green occipital lobe in that picture, you mess with your sight. If you lose cognition in the back of your head your eyes are seeing fine, but your cognition loss makes you process that sight incorrectly. What you see can be completely different to what other people see. This is posterior cortical atrophy, and I bring it up because we know someone who died from it, this is Terry Pratchett's dementia subtype

It's not on the above graph cos it's quite a rare type

Where's Alzheimer's start?

In the kinda middle bit, the temporal lobe. Memory, ya know. And once it takes your memory it'll move on, but it's not always the same, so people living with Alzheimer's disease will developed varying symptoms as the disease progresses, which takes many years. Sometimes people get a diagnosis of mixed dementia cos it's doing a few lobes at once. Or they have another quite different type of dementia at the some time

I'm not gonna talk about Alzheimer's much cos if you know anything about how dementia goes, you probably know it from Alzheimer's disease.

Let's go through a few others

Vascular dementia is the next biggie!

It's a curious one, this is stroke related. So, when you get a stroke you often lose cognition in the affected area of the brain. That's not dementia, that's a stroke!

But if you get lots and lots of strokes, constantly, that's a type of dementia. Cos you're getting steadily cognitively worse

(this is a good time to remind people that dementia is not a diagnosis or even a type of illness like cancer, it is a descriptive umbrella of common symptoms. The underlying causes can be wildly different)

Vascular dementia doesn't follow our moves steadily though the brain model, cos the strokes can and do happen anywhere. It's rough

What am I talking about, they're all rough. It'll get rougher

Lewy bodies dementia

Often cross diagnosed with Parkinson's disease dementia, it just depends if you get the physical or cognitive symptoms first.

Lewy bodies doesn't tend to have any memory loss. I know, no one thinks that's possible! But this is a dementia without memory loss! Cognitive loss is not the same thing as memory loss, theres other cognitive thing you can lose. That's why they're different words I guess

Of course, in all dementias eventually everything goes. Cos it's progressive, it keeps progressing

Lewy bodies is more likely to cause physical impacts like shaking and shuffling gait. You'll also hallucinate, have delusion, sleep badly, and experience mood swings.

From a care perspective, the people living with Lewy bodies disease are vastly more likely to be violent than any other person living with dementia

Robin Williams had this one, but he never knew. They confirmed via autopsy. So I'm gonna add a fun gif of him cos he was lovely

There's a lot of other disease/illness induced dementias

Huntington's turns into dementia eventually. HIV too. If you have down syndrome you have an extra gene that will always turn into dementia if you live long enough (that's one of our few 100% rates). Alcohol related dementia. So on and so forth. There's a shit tonne of types

Anyway, thats enough about disease progression. I'll talk out a few more common misunderstandings and then post

Is dementia fatal?

Sure is. Most people will die of something else while they have dementia, cos age often comes with comorbidities, but if the only thing you have is Alzheimer's disease it will still kill you. It's taking out your brain cells, eventually you'll forget how to swallow and choke.

Honestly tho it's more likely you'll die 'by accident' due to doing something you didn't realise was dangerous, like going for a walk wearing nothing at night and developing hypothermia. That is a dementia-caused death, I think we can all see that, but it'll be written down as hypothermia. So reported deaths are lower than what's true

Alzheimer's takes 10 - 30 years for the neuron loss to be extreme enough to kill you outright. Lewy bodies is more like 5 - 7 years. There's a range and the ranges are poorly defined, quiz your GP if this ever comes up in your life

It's an old person disease, right?

Overwhelmingly yes. It's considered younger onset if you're less than 65. But from the graph above you can see that's a big enough proportion to get its own slot

But kids don't get it

Sure they do, childhood dementia is a whole thing. It's awful. People are born with it. Again, dementia isn't an illness type, it's a symptom grouping. Kids can be born with progressive, worsening cognitive loss. So while it's not Alzheimer's disease, it is dementia. It's like 1 in 3000 kids have some kind of childhood dementia, and most die before they reach adulthood.

It's untreatable

It is incurable (but they keep researching!) but we have treatments for the early stages. If you or a loved one is experiencing confusion and memory loss, get moving early and you might be able to delay the worsening of symptoms for a few years. It's not a cure, but it's better than nothing. And it's all we've got

How do you, op, know?

I have a master's degree in dementia, and I work in the field. Not naming my job cos I'm not speaking for them rn, I'm just presenting what I know personally

Gonna end the post there. Send me asks or questions or whatever, I'll try and answer. If I get enough asking the same thing I'll do another post expanding on that ❤️❤️❤️

[mindblowingscience]

A decline in motor skills is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease, regularly taking the form of slowness, rigidity, and tremors. Yet the condition commonly affects other neurological functions as well, impacting mood and causing a decline in cognition. A drug that blocks a key receptor linked with blood pressure has shown promise recovering memory in models of vascular dementia, inspiring researchers from the University of Arizona to test the treatment on mice with Parkinson's-like symptoms.

Continue Reading.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

Hey! Look! A great breakdown of that thing I'm always talking about being a big yet entirely-overlooked deal by 90% of medical professionals in regards to this particular virus!

SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19, is not done with us. Over the past four years, it has shown a remarkable ability to adapt, with each new variant outmaneuvering our immune systems in unique ways. The recently published study on the XEC variant (November 22, 2024) provides fresh insights into how this virus is evolving. (1) Combining this with the broader history of immune evasion, we see a troubling pattern: the virus continues to find ways to evade the immune system and in many cases, persist, potentially leaving lasting impacts on our health even for those who experience only mild or asymptomatic infections.

What the Study Found: XEC’s Immune Escape Arsenal The latest study revealed that the XEC variant—an offspring of two previous variants, KS.1.1 and KP.3.3—has developed mechanisms that make it harder for our immune systems to neutralize it. Here’s how it works:

1. Glycosylation Mutations in the N-terminal Domain (NTD):

The XEC variant introduces new glycosylation sites, such as the T22N mutation, which act like a cloak, hiding key parts of the virus from antibodies.

These sugar molecules shield the receptor-binding domain (RBD), a crucial target for vaccines and natural immunity, making it harder for antibodies to bind and neutralize the virus.

2. Allosteric Effects:

Mutations in the NTD don’t just shield the virus—they also alter the behavior of the RBD through a process called allostery. These changes can make the RBD less accessible or alter how it interacts with human cells, further reducing the effectiveness of antibodies.

3. Potential Impact on Membrane Fusion:

The study hints that these mutations may also enhance how efficiently the virus fuses with human cells, potentially increasing its infectivity.

Immune Evasion: A Constant Tug-of-War The ability of SARS-CoV-2 to adapt is not new. Looking back at the history of immune evasion, we see a pattern:

The Early Days: Mutations like D614G made the virus more infectious.

Alpha and Beta Variants: N501Y and E484K mutations increased binding to human cells and evasion of neutralizing antibodies.

Omicron Era: A flurry of spike protein mutations allowed the virus to reinfect people with previous immunity and bypass vaccine-induced protection.

XEC is the next chapter in this story, combining these strategies with new tricks like glycosylation and allosteric modulation to stay ahead of human defenses.

Why This Matters: Beyond Infections Understanding immune evasion isn’t just about tracking infections—it’s about long-term health impacts. Here’s why this evolution is particularly concerning:

1. The Shadow of Long COVID:

Millions of people suffer from Long COVID, characterized by fatigue, brain fog, heart palpitations, and muscle pain. The virus’s ability to persist and evade the immune system might explain why symptoms linger for months or years in some individuals.

Chronic immune activation or hidden reservoirs of the virus could drive these long-term effects.

2. Asymptomatic but Chronic Damage:

Even in people without noticeable symptoms, SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to cause subtle, potentially long-term damage to:

Vascular systems: Leading to inflammation and microclot formation.

Neurological function: Disrupting brain activity and potentially accelerating neurodegenerative conditions. Early onset dementia

Musculoskeletal health: Causing unexplained weakness or pain.

Cognitive performance: Contributing to memory issues and reduced mental clarity. Are you or someone you know having more trouble finding words to use or losing things more often?

3. Vaccines Alone Aren’t Enough:

While vaccines remain essential, their effectiveness is limited by the virus’s rapid evolution. Variants like XEC show how SARS-CoV-2 can sidestep even the most advanced immune defenses, highlighting the need for next-generation vaccines targeting broader parts of the virus. We have know this for a long time now so where are the broader targeting vaccines?

The Future of SARS-CoV-2 Evolution The virus has already demonstrated its ability to adapt to our immune responses in multiple ways, and there’s no reason to believe it will stop. Here are some possibilities for future adaptation:

Further Refinement of Glycosylation: Adding or modifying sugar molecules could make the virus even more difficult to detect.

Enhanced Membrane Fusion: Mutations that improve how the virus merges with human cells could increase its infectivity.

Host Adaptation: Over time, the virus could become better at hiding within human cells, evading both natural immunity and therapeutic interventions.

Increased Chronicity: The virus might evolve to persist at low levels in the body, leading to ongoing inflammation and long-term health consequences.

What We Can Do: Adapting to the Virus’s Adaptations The XEC variant and others like it remind us that SARS-CoV-2 is still a formidable opponent. Here’s what we can do:

1. Invest in Better Vaccines:

Universal or pan-coronavirus vaccines that target conserved regions of the virus are critical.

2. Improve Diagnostics:

Detecting chronic or asymptomatic infections early could help mitigate long-term health effects.

3. Focus on Treatment:

Antiviral drugs that target different parts of the virus, combined with treatments for inflammation and immune dysregulation, could help reduce the impact of Long COVID.

4. Stay Vigilant:

For individuals, maintaining basic preventive measures during high transmission periods can significantly reduce risks.

Conclusion: Learning from the Virus SARS-CoV-2 is teaching us a harsh lesson about evolution. Its ability to adapt and evade our defenses, from antibodies to T-cells, shows no sign of slowing down. Variants like XEC underscore the importance of continued research, innovation, and public health vigilance. By understanding the virus’s strategies and preparing for its next moves, we can better protect ourselves—not just from acute infections but from the long-term consequences.

Reference:

Enhanced immune evasion of SARS-CoV-2 variants KP.3.1.1 and XEC through N-terminal domain mutations (November 22, 2024)

www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099%2824%2900738-2/fulltext

[landboundstar]

Neurodivergence should be more normalized than it is.

Period.

It should be normalized.

And we need to talk about it more.

We recently - like last 15 years or so- have started talking more about autism and ADHD.

Oh, we have known about it longer. We have talked about it academically.

I mean talking about it over dinner or on our work breaks.

Maybe some people have spoken about it longer, but in the past 15 years, I have seen an increase in that discussion.

Especially as we learn more about autism and ADHD.

But there is more than that.

Psychosomatic symptoms

Situational triggers

Various sensory issues

Neurodivergence from illness and injury and trauma.

They exist. In the past 5 years, I am starting to hear people talking about those too.

But not as much. Not loudly.

Please.

Talk more about it. Talk about symptoms more. Talk about how you cope.

It matters.

It matters when we talk about how to focus our attention. It matters when we talk about stimming, soothing, and other ways to cope. It matters when we talk about grounding techniques. It matters when we talk about our struggles and our adaptations

It matters for mental health. It matters for physical health - I only recently learned about vascular dementia. Where leaking blood vessels and blood pressure changes can create dementia. Where circulation and heart health can change ability to remember and retain information. I only recently started seeing information on how septic infections can distort thinking.

But if we don't talk about how we think or see something normally, how do we know it is distorted thinking for that person?

There are physical factors. There are mental factors. There are genetic factors. There are environmental factors.

Please normalize neurodivergence, for everyone's sake.

Please talk about neurodivergence more.

[createyourownnarrative]

A list of Long Covid Symptoms

Allergy/Histamine (2)

Heightened Food Sensitivities — Worse reactions to foods I was already sensitive too

Inflammation After Eating Avocado — Seems to be histamine reaction

Arms/Hands (8)

Fingernails Brittle

Fingernails Slow Growing

Hand Coordination Off — Dropping things randomly

Hand Weakness — Trouble opening jars, etc.

Heavy Arm Feeling — Felt like they were two sacks of potatoes

Vertical Ridges on Fingernails

Waterlogged Look in Fingertips — Probably neurologically related

Wrist Pain

Back (2)

Back Cracking — Feels constricted & tight

Back Pain — Lower & upper, probably due some to organ inflammation

Bladder (4)

Discolored Urine — Clear/Dull at times, probably due to dehydration

Frequent Urination — Had to urinate more often, water would run right through me

Urgency in Urination — Trouble holding it at times, would have to go suddenly and immediately

Urine Smell — When Covid was most active, sweat would smell too

Circulation/Vascular (9)

Blood Dark

Blood Thick — Hard to get out of veins at times, wet cupping showed dark/thick blood too

Bumps on Veins — Briefly had bumps, making it hard to do IVs in certain spots, went away

Cold Hands & Feet

Covid Toes — Had slightly, toes under toenails would turn a little purple

Elevated Veins — Veins were raised at times

Felt Like I Was Having a Stroke — Weird sensation in brain stem, one of the more frightening symptoms

Hypertension — Blood pressure was up 140+/80+, normally I’m at 110-120/60-70

Micro-Clotting — Seen in blood from wet cupping

Ears/Mouth/Teeth/Throat (11)

Clogged Ears

Dry Mouth — Especially when Covid most active

Ear Cracking

Ear Pain — Sharp pain would come on inside of my ears at times, like an earache almost

Gum Receding — Not often

Hoarse Voice — Especially when Covid most active

Itchy Ears

Jaw Pain

Loose Teeth — Felt like some teeth would fall out, had to be careful eating certain things for some time

Pain in Teeth — Probably nerve related

Throat Tightness — Like a constriction

Energy (2)

Fatigue — Had extreme fatigue for months, could barely do anything

Malaise

Eyes (8)

Blurry Vision

Double Vision

Dry Eyes — Especially when Covid most active

Floaters

Itchy Eyes — Histamine or Covid related

Light Sensitivity — Especially when having brain stem inflammation

Motion Sensitivity — Especially when having brain stem inflammation

Tunnel Vision

Gallbladder (2)

Gallbladder Pain

Pain & Inflammation When Eating Fatty Foods — Have not had steak in 2 years, that sent me to the hospital the one time I decided to go for Long Haul Covid

Gastrointestinal (13)

Bloating — Upper GI

Burping — Worse with active Covid

Constipation

Craving Food

Diarrhea — More common with active Covid

Gassy — Worse with active Covid

Growling/Rumbling — Worse when eating things my body doesn’t want me to

Loss of Appetite

Nausea — Can come on with reflux

Reflux — Has been a mainstay, waxes and wanes, reinfection flares it up

Stomach Pain — Abdominal pain all over

Vomiting — Sometimes blood (when I had nasty gastritis from BA.5)

Weight Loss — Lost 28 pounds at lowest, have gained 16 back now

Head/Neurological (36)

Anxiety — A chemical physical anxiety

Brain Fog/Memory Issues — Trouble remembering names, etc.

Compressed Nerve — Constant nerve pain in neck/upper back that had to be relieved by Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractor, came on after reinfection

Confusion — Felt like dementia at times, forget why came downstairs, put keys in fridge

Delirium — Totally out of it for a short period, crazy thoughts, couldn’t think straight

Difficulty Concentrating — ADHD type feeling

Dizziness — Would have to hold on to the railing vertigo was so bad

Electrical Zaps

Fainting/Blacking Out

Fleeting Nerve Sensations — Quick phantom sensations

Hair Loss — Moderate loss of hair when showering

Hair Texture Changed — Coarse for a time

Hard Finding Right Word

Headaches/Migraines

Heat Sensitivity — Too much heat would make me feel horrible, nervous system related

Higher Heart Rate at Rest — Went up to 80s at rest when should have been 60s, higher standing and moving than normal as well

Limb Weakness — Dead arms at times, brain stem/neuro related

Nerve Burning Sensation

Nerve Pain

Numbness in Face

Occipital Neuralgia — Nerve pain in head

Pain & Inflammation After Using Brain Too Much — Only have so much brain power in a day at times

Partial Paralyzation — GBS symptoms, Thanksgiving 2020 could barely move half the day, shallow breathing

PEM — At one point couldn’t walk 5 minutes without feeling horrible that rest of day and the next, now can walk many miles without an issue, but strenuous exercise still a problem

Pins and Needles — Neuropathy in arms and legs

POTS — Dizzy/Blacking out when standing

Pressure in Brain Stem

Restless Legs — Fidgety, can’t sit still, moving legs a lot when trying to go to sleep

Shaking/Tremors — I remember seeing a new doctor and thinking she would believe I’m a drug addict, as I was shaking like someone going through violent withdrawals

Slurring Speech

Sound Sensitivity

Tinnitus — Some ringing in ears at times

Trouble Breathing — This was a neurological difficulty breathing, like my body didn’t know how to do it

Trouble Controlling Arm and Leg Movements — IV C really brought on GBS symptoms, brain couldn’t control my arms and legs

Trouble Swallowing — Food, pills, water

Trouble Typing/Writing

Vibrations

Heart (5)

Pain in Heart When Laying Down — Maybe reflux related

Pounding Heart — Probably neuro, was worse when at 100mg of Fluvoxamine for months

Skipped Heart Beats

Stinging Pain — Sharp pain, not so much anymore

Tachycardia — Was racing out of control, so rushed to Cardiologist and convinced them to give me steroids

Hormones/Mood/Psychological (9)

Depression — Slight, but I’m not a depressed person, if I was it would probably be extreme

Dissociation — Out of body, not present

Emotional — Crying, when I shouldn’t have, a few times

Feeling of Doom & Gloom — Felt at times I would never get better, but it was a chemical/physical thing

Feeling Irritable — Easily angered at times

Intrusive Thoughts

Mood Change — A little colder, less jovial

PTSD — From this whole experience

Sex Drive Decreased — Probably due to testosterone lowering some

Immune System (4)

Body Temperature Changes — Hot to Cold

Chills

Fever — Never higher than 102

Night Sweats — For a period would sweat profusely at night

Joints/Muscles (7)

Bone Pain

Hurt to Lay Legs on Top of Each Other While Sleeping — Had to put comforter in between legs

Joint Pain — All over joint pain, especially hips, knees, hands, comes and goes

Loss of Muscle Mass

Muscle Constriction/Tightness — All over body, Covid has caused a tightening, could use a massage daily for a year

Muscle Pain

Muscle Spasms — All over muscle spasms, especially arms, chest, legs, head, worse when Covid active

Kidneys (1)

Kidney Pain — Bilateral at same time always it seemed

Legs (5)

Calf Pain — Circulation?

Cramps — Would get wicked, painful cramps in legs

Heavy Leg Feeling — Dead legs

Thigh Pain, Weakness — Would get weird thigh pain, and weakness, as if they wanted to give out

Tight Hamstrings

Liver (1)

Pain in Liver — Mid-upper right side abdominal pain

Lungs/Respiratory (13)

Chest Pain — Especially with acute/active Covid

Coughing — Not too often

Coughing Up Phlegm — Still doing this, still nebulizing sometimes, cough up when I walk a lot

O2 Drop — Never measured below 93, would hoover 95-99 most of the time

Rapid Breathing — Scary, almost what I assume a panic attack is like

Rattling Of Lungs

Runny Nose — Usually more so with acute/active Covid

Shortness of Breath — Comes & goes

Sneezing — Usually more so with acute/active Covid

Throat Sore — Usually more so with acute/active Covid

Tightness in Chest — Chest was super tight after BA.5, wanted to stretch constantly, starting to use The Gun now

Trouble Breathing — Mostly beginning of Long Haul Covid, acute/active Covid

Wheezing

Lymphatic System (2)

Edema — Some fluid noticed around chest by Lymphatic Massage Therapist

Swollen Lymph Nodes — Noticed this especially under arms at times

Neck (2)

Cracking Neck — Worse with inflammation in area, acute/active Covid

Stiff Neck — Much worse with acute/active Covid, makes neuro symptoms worse

Pancreas (1)

Craving Food — Felt like a blood sugar problem, which was slightly higher than normal for me

Skin (7)

Acne/Cystic Acne — Would break out at times, maybe because I’m overloaded with toxins?

Bruising Skin — Would bruise after getting a line in vein, not anymore

Itchy Skin — Inflammation

Peeling Skin — Skin would peel around mustache when head inflammation was at its worst

Rash — Around nose, could be allergy/histamine reaction

Shiny Skin — Old baseball mitt looking skin for a period of time

Sensitivity To Touch

Sleep (7)

Awakened Suddenly — Wake up trying to catch my breath

Insomnia — Not for a very long period of time thankfully

Jolted Awake After Asleep For A While — Adrenaline dumping?

Trouble Falling Asleep — Tossing and turning

Trouble Sleeping Until Alarm — Would wake up way before alarm went off, that would never happen before Covid

Vivid Dreams — Nightmares, crazy dreams, remembering dreams (would not before Covid)

Woke Up Due to Dream Movements — Once swung my arms and knocked everything off my nightstand, woke myself up

Smell/Taste (2)

Burning/Phantom Smells — Not often

Metallic Taste — Not often

Other (7)

Craving Bananas — Was craving bananas for months, body wanted potassium?

Dehydrated — Covid commonly makes you dehydrated, still need to drink a lot of water and take electrolytes

Rib Pain — Cartilage/Rib inflammation, Costochondritis

Sudden Jerks

Sweat Smelled — Sweat & Urine smelled due to Covid

Thirst for Water — Likely due to dehydration

Trouble Walking

[albonium]

the lab tech told me there's a huge covid wave right now (how surprising lol)

it's always the right time to start masking with a well fitting ffp2 or n95 mask, for your health and the health of your family friends and community including people with disabilities and health problems

first of all covid is airborne it means it behaves in the air like a deodorant or an airwick spray. staying at a distance from someone will only spare you some of the droplets but not the whole thing.

covid often causes lots of different issues in the human body, even when it's an asymptomatic infection, regardless of age and health: cardio vascular system, lungs, nervous system/brain/early dementia/memory/depression, immune system, taste smell vision and hearing loss. there's is about 20% chance of getting long covid each time you get infected and risk increase with the number of infections even if they're asymptomatic. long covid can take different forms but basically people are disabled with lots of conditions making making their life quality shit. some are bed bound with symptoms similar to pots or neurological diseases.

the vaccine only prevents severe reactions to the infection and only works for some variants. if you haven't gotten a booster in the last 6 months/year it's not effective anymore

the main tools we have are well fitting ffp2/ffp3/n95 masks, air ventilation/purifying and testing

[ausetkmt]

New Alzheimer's drugs bring hope. But not equally for all patients.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/01/29/alzheimers-new-drugs-black-patients-leqembi/

ABINGTON, Pa. — Wrapped in a purple blanket, Robert Williford settles into a quiet corner of a bustling neurology clinic, an IV line delivering a colorless liquid into his left arm.

The 67-year-old, who has early Alzheimer’s disease, is getting his initial dose of Leqembi. The drug is the first to clearly slow the fatal neurodegenerative ailment that afflicts 6.7 million older Americans, though the benefits may be modest. The retired social worker, one of the first African Americans to receive the treatment, hopes it will ease his forgetfulness so “I drive my wife less crazy.”

But as Williford and his doctors embark on this treatment, they are doing so with scant scientific data about how the medication might work in people of color. In the pivotal clinical trial for the drug, Black patients globallyaccounted for only 47 of the 1,795 participants — about 2.6 percent. For U.S. trial sites, the percentage was 4.5 percent.

The proportion of Black enrollees was similarly low for Eli Lilly Alzheimer’sdrug, called donanemab, expected to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration in coming months. Black people make up more than 13 percent of the U.S. population.

The paltry data for the new class of groundbreaking drugs, which strip a sticky substance called amyloid beta from the brain, has ignited an intense debate among researchers and clinicians. Will the medications — the first glimmer of hope after years of failure — be as beneficial for African Americans as for White patients?

“Are these drugs going to work in non-Whites? And particularly in Blacks? We just don’t have enough data, I don’t think,” said Suzanne E. Schindler, a clinical neurologist and dementia specialist at Washington University in St. Louis. “In general, the default is that they will work the same in everybody, but we don’t really know that for sure.”

The situation casts a spotlight yet again on the decades-long failure of researchers to reflect the increasingly diverse character of the patient population in the United States, and underscores the stark disparities in Alzheimer’s treatment and care. Black Americans develop the disease and related dementias at twice the rate of their White counterparts, but are less likely to receive specialized care and are diagnosed at later stages, studies show. That’s an urgent problem considering that the new drugs must be used early to have an effect.

In addition, a perplexing new issue appears to be contributing to low Black enrollment in trials and is fueling a debate among experts about the role of race, genetics and other factors. To qualify for the main trial for Leqembi — developed by the Japanese pharmaceutical giant Eisai and the biotechnology company Biogen of Cambridge, Mass. — participants were required to have elevated levels of brain amyloid, a defining characteristic of Alzheimer’s, and symptoms such as memory loss.

But brain scans showed that the African American volunteers were less likely to have excess amyloid than White patients and thus were excluded from the trial at higher rates. Almost half of Black applicants failed to meet the amyloid threshold, compared with 22 percent of White volunteers, according to Eisai. A similar pattern occurred with the Lilly drug and in some other studies, and sometimes involved other people of color, including Hispanics.

Experts are baffled by the findings. Why would amyloid levels — thought to be a key driver of Alzheimer’s — be different in people with similar cognitive problems?

“Is it the color of someone’s skin? Almost certainly not,” said Joshua D. Grill, an Alzheimer’s researcher at the University of California at Irvine. “Is it a difference in genetics? Or other health conditions, like cholesterol, blood pressure or vascular health? Or is it something else, that we haven’t measured?”

While the biology of Alzheimer’s is almost surely the same regardless of race, some researchers say the patients themselves might be different because of underlying health conditions. Some older Black patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, they say, might actually have vascular dementia stemming from heart disease, hypertension and diabetes — all conditions more prevalent among African American patients.

The risk of vascular damage also could be increased by a lack of access to health care and years of exposure to racism, as well as genetics, some experts say. And many patients could have a constellation of pathologies driven by other factors, they add.

Whatever the cause, experts say, the bottom line is the same: Patients who do not have excessive amounts of the sticky brain protein should not be treated with the amyloid-targeting drugs because the therapies are unlikely to work and pose substantial risks, including potentially deadly bleeding in the brain.

But that raises the specter of another disparity. If it turns out that a lower proportion of Black dementia patients and other people of color have excess amyloid, they could be left behind as the drug industry races to develop amyloid-reducing treatments. To counter that, experts are urging companies to accelerate work addressingother potential drivers of cognitive decline and to develop combination drugs with multiple targets.

“If we are just targeting amyloid, we can just miss a large potential population that might benefit from treatment,” said Lisa L. Barnes, a neuropsychologist at Rush University in Chicago.

‘A brain is a brain’

For now, the question remains: What should Black patients and their doctors think about the anti-amyloid drugs?

The answer, experts say, depends largely on the level of amyloid in their brains.

More than a year ago, Williford was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s by David C. Weisman, a neurologist at Abington Neurological Associates, a large practice north of Philadelphia that treats patients and conducts clinical trials for drug companies. The clinic was one of the test sites for Leqembi.

After Leqembi receivedfull FDA approval last summer, Williford underwent tests to determine whether he was a good candidate for the drug. One test — a lumbar puncture, sometimes called a spinal tap — showed elevated amyloid in his brain. That means Williford and similar patients are likely to benefit from an anti-amyloid medication regardless of their race or ethnicity, Weisman and several other experts said.

“A brain is a brain is a brain, whether it is Asian, Hispanic, African American or White,” Weisman said. “A patient is either a good fit or a bad fit, and Robert is a good fit.”

Williford, who spent years working with troubled families in Philadelphia, began having memory problems a few years ago, said his wife, Cynthia Byron-Williford, 59.

“You could tell him almost anything, and he would almost immediately forget,” she said. “If I asked him to make a peanut butter sandwich for our grandson, he would come back three times and say, ‘What am I supposed to do?’”

With few treatment options, many physicians say they will offer anti-amyloid therapy to any patient who has elevated levels of the substance and passes safety tests.

Barry W. Rovner, a neurology professor at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, said he would not hesitate to offer Leqembi to African American patients who tested positive for amyloid. But, he added, because of the low numbers of Black individuals in the Leqembi trial, “I would say, ‘Look, this has not been tried in many Black people, so we don’t know precisely how it is going to work. But you don’t know precisely how it will work in any person.’”

From a research perspective, “You could say, as a group we don’t know if Black individuals respond the same way to anti-amyloid drugs because we don’t have the data,” Washington University’s Schindler said. “But on an individual level, it is different. If I had a Black patient who was amyloid-positive, I would start him on these drugs.”

But some Black patients might not be comfortable with the medication.

Zaldy S. Tan, director of the memory disorders center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said when African American patients are informed about the risks and benefits of Leqembi, and about the sparse data available for Black individuals, some will “take a pause and question whether they are willing to accept the uncertainty” and challenges of receiving the every-other-week infusion and multiple follow-up tests.

A promise of diversity

The best way to know for sure how drugs for Alzheimer’s — and other diseases — affect different populations is to have more diversity in trials, experts agree. But research participation by Black Americans and other people of color has been held down for years for several reasons.

The 20th century’s infamous Tuskegee syphilis study created long-standing mistrust about trials within the African American community. Men were left untreated to suffer and die even after an effective treatment emerged for the bacterium.

Alzheimer’s research, meanwhile, has long been centered in memory clinics at elite academic institutions, which tend to attract well-heeled patients with health insurance and other resources. The clinics have served as effective recruiting grounds for trials that end up with a predominantly White enrollment.

“We have done a poor job of making African American Alzheimer’s research inclusive,” said John Morris, a neurologist at Washington University in St. Louis. More than two decades ago, he created an African American advisory board at the school’s Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center after realizing only 3 percent of trial participants were Black.

Others also are redoubling efforts to increase diversity. John Dwyer, president of the Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation, a nonprofit that runs trials, said the organization has sharply increased participation by people of color by sending dedicated teams of African American and Latino professionals into communities to build relationships with physicians and personnel at health centers, senior centers and places of worship. They stress to the communities how much they can benefit from the studies, he said.

Stephanie Monroe, vice president and senior adviser of health equity and access at the advocacy group UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, noted that low Black enrollment is not limited to Alzheimer’s trials. If all the drugs that have not been tested on people of color were eliminated, the shelves of pharmacies would be nearly empty, she said.

“That doesn’t work when you are almost a 50-50 minority/majority population,” Monroe said.

The FDA has issued guidelines for industry designed to bolster diversity in studies, while the National Institute on Aging recently pledged toprioritize funding requests that are “appropriately inclusive.”

The low Black enrollment in studies is just the latest controversy involving the anti-amyloid drugs. For years, earlier versions of the drugs failed repeatedly in trials. By contrast, Leqembi, in an 18-month trial, showed unambiguous, if modest, benefits, slowing disease progression by about 27 percent, or roughlyfive months. The drug, administered every other week, carries a list price of $26,500 a year.

In July, Lilly reported that its anti-amyloid drug, donanemab, was even more effective at removing amyloid. But like Leqembi, it can cause serious side effects, including brain hemorrhages. Some doctors think the drugs will provide bigger benefits when taken for a longer period or earlier in the disease, but others say the medications, which require repeated MRIs to check for side effects, leave much to be desired.

Both Eisai and Lilly said they are working hard to increase diversity in clinical trials. In the meantime, they said, patients with elevated amyloid should benefit from the anti-amyloid drugs, regardless of race or ethnicity.

“We have no pathophysiological reason to expect different efficacy between races and ethnicities for Alzheimer’s treatments that remove amyloid,”Lillysaid in a statement.

Eisai acknowledged that the Leqembi trial was not designed to test the drug in individual racial and ethnic subgroups. But it said in a statement that the totality of the evidence indicated that “all patients, regardless of ethnicity, benefited from treatment” with the drug.

“We and the U.S. FDA — as evidenced by the agency’s approval of Leqembi — believe that the benefits and risks in these patient populations and races has been established,” the company added. Eisai said volunteers who did not pass the amyloid threshold did not have Alzheimer’s and should be assessed for other conditions.

In an interview, Teresa Buracchio, acting director of the FDA’s Office of Neuroscience, said the agency “did not see a notable difference by race” in safety and effectiveness in the limited data available on subgroups in the Leqembi trial.

But other experts were skeptical, saying the number of Black patients in the Leqembi trial was too low to know whether the medication is safe and effective for African Americans. “Without having a representative population, it is impossible to assess,” said Barnes, of Rush University.Some researchers suggested that patients in underrepresented populations should wait for future advances in treatment.

‘We just want to get going’

On a recent day, nurse Christine Besso bustled in and out of Williford’s infusion room at the neurology clinic, taking his vital signs and inserting an IV line. “Let’s get this party started,” she said.

Byron-Williford, watching the process from a nearby couch, said she was not concerned about the low numbers of African Americans in the Leqembi trial.

“I think it will work or not work based on the individual,” she said, adding with a laugh, “and if it doesn’t work for him, it is because he is ornery.”

Byron-Williford said her husband’s health problems accelerated a few years ago after his son, who was in his early 20s, died unexpectedly. Williford became depressed and lost his appetite. Last summer, when he went to pick up his wife at a nearby hair salon, he drove around, lost. She later confiscated his car keys.

In the clinic, shortly after Williford’s infusion began, Weisman stopped in to check on him and discuss possible side effects. When Williford asked him how long he would be on the drug, Weisman shrugged, saying it depended on how he did on the drug and on test results.

“We are getting on an airplane, and we don’t even have a destination airport yet,” Weisman said. “We just want to get going.”

[pandemic-info]

Saving another one; not mine:

All of the studies coming out - ALL of them - show repeated Covid infections being really bad for you. For your brain. For your vascular system. For your immune system. I think if we wait 5 to 10 years it will become super obvious. If you watch local groups sometimes it already is - the mom who’s kid is on week 4 of strep despite multiple rounds of antibiotics, the man with the lingering cough he just can’t seem to shake, the gofundme for the dad in his 30s who died of a stroke, the lady who is just so tired recently and just can’t shake it, the people in their 40s complaining about memory loss and how they are getting old. The thing is humanity has plenty of experience with diseases that aren’t too bad at first and are REALLY bad later on - HIV is a mild cold on first infection, mono sucks but goes away to become MS later, chicken pox is a one week wonder but shingles can cause permanent complications. Heck anyone who has played Plague Inc knows the best way to infect everyone is to make your virus have extremely mild or no initial symptoms so that people don’t worry about it and then ramp up the consequences once everyone is infected. And now that people have allowed themselves and their children to get infected because they needed youth sports and going out to eat and 50,000 person concerts without masks, if they acknowledge that that was a bad choice, then what? They have to admit they were wrong and that they might face a lifetime of consequences because of it. That they may have shortened their own lives and their children’s lives. And if there is anything modern people are not prepared to do, it is admit they were wrong. Or to do anything that goes counter to their own personal comfort. Ultimately if I am wrong, and Covid is no big deal, in 5 years I can take off my mask. In the meantime, I didn’t catch every cold, every flu and every case of strep throat going around. But I can take my mask off at any time and blend right back in. If I’m right about the dangers of Covid, I can’t go maskless now and decide to mask in 5 years and have my body be ok. If I make the choice to unmask now, I lose my choices to live a meaningful life later. I’ve seen early onset dementia, people who are immunocompromised and have to live limited lives to stay alive, people with various illnesses who can’t do so many things. I would much rather choose to limit myself from giant concerts and indoor dining than have my body limit me from walks and playing with my kids and grocery stores. My life is full and meaningful now. Different than before and I’ve lost most of my social relationships. But I am slowly building new ones with other people who still Covid locally and I spend time with my immediate family. It is hard and it feels a bit nuts sometimes. And then I go on Twitter and read the latest published study in Science and go, yep don’t want that.

[owlservice]

“The incidence of dementia is steadily increasing worldwide. The risk factors for dementia are diverse, and include genetic background, environmental factors, sex differences, and vascular abnormalities. Among the subtypes of dementia, diabetes-related dementia is emerging as a complex type of dementia related to metabolic imbalance, due to the increase in the number of patients with metabolic syndrome and dementia worldwide. Thyroid hormones are considered metabolic regulatory hormones and affect various diseases, such as liver failure, obesity, and dementia. Thyroid dysregulation affects various cellular mechanisms and is linked to multiple disease pathologies. In particular, hypothyroidism is considered a critical cause for various neurological problems—such as metabolic disease, depressive symptoms, and dementia—in the central nervous system. Recent studies have demonstrated the relationship between hypothyroidism and brain insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, leading to diabetes-related dementia. Therefore, we reviewed the relationship between hypothyroidism and diabetes-related dementia, with a focus on major features of diabetes-related dementia such as insulin resistance, neuronal dysfunction, and dyslipidemia.”

Jesus Christ

[myhealthnote]

High blood pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major health problem that is common in older adults. Your body’s network of blood vessels, known as the vascular system, changes with age. Arteries get stiffer, causing blood pressure to go up. This can be true even for people who have heart-healthy habits and feel just fine. High blood pressure, sometimes called "the silent killer," often doesn't cause signs of illness that you can see or feel. Though high blood pressure affects nearly half of all adults, many may not even be aware they have it.

If high blood pressure isn't controlled with lifestyle changes and medication, it can lead to serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease (such as heart disease and stroke), vascular dementia, eye problems, and kidney disease. The good news is that blood pressure can be controlled in most people.

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as the heart pumps blood. When a health care professional measures your blood pressure, they use a blood pressure cuff around your arm that tightens and then gradually loosens. The results are given in two numbers. The first number, called systolic blood pressure, is the pressure caused by your heart contracting and pushing out blood. The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, is the pressure when your heart relaxes and fills with blood.

A blood pressure reading is given as the systolic blood pressure number over the diastolic blood pressure number. Blood pressure levels are classified based on those two numbers.

Low blood pressure, or hypotension, is systolic blood pressure lower than 90 or diastolic blood pressure lower than 60. If you have low blood pressure, you may feel lightheaded, weak, dizzy, or even faint. It can be caused by not getting enough fluids, blood loss, some medical conditions, or medications, including those prescribed for high blood pressure.

Normal blood pressure for most adults is defined as a systolic pressure of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80.

Elevated blood pressure is defined as a systolic pressure between 120 and 129 with a diastolic pressure of less than 80.

High blood pressure is defined as systolic pressure of 130 or higher, or a diastolic pressure of 80 or higher.

For older adults, often the first number (systolic) is 130 or higher, but the second number (diastolic) is less than 80. This problem is called isolated systolic hypertension and is due to age-related stiffening of the major arteries. It is the most common form of high blood pressure in older adults and can lead to serious health problems in addition to shortness of breath during light physical activity, lightheadedness upon standing too fast, and falls.

One reason to visit your doctor regularly is to have your blood pressure checked and, if needed, plan how to manage your blood pressure.

Do I have high blood pressure?

Anyone can have high blood pressure. Some medical conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, kidney disease, and thyroid problems, can cause high blood pressure. Some people have a greater chance of having it because of things they can't change. These include:

Age. The chance of having high blood pressure increases as you get older, especially isolated systolic hypertension.

Gender. Before age 55, men have a greater chance of having high blood pressure. Women are more likely to have high blood pressure after menopause.

Family history. High blood pressure runs in some families.

Race. African Americans are at increased risk for high blood pressure.

High blood pressure often has no signs or symptoms, but routine checks of your blood pressure will help detect increasing levels. If your blood pressure reading is high at two or more check-ups, the doctor may also ask you to measure your blood pressure at home.

There are important considerations for older adults in deciding whether to start treatment for high blood pressure, including other health conditions and overall fitness. Your doctor will work with you to find a blood pressure target that is best for your well-being and may suggest exercise, changes in your diet, and medications.

How can I control my blood pressure?

You can often lower your blood pressure by changing your day-to-day habits and by taking medication if needed. Treatment requires ongoing evaluation and discussions with your doctor, especially if you have other medical conditions such as diabetes.

Lifestyle changes you can make to help prevent and lower high blood pressure:

Aim for a healthy weight. Being overweight adds to your risk of high blood pressure. Ask your doctor if you need to lose weight. In general, to maintain a healthy weight, you need to burn the same number of calories as you eat and drink.

Exercise. Moderate activity, such as brisk walking or swimming, can lower high blood pressure. Set goals so you can exercise safely and work your way up to at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) per week. Check with your doctor before starting an exercise plan if you have any health problems that aren't being treated.

Eat a heart-healthy diet. A balanced diet of vegetables, fruits, grains, protein, dairy, and oils — such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan — can lower your blood pressure.

Cut down on salt. As you get older, the body and blood pressure become more sensitive to salt (sodium), which is added to many foods during processing or preparation. Limiting your amount of salt each day may help. DASH is a low-salt diet.

Drink less alcohol. Drinking alcohol can affect your blood pressure. For those who drink, men should have no more than two drinks a day and women no more than one a day to lower their risk of high blood pressure.

Don't smoke. Smoking increases your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and other health problems. If you smoke, quit. The health benefits of quitting can be seen at any age — you are never too old to quit.

Get a good night's sleep. Tell your doctor if you've been told you snore or sound like you stop breathing for moments when you sleep. This may be a sign of a problem called sleep apnea. Treating sleep apnea and getting a good night's sleep can help to lower blood pressure.

Manage stress. Coping with problems and reducing stress can help lower high blood pressure.

In addition to recommending lifestyle changes, your doctor will likely prescribe medication to lower your blood pressure to a safe level. Isolated systolic hypertension, the most common form of high blood pressure in older adults, is treated in the same way as regular high blood pressure but may require more than one type of blood pressure medication. You may try several kinds or combinations of medications before finding a plan that works best for you. Medication can control your blood pressure, but it can't cure it. If your doctor starts you on medication for high blood pressure, you may need to take it long term.

Research shows the benefits of controlling high blood pressure

Preventing and controlling high blood pressure is important for your heart health and may benefit your brain health as well. An NIH-funded study called the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) found that lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 120 in adults age 50 and older significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Results from a related study showed that lowering systolic blood pressure to less than 120 reduced the risk of mild cognitive impairment, and an analysis of several large, long-term studies of adults over age 55 found that treating high blood pressure was associated with a reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Tips for taking blood pressure medication

Untreated high blood pressure can increase your risk of serious health problems. If your doctor prescribes medication to lower your blood pressure, remember:

If you take blood pressure medication and your blood pressure goes down, it means medication and lifestyle changes are working. If another doctor asks if you have high blood pressure, the answer is, "Yes, but it is being treated."

Healthy lifestyle changes may help lower the dosage you need.

Get up slowly from a seated or lying position and stand for a bit before walking. This lets your blood pressure adjust before walking to prevent lightheadedness and falls.

Tell your doctor about all the drugs you take. Don't forget to mention over-the-counter drugs, as well as vitamins and supplements. They may affect your blood pressure. They also can change how well your blood pressure medication works.

Blood pressure medication should be taken at the same time each day as part of your daily routine. For example, take it in the morning with breakfast or in the evening before brushing your teeth. Talk to the pharmacist if you have any questions about when or how to take your medication.

Remember to refill your medication before you run out and bring it with you when traveling. It’s important to keep taking your medication unless your doctor tells you to stop.

Before having surgery, ask your doctor if you should take your blood pressure medication on the day of your operation.

VITAPOST BLOOD PRESSURE SUPPORT

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The exotic featured ingredients, Hibiscus, Olive Leaf and Hawthorn, are all attractive and bring evidenced blood pressure support, antioxidant properties and a history of traditional use. In the health media you can find relatively strong blood pressure claims about them, especially Hibiscus and Olive Leaf. For those customers that are looking for garlic, vitamin B12, folate, and vitamin B6, all these ingredients are well represented too.

One bottle contains 90 capsules, which is equivalent to a 1-month supply at max usage, or can last as long as 3 months at the minimum usage.

Benefits of Blood Pressure Support:

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Supports a healthy heart and circulatory system;

Supports healthy blood pressure within the normal range.

Blood Pressure Support is made in the US in an FDA registered facility that follows GMP guidelines. Ingredients in the formula are both domestic and imported.

This solid and respectable offer represents a great opportunity to profit from the blood pressure supplements market.

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[careworksblog]

Comprehensive Guide to Dementia Care in Sugarland

Dementia is a complex condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide, including many in Sugarland, Texas. As the condition progresses, it becomes essential to ensure that individuals living with dementia receive the proper care and support they need to maintain a quality life. Sugarland offers a variety of resources, services, and facilities that cater specifically to those with dementia. This guide explores the key aspects of dementia care available in the region.

Understanding Dementia

Dementia is not a single disease but a term that encompasses a range of symptoms associated with cognitive decline. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, but other types include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Symptoms often include memory loss, difficulty in communication, impaired reasoning, and changes in behavior. Providing care for someone with dementia requires patience, empathy, and specialized knowledge.

Conclusion

Dementia care in Sugarland is built on a foundation of compassion, expertise, and community support. Whether you are seeking professional services or simply looking for guidance as a caregiver, the city offers an array of options to help individuals with dementia lead fulfilling lives. By leveraging these resources and fostering a supportive environment, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by this challenging condition.

[amitshahneuro]

Is Alzheimer's Disease the Main Reason for Memory Loss?

Memory loss is one of the most concerning symptoms many people face, especially as they age. But is Alzheimer’s disease the main reason for memory loss? While Alzheimer’s is a significant cause, there are several other factors contributing to memory issues. This comprehensive guide, brought to you by Dr. Amit Shah’s Neurology Clinic, aims to clear misconceptions and provide actionable insights for patients and caregivers.

What Causes Memory Loss Besides Alzheimer’s Disease?

Memory loss is not always due to Alzheimer’s disease. Here are other common causes:

Stress and Anxiety: Chronic stress can impact your memory and cognitive function.

Sleep Deprivation: Lack of quality sleep affects the brain’s ability to store and recall information.

Nutritional Deficiencies: Insufficient vitamin B12 and other nutrients can lead to memory issues.

Medications: Some drugs have side effects that include memory loss.

Remember: Identifying the root cause early can lead to effective treatment.

How is Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosed?

Diagnosis involves a combination of medical history, cognitive tests, and advanced imaging techniques. Dr. Amit Shah’s Neurology Clinic offers a comprehensive evaluation to determine if Alzheimer’s is the cause of your memory problems.

Early detection is crucial for better management.

Consult an experienced neurologist for accurate diagnosis.

Are There Other Types of Dementia?

Yes, besides Alzheimer’s disease, other forms of dementia can also result in memory loss. These include:

Vascular Dementia: Caused by reduced blood flow to the brain.

Lewy Body Dementia: Linked to protein deposits in nerve cells.

Frontotemporal Dementia: Affects personality and behavior alongside memory.

Pro Tip: Knowing the type of dementia is vital for creating an effective care plan.

How Can You Manage Alzheimer’s-Related Memory Loss?

Managing memory loss due to Alzheimer’s involves a combination of strategies:

Medication to slow progression.

Cognitive therapies to improve memory and thinking skills.

Lifestyle changes like regular exercise and a balanced diet.

Quick Tip: Stay socially active to keep your mind engaged.

How to Reach Dr. Amit Shah’s Neurology Clinic for Treatment?

Patients traveling from different parts of Mumbai or out of town can easily visit Dr. Amit Shah’s Neurology Clinic.

From Central and Western Lines:

Central Line: Get off at Kurla Station and take an auto or cab to the clinic.

Western Line: Alight at Bandra Station and follow the same route.

For Out-of-Town Patients:

Book a train or flight to Mumbai.

Use local cabs or ride-sharing apps for direct clinic access.

Check our Google Maps link for precise directions.

Why Choose Dr. Amit Shah’s Neurology Clinic?

Dr. Amit Shah offers personalized care for neurological conditions, ensuring accurate diagnoses and tailored treatments. Visit our homepage to learn more.

By addressing the question “Is Alzheimer’s disease the main reason for memory loss?” and exploring related topics, this guide helps you understand the complexities of memory issues and the steps to seek professional care.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Viral pathogens increase risk of neurodegenerative disease - Published Mar 2, 2023

Neurodegenerative diseases, which include conditions such as Alzheimer disease (AD) Parkinson disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), vascular dementia and multiple sclerosis (MS), are a class of progressive disorders defined by neuronal death. Each of these disorders is characterized by degeneration of distinct brain areas, and they present with overlapping but discrete symptoms that can include motor impairment, cognitive dysfunction, affective changes and/or dementia. With the exception of rare familial cases, the aetiopathogenic origins of these diseases are poorly understood; however, two common factors seem to be neuroinflammation and epidemiological links to viral infections.

Neuroinflammation was originally thought to be a consequence of neurodegeneration; however, subsequent research indicated that neuroinflammation can drive the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The idea of neuroinflammation as a driver of neurodegeneration was advanced by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that identified immune-related genes, including CD33 and TREM2, as risk factors for AD2. In addition, the ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE ε4), which is the strongest known genetic risk factor for AD and accounts for approximately 10–20% of the risk of late-onset disease, has been hypothesized to exert its effects partially through neuroinflammatory processes. These genetic factors increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative disease but are not sufficient to cause disease on their own. Instead, genetic risk factors are likely to work with environmental factors that underlie sporadic forms of neurodegenerative disease.

Read the full article and find even more covid news, science, and advice at our archive:

[upseducation]

🧠 Understanding Dementia: Types, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Dementia is more than just memory loss—it's a condition that affects thinking, reasoning, and daily life. From Alzheimer’s to vascular dementia, understanding the types and causes can help us better support those affected.

Swipe through to learn about: ✔️ What dementia is ✔️ Common types ✔️ Symptoms to recognize early ✔️ Causes and risk factors ✔️ Treatment and management tips

Knowledge is the first step toward care and compassion. 💙

[health-gates]

Neurology Treatment in India

Neurology Treatment

What is Neurology?

Neurology is a branch of medicine that deals with studying and treating disorders of the nervous system. It is a complex, sophisticated system of cells and fibers that controls every function of the human body. With a deep-rooted foundation in both science and clinical practice, neurology plays a significant role in decoding the nervous system and addressing multiple conditions that afflict it.

The nervous system is broadly divided into: 

Central Nervous System (CNS):It comprises the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS):It comprises the nerves that extend throughout the body. It also includes eyes, ears, skin, and other sensory receptors.

Specialists in Neurology

Various specialists are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage nervous system disorders. The key specialists in the field of neurology include:

Neurologists:Neurologists diagnose and treat disorders of the nervous system. They undergo specialized training in neurology, including residency programs focusing on evaluating and managing various neurological disorders. 

Neurosurgeons:Neurosurgeons specialize in the surgical treatment of conditions of the nervous system. They perform surgeries for conditions such as brain tumors, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and movement disorders.

Neurointensivists:Neurointensivists are physicians who provide emergency care for patients admitted to the neurology ICU for life-threatening neurological conditions.

Neuropsychologists:Neuropsychologists assess and treat cognitive, emotional, and behavioral disorders associated with neurological conditions. They evaluate memory, language, and other elements of brain function and help develop individualized treatment modules.

Neuroscientists:Neuroscientists study the structure, function, and development of the nervous system and investigate the mechanisms of neurological disorders. They use research techniques like neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and genetic studies to develop new treatments for neurological conditions.

Neurology Technologists:Neurology technologists are trained professionals who perform diagnostic procedures to evaluate the function of the nervous system. They specialize in neurodiagnostic testing, such as electroencephalography (EEG), nerve conduction studies (NCS), electromyography (EMG), and evoked potentials (EP), to help diagnose and monitor neurological conditions.

What Conditions Do Neurologists Treat?

Neurologists help treat a diverse array of neurological conditions, each presenting its unique challenges and manifestations.

These conditions include:

Stroke:Neurologists treat stroke, a condition when the blood flow to the brain is disrupted, through evaluation of symptoms and clot-bursting medication. 

Epilepsy:Treatment of epilepsy (a neurological disorder characterized by seizures) includes antiepileptic medications, lifestyle changes, and surgical interventions.

Headaches:Neurologists specialize in headache disorders, such as migraines and cluster headaches. The treatment includes clinical evaluation and customized treatment.

Movement Disorders:Neurologists treat movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and Huntington’s disease. The treatment includes medications, physical therapy, or surgical interventions.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS):Neurologists treat multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disorder, by prescribing therapies to reduce disease activity and progression and manage symptoms.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia:Neurologists treat neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia, with medicines and collaboration with other healthcare providers.

Peripheral Neuropathy:Neurologists evaluate and treat peripheral neuropathy, a condition where peripheral nerves are damaged through nerve conduction studies and electromyography, medications, and lifestyle modifications.

Neuromuscular Disorders:Neurologists treat neuromuscular disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), with medications, physical therapy, and coordination with specialists.

Neurological Infections and Inflammatory Disorders:Infections of the nervous system, such as meningitis and encephalitis, and inflammatory conditions, like multiple sclerosis and Guillain-Barré syndrome, are treated through medicines.

Neurogenetic Disorders:Neurologists treat genetic neurological disorders, such as Huntington’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and hereditary neuropathies, via genetic counseling, genetic testing, and personalized treatment.

Diagnostic Modalities in Neurology

Neurologists begin the diagnostic process by recording a detailed medical and family history, evaluation of symptoms, and a physical examination, which includes:

Coordination, balance, reflexes, and gait

Muscle strength

Vision, hearing, and speech

Sense of touch

Common neurologic tests include:

Neuroimaging:Neuroimaging techniques visualize the structures of the brain and spinal cord and help detect abnormalities. These techniques include:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the brain and spinal cord.

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan: CT scans use X-rays to create cross-sectional images of the brain and spinal cord. 

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan: PET scans use radioactive tracers to measure brain activity and metabolism.

Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Scan: SPECT scans also use radioactive tracers to measure brain blood flow and activity. 

Electroencephalography (EEG):EEG measures electrical activity in the brain via electrodes placed on the scalp.

Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) and Electromyography (EMG):NCS and EMG are tests used to evaluate the function of peripheral nerves and muscles.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Analysis: CSF analysis involves obtaining a sample of cerebrospinal fluid to analyze it for abnormalities.

Neuropsychological Testing:Neuropsychological testing involves assessing cognitive function, memory, language, and other aspects of brain function. 

Genetic Testing:Genetic testing is used in certain neurological disorders with a known genetic component to identify specific genetic mutations.

Evoked Potentials:These tests measure how fast electrical signals in the brain respond to sensory stimuli.

Angiography:Angiography detects if blood vessels in the brain, head, or neck are blocked or damaged. It is also used to detect blood clots.

Myelography:This test helps diagnose spinal cord tumors, herniated disks, and fractures.

Thermography:This test monitors changes in the temperature of your body or a particular organ. It helps examine peripheral nerve disorders, nerve root compression, and pain syndromes.

Polysomnogram:This test records the activities of the brain and the body during sleep. It diagnoses several sleep disorders. https://health-gates.com/neurology-treatment-in-india/