The Alzheimer's Project HBO Documentary

Chapter 1 - The Memory Loss Tapes

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See other documentaries:

Granpa, do you know who I am?

Caregivers

Momentum in Science - I

Momentum in Science - II


see more/saiba mais:  
http://www.hbo.com/alzheimer  
http://www.hbo.com/alzheimers/index.html


Brazilian Portuguese: 
http://www.hbo-br.tv/alzheimer


Seed it, please!!

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About this Chapter: 

The Memory Loss Tapes

(Approx. 85 minutes) - Directed and Produced by Shari Cookson and Nick Doob

While there is hope for the future as science gains momentum, millions of Americans are currently affected by the painful and deadly consequences of Alzheimer's. This verité documentary profiles seven people living with the disease, each in an advancing state of dementia, from its earliest detectable changes through death. "We wanted to capture a sense of what it was to be inside the disease," explains Shari Cookson. "Our plan was to show the progression of the illness through several stories along the way." But as Nick Doob points out: "There's nothing clear cut about it. The course of the disease is different from person to person." Adds Cookson: "They say if you've seen one person with Alzheimer's...you've seen one person with Alzheimer's."

Among the emotionally gripping stories: a mother who holds on fiercely to her simple lifestyle, yet recognizes that her memory failures are making it more difficult to do so; another mother who complains to her daughter "I have lost my independence" after failing a driving test; a woman in a nursing home who thinks her mirrored reflection is her "best friend," and who is haunted by imaginary snakes crawling over her wheelchair; a onetime computer whiz who keeps a blog to chronicle his activities while he still can; a father who no longer can remember his family, but can still steal the spotlight when performing in public with a local vocal group; a daughter who must build a fence around her farm to prevent her mother from wandering off; and the onetime host of a kids' TV show, whose wife brings him to a hospice after his body finally starts shutting down. Says Cookson: "It was moving and life changing that people let us into their lives while this intense experience was happening. You see how much the disease takes from a person, how everything you've learned and been in your life is stripped away—yet you still get these glimmers of the person." As Doob notes, "You get a feeling that there's a foundation of personality that never leaves. What makes a person a person seems to somehow sustain itself."

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About the Alzheimer's Disease

One of the most devastating forms of memory loss is Alzheimer's disease, an irreversible and progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. Today, Alzheimer's is the second most-feared illness in America, following cancer, and may affect as many as five million Americans. As the baby-boom generation moves through retirement, that number could soar to more than 11 million by 2040, and have a huge economic impact on America's already fragile healthcare system.

While there is no cure for the disease, THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT shows there is now genuine reason to be optimistic about the future. Created by the award-winning team behind HBO's acclaimed "Addiction" project, this multi-platform series takes a close look at groundbreaking discoveries made by the country's leading scientists, as well as the effects of this debilitating and fatal disease both on those with Alzheimer's and on their families.

Scientific research is gaining momentum in discovering ways to treat and possibly prevent Alzheimer's. Aiming to bring a new understanding, THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT features a four-part documentary series, 15 short supplemental films, a robust website, and a nationwide community-based information and outreach campaign. A book published by Public Affairs Books was developed by the producers as a companion to the project. HBO will use all of its platforms, including the HBO main service, multiplex channels, HBO On Demand, HBO Podcasts, hbo.com, HBO Channel onand DVD sales to support the project. In addition, all films will stream free of charge on hbo.com and will be offered for free on multiple platforms by participating television service providers.

"The Alzheimer's research community welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with HBO, seeking to raise new awareness and understanding of this devastating disease," says Richard J. Hodes, M.D., director of the National Institute on Aging, the component of the National Institutes of Health leading the federal Alzheimer's disease research program. "There is a compelling story to tell of scientific discovery, of research advances and challenges, and of the human faces behind the disease."

The first of the four documentaries in THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT is "The Memory Loss Tapes", which provides an up-close and personal look at seven individuals living with Alzheimer's, across the full spectrum of the progression of the disease. "Momentum In Science" is a two-part state-of-the-science film that takes viewers inside the laboratories and clinics of 25 leading scientists and physicians, revealing some of the most cutting-edge research advances. "'Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?' with Maria Shriver" captures what it means to be a child or grandchild of one with Alzheimer's, while "Caregivers" highlights the sacrifices and successes of people who experience their loved one's descent into dementia.

THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT is a presentation of HBO Documentary Films and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health in association with the Alzheimer's Association®, Fidelity® Charitable Gift Fund, and Geoffrey Beene Gives Back® Alzheimer's Initiative. The series' producer is John Hoffman; the executive producers are Sheila Nevins and Maria Shriver.

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Alzheimer's Disease: What Is It?

   

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and other thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.

Ultimately, the person with AD dies, often years earlier than he/she would have otherwise. In most people with AD, symptoms first appear after age 60. The brains of people with AD have an abundance of two abnormal structures—amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. A third characteristic change is the loss of connections between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. Learn more.
Who Gets It?

Alzheimer's disease becomes more common as people get older. Today it affects more than 5.3 million Americans, according to estimates from the Alzheimer's Association. As the baby-boom generation moves through retirement, that number could soar to more than 11 million by 2040. One out of eight people age 65 or older has Alzheimer's. The number of people with the disease doubles for every 5-year age interval beyond age 65. Learn more.
Who Is At Risk?

Age is the best established risk factor for Alzheimer's. The genetic make-up inherited from parents may also influence risk of developing the disease, and when. Other non-genetic, environmental, or lifestyle factors might play a role in brain health and the development or prevention of Alzheimer's disease. Many of these can be controlled or mitigated, including physical activity, diet, control of chronic diseases, social engagement, and intellectual stimulation. Learn more.
How Can People Find Out If They Have It?

People who are concerned about a serious memory problem should talk with their doctor. The doctor may be able to diagnose the problem or make a referral to a specialist in neurology or geriatric psychiatry. Health care professionals who specialize in Alzheimer's can recommend ways to manage the problem or suggest treatment or services that might help. Learn more.
Can It Be Treated?

There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but current treatments focus on helping people maintain mental function, manage behavioral symptoms, and slow or delay symptoms. Four medications are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat AD. These drugs don't change the underlying disease process and may help only for a few months to a few years.

Behavioral symptoms may accompany memory problems and can include sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, anger, and depression. Scientists are studying new treatments to manage them. Treating behavioral symptoms often makes people with AD more comfortable and makes their care easier for caregivers. Learn more.
Who Else Is Affected?

There are nearly 10 million Americans providing 8.5 billion hours of unpaid care to people with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias - time valued at $94 billion, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Seventy percent of people with Alzheimer's live at home, cared for by family and friends. The largest group of family caregivers is spouses, followed by daughters, daughters-in-law, sons, siblings, and grandchildren. About three in five caregivers say their children aged 8 to 21 are involved in caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease, according to a 2008 Harris Interactive poll.

In addition to the families and friends, our society as a whole is affected. Today, the direct costs to Medicare and Medicaid for care of people with Alzheimer's and other dementias and the indirect costs to business for employees who are caring for Alzheimer's are estimated at more than $148 billion annually. Learn more.
Can It Be Prevented?

No treatments or drugs have yet been proven to prevent or delay AD, but people can take some actions that are beneficial for healthy aging and that also might reduce the effect of possible risk factors for AD. You can exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, engage in social and intellectually stimulating activities, control type 2 diabetes, lower high blood pressure levels, lower high blood cholesterol levels, and maintain a healthy weight. These actions lower the risk of other diseases and help maintain and improve overall health and well-being, but will not necessarily prevent or delay AD in any one person. Even if these actions were eventually proven effective, they might not offset a person's individual genetic and other risk factors enough to prevent the development of AD. Learn more.
What's Being Done About It?

Thirty years ago, we knew very little about AD. Since then, scientific research - supported by the National Institute on Aging and other components of the National Institutes of Health, the Alzheimer's Association, and other organizations - has led to important advances in our knowledge about AD and to the development of promising new drugs and treatment strategies. Today, scientists are investigating many approaches to treat, prevent, or cure Alzheimer's, with 91 drugs in clinical trials as of 2008 and more in the pipeline awaiting FDA approval to enter human testing. Learn more.
How Can I Help?

Clinical trials to test new treatments and interventions are an essential part of AD research. At least 50,000 volunteers, both with and without Alzheimer's, are urgently needed to participate in more than 175 actively enrolling Alzheimer's disease trials and studies in the U.S. To reach that goal, at least half a million volunteers must be screened. To find out more, contact the National Institute on Aging's Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center at 1-800-438-4380 or at the website www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers.

There are many ways to join the fight against Alzheimer's disease, such as participating in research, supporting people with the disease with donations of time, help, or money, and other activities. To find out more, you can contact the Alzheimer's Association, which invites the public to become "Alzheimer's Advocates," at 1-800-272-3900 or at the website www.alz.org.

Visit our collaborators' websites to learn more:

National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health

Alzheimer's Association


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see more or see the documentary with no subtitiles (by adobe flash player): 
http://www.hbo.com/alzheimers

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Introduction

Understanding how the brain changes

Scientists have said that the human brain is the most complicated organ in the body—in fact, many claim that it is the single most complex natural or man-made entity on our planet. The mighty brain we carry in our heads processes billions of messages a minute, day and night, week after week, year after year, decade after decade. Its knowledge base expands and grows more complex with every new bit of information acquired, making informed decisions and taking creative leaps based on this new input, all the while retaining the older bits.

Tens of billions of nerve cells, called neurons, most smaller than a grain of sand, are compressed into an incredibly small space about the size of a cantaloupe. Each has a defined function, carrying out billions of distinct communications as we go through our day. At the same time, outside our awareness, the brain regulates breathing, heartbeat, digestion, sensory organs, excretion, and other functions. The brain is so important that even though it accounts for only 2 percent of our body weight, it receives 20 percent of our blood supply.

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      Drawing showing damage caused by AD
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      Doctors track progress by patients clock drawings
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      Two beta-amyloid plaques surrounded by neurons
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      The beta-amyloid cascade begins with cutting of APP
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      Dr. Ron Petersen
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      A method of diagnosing AD is cognitive testing
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      Exercises during cognitive testing
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Yet we give little thought to our brain until we encounter a problem in our ability to think. If Alzheimer's disease (AD) develops, the brain slowly loses its ability to make and retrieve memories and process information. A friend's name that was once familiar now eludes us. Last week's Thanksgiving dinner draws a blank. A naval engineer who once performed algebra, calculus, and trigonometry can no longer balance his checkbook. A grandmother cannot recall her family's favorite cookie recipe and is not even safe in the kitchen anymore, as she forgets to shut off the oven. Bits and pieces of life are lost—a doctor's appointment, a child's birth date, the name of a flower, even a spouse's face. Eventually, even simple thinking skills are lost.

We don't yet have all the answers about what triggers the cascade of events that eventually leads to AD, or why some changes in memory and thinking skills that occur even in healthy aging become much more destructive in people who have the disease. But we have learned a lot about the major characteristics of the disease and the way in which it develops over time. We also know that the processes in the brain that lead to the physical and behavioral changes in people with AD begin long before anyone is aware that a problem exists—ten to twenty years before significant memory loss occurs.

Next: The First Discovery

Excerpted from THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT: MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE, published by Public Affairs, www.publicaffairsbooks.com.

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Introduction

Seeing the Living Brain   

Some have called this time a golden age of neuroscience. Advances in many areas, from molecular biology to genetics, have accelerated the pace of discovery far beyond what could be imagined a few decades ago. Behind many of the advances have been new technologies for imaging the brain.

     

When Dr. Alzheimer first described this devastating brain disease, he relied on findings from a microscopic examination of a patient's brain tissue after she died. From that time until the 1980s, the brain with Alzheimer's disease remained a black box. Scientists could only see the characteristic brain pathology at autopsy. The development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) has transformed neuroscience. Scientists can now see the size and structure of discrete parts of the living brain and can visualize brain function during cognitive tasks like reading or solving math problems. Even more importantly, they can track changes in brain structure and function over time, and compare images with the results of traditional paper-and-pencil tests of memory and cognition. A world of knowledge has opened up, bringing new possibilities for diagnosis, identifying targets for drug therapies, and suggesting methods for monitoring response to interventions.

Next: Applying Advanced Imaging Techniques

Excerpted from THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT: MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE, published by Public Affairs, www.publicaffairsbooks.com.

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Introduction

The Search for Disease Pathways

What causes Alzheimer's disease? What starts and promotes the disease process that leads to an overabundance of beta-amyloid, a buildup of plaques and tangles, and loss of function and death among brain cells?

Increasingly, scientists agree that there is probably no one cause of this most complicated disease. They are identifying and studying many contributing factors, including genetics, environmental and lifestyle factors, and connections with other diseases of the body.

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      Dr. Charles DeCarli
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      Dr. Thomas Beach
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      Dr. Suzanne Craft
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Dr. Richard Hodes of the NIA told us, "Since our understanding of the basic processes underlying the disease is still incomplete, science has to remain very open to multiple hypotheses. These are not competing hypotheses, because they may not be mutually exclusive."

Dr. Dennis Selkoe, one of the originators of the amyloid hypothesis, recognizes that many elements besides beta-amyloid are at work. "Alzheimer's disease is a multifactorial disease, that's absolutely true. Our current knowledge suggests beta-amyloid is a necessary and sufficient factor for inducing the condition we call Alzheimer's disease. However, it has a lot of bad helpers. Targeting one of these helpers may have a powerful influence on risk—look at how much lowering LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream decreases the likelihood of heart attack or stroke."

Because the ultimate goal of medical research is the prevention and treatment of disease, it is important not to target just one cause or develop only one therapeutic strategy. As Dr. Lennart Mucke says, "We should not put all our money down on one particular disease target, certainly not at this stage when many clinical trials have failed. There is great reason for hope that recent insights will lead us to a combination of effective treatments. We need to support further research in many areas with more energy, more people, more programs, and more funding."


Excerpted from THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT: MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE, published by Public Affairs, www.publicaffairsbooks.com.


see more: 
http://www.hbo.com/alzheimers/science-the-search-for-disease-pathways.html

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Changing the Outlook

Introduction

    

Scientists have made many breakthrough discoveries about the way Alzheimer's disease begins and progresses. Researchers have made tremendous strides in understanding the major pathological characteristics of AD in the brain, beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, though our knowledge is still incomplete. The work being done now revolves around attaining a more thorough picture of how all the events involved in the Alzheimer's disease process fit together, and how the complex processes at work in AD have ripple effects throughout the brain, from neuronal overexcitation and inflammation to synaptic dysfunction and hippocampal hyperactivation. All this research into basic science is important because it opens up a variety of possibilities for treatment and prevention.

Each time a scientist clarifies a new aspect of the disease process, he or she may have found another chance to modify or change that process. For example, once researchers identified the two enzymes that cleave the APP protein to form beta-amyloid peptides (that can clump together to form plaques in the brain), drugs to block those enzymes were developed, and now some are being tested in clinical trials. Many more drugs in clinical trials have come out of basic science findings that illuminate various steps along the disease process. As we uncover more about the disease process, even more drug targets are certain to be identified.

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      Examining brain tissue taken on autopsy
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      Sister Alice Caulfield
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      Dr. Carl Cotman
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      Transgenic mouse used in AD research study
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      Dr. Craft comparing high-fat to low-fat diet
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      A Sun City resident hits the gym
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      Water maze tests the ability of the mouse to remember
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      Dr. Paul Aisen

Another major advance has been the emerging consensus that the processes that culminate in AD are set in motion long before symptoms appear, and that the ability to identify people at a pre-symptomatic stage increases the chance of having a positive drug effect before cognitive decline becomes life-changing. The ability to define mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as an early stage in functional decline represents another step forward in accurately delineating the boundaries between normal and impaired cognition that can progress to AD. Improved tools for early diagnosis will help scientists test drugs on the right populations, ideally early in the disease process before symptoms begin.

Both basic science and drug development have benefited from the groundbreaking advances in imaging technologies that have occurred in the last few years. Imaging tools currently used in research have allowed scientists to see the pathologies of AD in living brains, shedding new light on many aspects of the disease process. Imaging is now also a key element of many clinical trials, making it possible to start correlating physical changes in the brain with alterations in thinking and memory abilities.

Scientists are singling out and studying many possible contributing causes of AD, including risk factors such as vascular disease, diabetes and insulin resistance, and inflammation, all of which in turn can be influenced by inherited susceptibility genes. While we cannot do anything about our individual genome and age, research is suggesting that some lifestyle factors that are within our control may be important. There is accumulating evidence to suggest that exercise, diet, and cognitive stimulation may make a difference to the aging brain, particularly when maintained over the course of a lifetime. Scientists have also begun to explore the therapeutic implications of studies that have associated AD with vascular disease and diabetes.

Many people wonder why it is taking so long to develop drugs that can help their loved ones or decrease their own risk. Their impatience is perfectly understandable. But AD is a complicated disease, and the process by which a safe, effective drug can be brought to market is a difficult one to traverse. Developing a new drug takes a lot of time, money, scientists trained in many different disciplines, and research volunteers—not to mention scientific brilliance and a lot of luck. Fortunately, in the world of AD drug development, many scientists and organizations are working very hard to develop drugs that will make a difference.

The search for drug treatments begins with basic science and may well end with a new outcome for millions of people. We can chart a new path toward the future for AD research by supporting continued basic scientific inquiry and the advances in drug development and therapeutic strategies that will come from it. In the final chapters of this book, we step inside the laboratories and learn about the clinical trials that are bringing that future ever closer.

In a little more than twenty years, the science has come to a point where the expectation is now that a treatment will definitely be found to slow or even prevent the disease. "Our only sorrow," Dr. Steven DeKosky said, "is that we can't do it instantly."


Excerpted from THE ALZHEIMER'S PROJECT: MOMENTUM IN SCIENCE, published by Public Affairs, www.publicaffairsbooks.com.

see more: 
http://www.hbo.com/alzheimers/science-changing-the-outlook.html








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see more or see the documentary with no subtitiles (by adobe flash player): 
http://www.hbo.com/alzheimers

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(em Português)



Título em Português: AS LEMBRANÇAS PERDIDAS DA MEMÓRIA
Duração: Aprox. 85 minutos
Direção e Produção: Shari Cookson E Nick Doob

Apesar das esperanças para o futuro, atualmente milhões de norte-americanos são afetados pelos efeitos dolorosos e fatais do Mal de Alzheimer. Este documentário mostra sete pessoas que vivem com a doença, cada uma em um estágio diferente. Entre os protagonistas destas histórias emocionantes há uma mãe que se apega fielmente a uma rotina simples, apesar de reconhecer que as lacunas na memória estão dificultando cada vez mais a sua vida; outra mãe que reclama para a filha “Eu perdi a minha independência” depois de ser reprovada em um teste de direção; uma mulher em uma casa de repouso que acredita que a sua imagem no espelho é a sua “melhor amiga” e acredita estar sendo perseguida por uma cobra enroscada na sua cadeira de rodas; um ex-especialista em computação mantém um blog para contar as suas atividades enquanto pode; um pai que não se lembra mais da sua família, mas que ainda consegue atrair a atenção do público quando se apresenta com um grupo de canto; uma filha que precisa construir uma cerca em volta da sua fazenda para impedir que a mãe se perca; e um ex-apresentador de programa infantil que foi levado pela mulher a um hospício quando seu corpo começou a deixar de funcionar.



O Mal de Alzheimer é uma doença irreversível e progressiva que afeta o cérebro e lentamente destrói a memória e outras habilidades mentais. Pode chegar a anular a capacidade de realizar as tarefas cotidianas mais simples.

Atualmente, as vítimas do Mal de Azheimer morrem muitos anos mais cedo do que morreriam sem a doença. A maior parte dos doentes começa a apresentar sintomas depois dos 60 anos. O cérebro dessas pessoas exibe um excesso de duas estruturas anormais — placas de amilóides e novelos neurofibrilares. A terceira característica diferente é a perda de conexões entre as células nervosas (neurônios) no cérebro.

A quem afeta?

O Mal de Alzheimer é mais comum em pessoas mais velhas. Hoje afeta mais de 5,3 milhões de norte-americanos, segundo estimativas da Alzheimer's Association. À medida que a geração do “baby-boom” for envelhecendo e chegando à aposentadoria, esse número pode pular para mais de 11 milhões em 2040. Uma em cada oito pessoas com 65 anos ou mais sofre da doença. O número de pessoas com Mal de Alzheimer dobra a cada cinco anos de idade a partir dos 65.

Quem está no grupo de risco?

A idade é o maior fator de risco conhecido. A herança genética também pode influenciar o risco de desenvolver a doença, e em qual momento da vida. Outros fatores não genéticos, ambientais ou de estilo de vida podem influenciar a saúde do cérebro e o desenvolvimento ou a prevenção do Mal de Alzheimer. A maioria deles pode ser controlada ou reduzida com atividades físicas, alimentação saudável, controle de doenças crônicas, relacionamentos sociais e estímulo intelectual.

Como é possível diagnosticar a doença?

Pessoas com sérios problemas de memória devem procurar um médico. O profissional pode diagnosticar o problema ou encaminhar o paciente para um neurologista ou um psiquiatra geriatra. Profissionais de saúde especializados em Alzheimer podem indicar maneiras de lidar com o problema ou sugerir tratamentos e serviços que podem ajudar.

Existe tratamento?

Não existe cura para o Mal de Alzheimer, mas os tratamentos atuais têm como objetivo ajudar a preservar as funções mentais, administrar os sintomas comportamentais e retardar o aparecimento dos outros diversos sintomas. Quatro medicamentos para o tratamento da doença foram aprovados pelo FDA, o órgão dos Estados Unidos responsável pelo controle de remédios. Mas essas substâncias não alteram o desenvolvimento da doença; elas podem apenas ajudar durante alguns meses ou poucos anos.

Os sintomas comportamentais podem ser acompanhados por problemas de memória e podem incluir insônia, agitação, dispersão, ansiedade, raiva e depressão. Cientistas estão estudando novos tratamentos para lidar com esses quadros. Combater os sintomas comportamentais em geral permite que os doentes vivam melhor e que o cotidiano se torne mais fácil para as pessoas que cuidam deles.

Quem mais é afetado?

Cerca de 10 milhões de norte-americanos trabalham voluntariamente durante 8,5 bilhões de horas para cuidar de pessoas com Mal de Alzheimer ou outras demências – um tempo que vale 94 bilhões de dólares de acordo com a Alzheimer's Association. Entre as vítimas da doença, 70% moram em casa, cuidadas pela família ou por amigos. O maior grupo de “cuidadores” familiares é formado por esposas, seguido por filhas, noras, filhos, irmãos e netos. Aproximadamente três de cada cinco cuidadores dizem que seus filhos com idades entre 8 e 21 anos estão de alguma forma envolvidos no cuidado de uma pessoa querida com Mal de Alzheimer, segundo uma pesquisa de 2008 da Harris Interactive.

Além de parentes e amigos, a sociedade como um todo é afetada. Hoje, o custo direto dos planos de saúde para cuidar de doentes com Mal de Alzheimer e outras demências, além dos custos indiretos para as empresas em função de funcionários com Alzheimer, é estimado em mais de 148 bilhões de dólares por ano.

Existe maneira de evitar a doença?

Ainda não existem tratamentos nem medicamentos que comprovadamente possam evitar ou retardar o desenvolvimento do Mal de Alzheimer, mas é possível adotar atitudes benéficas para envelhecer com saúde e reduzir o efeito de possíveis fatores de risco. Praticar exercícios físicos regularmente, adotar uma alimentação saudável rica em frutas, verduras e legumes, manter atividades sociais e intelectualmente estimulantes, controlar a diabetes tipo 2, manter a pressão arterial baixa, controlar o colesterol nos níveis adequados e ter o peso indicado são medidas que reduzem o risco de ter outras doenças, e ajudam a manter e a melhorar a saúde em geral e o bem-estar, mas não necessariamente evitam ou retardam o desenvolvimento do Mal de Alzheimer. Mesmo que seja comprovado que essas medidas são efetivas contra a doença, elas podem não ser capazes de combater a propensão genética e outros fatores de risco a ponto de evitar o Mal de Alzheimer.

O que vem sendo feito?

Há 30 anos, sabia-se muito pouco sobre o Mal de Alzheimer. Mas ao longo desse período pesquisas científicas – promovidas pelo National Institute on Aging e outros órgãos do National Institutes of Health, pela Alzheimer's Association e por outras entidades – levaram a grandes avanços no conhecimento sobre a doença e ao desenvolvimento de novos medicamentos e tratamentos promissores. Hoje, cientistas pesquisam diversas abordagens para tratar, evitar e curar o Mal de Alzheimer, com 91 medicamentos em estudos clínicos até 2008 e outros esperando a aprovação do FDA para serem testados em seres humanos.




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Associações de Alzheimer nas Américas:

(Alzheimer's Associations in America:)


Argentina

Asociación de Lucha contra el Mal de Alzheimer
Lacarra No 78
1407 Capital Federal, Buenos Aires
Argentina
Tel/Fax: +54 11 4671 1187
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.alma-alzheimer.org.ar

Bolivia

Asociación Boliviana de Alzheimer y Otras Demencias
Casilla No. 9302
La Paz
Bolivia
Tel: +591 2249 4143
Email: [email protected]

Chile

Corporación Alzheimer Chile
Desiderio Lemus 0143
(alt 1400 Av.Peru)
Recoleta
Santiago, Chile
Tel: +56 2 7321 532
Fax: +56 2 777 7431
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.corporacionalzheimer.cl

Costa Rica

Asociación Costarricense de Alzheimer y otras Demencias Asociadas
991-2070, Sabanilla de Montes de Oca
San José 11502 2070
Costa Rica
Tel: +905 285 3919
Email: [email protected]
Web:
El Salvador

Asociacion de Familiares Alzheimer de El Salvador
Villavicencio Plaza, Local 2-15
paseo General Escalón y 99 Avenida Norte
San Salvador
El Salvador
Tel: +503 22 644 072
Email: [email protected]

Honduras

Asociación Hondureña de Alzheimer
Apartado Postal 5005
Tegucigalpa
Honduras, C.A.
Tel: +504 239 4512
Fax: +504 232 4580
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ashalz.org

Panamá

AFA PADEA
Via Fernandez de Córdoba, Edificio Julimar, Primer Piso, Oficina #3
Apartado Postal 6-6839
El Dorado
Panama
Email: [email protected]

República Dominicana

Asociacion Dominicana de Alzheimer
Apartado Postal # 3321
Santo Domingo
Republica Dominicana
Tel: +1 809 544 1711
Fax: +1 809 544 1731
Email: [email protected]

USA

Alzheimer's Association
225 N Michigan Avenue
Suite 1700
Chicago, Illinois 60601
United States of America
Tel: +1 312 335 8700
Helpline: 0800 272 3900
Fax: +1 312 335 1110
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.alz.org

Venezuela

Fundación Alzheimer de Venezuela
Calle El Limon, Qta Mi Muñe, El Cafetal
Caracas
Venezuela
Tel: +58 212 414 6129
Fax: +58 212 9859 183
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.alzheimer.org.ve
	


Barbados

Barbados Alzheimer's Association Inc
PO Box 398
Bridgetown
Barbados
Tel: +1 246 438 7111
Email: [email protected]

Brasil

FEBRAZ - Federação Brasileira de Associaçãoes de Alzheimer
CF 542214 e o endereco
Rua Frei Caneca, 915
conjunto 2, Sao Paulo, Brazil
01307-003
Tel/Fax: +55 11 3237 0385
Helpline: 0 800 55 1906
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.abraz.com.br

Colombia

Asociacion Colombiana de Alzheimer y Desordenes Relacionados
Calle 69 A No. 10-16
Sante Fe de Bogota D.C.
Colombia
Tel/Fax: +57 1 521 9401
Email: [email protected]

Ecuador

Fundacion Alzheimer Ecuador
Centro Medico Pasteur
Ave. Eloy Alfaro e Italia
2do Piso. Consultorio 204
Quito
Ecuador
Tel: +593 2 2521 660
Fax: +593 2 2594 997
Email: [email protected]

Guatemala

Asociación ERMITA, Alzheimer de Guatemala
10a. Calle 11-63
Zona 1, Ave. 1-48 Zona 1
Apto B, P O Box 2978
01901 Guatemala
Tel: +502 2 320 324
Fax: +502 2 381 122
Email: [email protected]

México

Federación Mexicana de Alzheimer
Loma Grande 2713, Int. 3
Colonia Lomas de San Francisco
Monterrey, N.L. 64710
Mexico
Tel: +52 81 8333 6713 or +52 81 8347 4072
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.alzheimerfedma.com

Perú

Asociación Peruana de Enfermedad de Alzheimer y otras demencias
(APEAD)
Avenida Arequipa N° 3845
Miraflores
Lima 18
Perú
Tel./Fax + 511 442 0366
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.alzheimerperu.org

Trinidad y Tobago

Alzheimer's Association of Trinidad and Tobago
c/o Soroptimist International Port of Spain
15 Nepaul Street
St James, Port of Spain
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Tel: +1 868 622 6134
Fax: +1 868 627 6731
Email: [email protected]

Uruguay

Asociación Uruguaya de Alzheimer y Similares
Magallanes 1320
11200 Montevideo
Uruguay
Tel: +598 2 400 8797
Fax: +598 2 400 8797
Email: [email protected]

Grupo Regional América Latina

Alzheimer Iberoamerica
C/ Pedro Alcatarena nº 3 Bajo
31014 Pamplona (Navarra)
Spain
Tel: +34 902 174 517
Fax: +34 948 265 739
Email: [email protected]