This document discusses Alzheimer's disease and dementia. It begins by explaining the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's, with Alzheimer's being a specific disease that accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases. It then discusses the causes of dementia and shows images comparing healthy and demented brains. Subsequent sections discuss the increasing prevalence and economic impact of Alzheimer's, the lack of a cure currently, and ways individuals can help reduce their risk such as exercising, social engagement, sleep, and diet. It emphasizes the need for more research funding to find effective treatments and a cure.

1. The
Challenge
of
Alzheimer’s

2. 1. Understanding the Disease
2. What’s the Big Deal?
3. Is There a Cure?
4. What Can We Do For
Ourselves?
The Challenge of Alzheimer’s

3. Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s
Dementia
• Brain failure
• Irreversible
• A symptom
Alzheimer’s
• A disease

4. Causes of Dementia
1. Alzheimer’s (60% - 80%)
2. Vascular dementia (10%)
3. Brain trauma
4. Lewy Body Disease
5. Fronto-temporal dementia
6. Parkinson’s dementia
7. Others

5. The Invisible Disability

6. Healthy and Demented Brains

7. Healthy Brain
Demented Brain

8. Lose on the Left, Retain on the Right
Left Brain Right Brain
Logic Feeling
Facts Imagination
Words Symbols
Keeps control Takes risks

9. More than One Sufferer

10. 1. Understanding the Disease
2. What’s the Big Deal?
3. Is There a Cure?
4. What Can We Do For
Ourselves?
The Challenge of Alzheimer’s

11. What’s the Big Deal?
1
2
3
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2
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The 6th leading
cause of death
in the US
Up from 12th
15 years ago

12. What’s the Big Deal?
2015 2025 2050
Americans with Alzheimer’s
5 million
14 million
7 million

13. What’s the Big Deal?
2015 2050
Cost of Care
$1.2 trillion
$226 billion

14. The Hidden Cost • 15 million
family
caregivers
• 18 billion hours
of unpaid care
• Additional
medical
problems...
stress, anxiety

15. 1. Understanding the Disease
2. What’s the Big Deal?
3. Is There a Cure?
4. What Can We Do For
Ourselves?
The Challenge of Alzheimer’s

16. Reaching Critical Mass
Early 1900s – Discovery
1970s – Modern research
1980s – Awareness
1990s - Treatments emerge
2000s – Better understanding of causes, better
diagnoses
2010s – National Alzheimer’s Project Act

17. Hope or Hype?

18. Treatment Horizon
• Drug development: mice + 15 years
• Five FDA-approved drugs: symptom improvement
only
• New research targeting underlying cause
• Biogen – BIIB 037
– Promising trial results
– Early 2020s?
– Symptom improvement

19. Rotary in Action
• Cure
Alzheimer’s
Fund

20. Not Enough Research Funding
$591
million
US Federal
Research Budget
Today

21. Not Enough Research Funding
$591
million
$2 billion
US Federal
Research Budget
Today
What Experts Say
We Need...

22. 1. Understanding the Disease
2. What’s the Big Deal?
3. Is There a Cure?
4. What Can We Do For
Ourselves?
The Challenge of Alzheimer’s

23. Stay Busy!
Postponing retirement by five years lowers your
risk of dementia by:

24. Stay Busy!
Postponing retirement by five years lowers your
risk of dementia by:
15%

25. Get Plenty of Exercise!
Regular exercise can reduce your risk of
Alzheimer’s by

26. Get Plenty of Exercise!
Regular exercise can reduce your risk of
Alzheimer’s by
15%

27. Go Outside and Play!
Active social relations reduce our risk of
dementia by:

28. Go Outside and Play!
Active social relations reduce our risk of
dementia by:
50+%

29. Get Plenty of Rest!
Sleep helps prevent dementia because:

30. Get Plenty of Rest!
Sleep helps prevent dementia because:
Brain cells
clean
themselves
during sleep

31. The Power of Healthy Habits
How much does our risk of dementia
decrease if we....
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain healthy bodyweight
• At least five servings of fruits and
vegetables every day
• Don’t smoke
• Use alcohol in moderation

32. 60%

33. • Raise money
• Raise awareness
• Offer support to caregivers and
loved ones
• www.alz.org
What Can Rotarians Do?

34. Thank You