Neuro Note #5: OT 537

For my final neuro note, I chose another Ted Talk to listen to and write about. I actually chose this Ted Talk to listen to because another student recommended it to me. It sounded interesting because the subject was on Alzheimer's Disease and the speaker is also the author of the book Still Alice. The speaker of this talk is named Lisa Genova and the title of the speech is "What can you do to prevent Alzheimer's". During her speech, Lisa provided a solid background to how and why some people develop this disease over others. She explained how the build up of amyloid plaques is what essentially causes the downward spiral into forgetfulness and dementia. Lisa pointed out how common the disease is amongst Americans and even the nation as a whole. Listening to Lisa speak, I learned a great deal about how the science behind the treatment of Alzheimer's isn't necessarily incorrect but is just being administered at the wrong time for the individual. Lisa mentioned how the drugs need to be used as a preventative way to developing the disease. I found this interesting in that I always assumed that the drug was used as a preventative measure, but in fact it is not. In order for the treatment to be effective, the individual should take it before the actual development of Alzheimer's and before the build up of amyloid plaques reaches a "tipping point" as she describes it. Lisa also went on to discuss other ways to prevent the disease by the diet one consumes and exercising regularly. She really emphasizes how important it is to consume a healthy diet and maintain cardiovascular health. This is, of course, important for every individual but especially important for those who are at risk for developing AD. She talks about how this lifestyle change as a huge impact in what one's older years of living may be like. Overall, I learned a lot from this talk. Lisa went on to paint colorful images and provide great comparisons and examples of what Alzheimer's disease is like. I find it interesting in how doctors will be able to know when to administer treatment early enough to certain individuals, and I also wonder that since so much more has been discovered about the mechanism of Alzheimer's disease if the amount of people to develop it will decrease significantly. I absolutely enjoyed this Ted Talk and since she was such a wonderful speaker, I want even more to read Still Alice!

Retrieved from: Genova, L. (2017, April). What you can do to prevent Alzheimer's [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_genova_what_you_can_do_to_prevent_alzheimer_s#t-820240