Journal of Alzheimers Disease & Parkinsonism
Open Access

Abstract

The prevalence of Alzheimer?s Disease and other dementias is growing rapidly, with estimates of a crippling number of affected persons by the year 2030 as the Baby Boomers and Generation X members reach high dementia probability ages. Current medical interventions to treat dementing disorders have been disappointing and suggest that amyloid clearing agents are likely not the answer. More concerning is the absence of highly promising treatments on the horizon. As a result, prevention becomes an increasingly important strategy for society as well as a response to a critical question presented by the children of current dementia patients: ?What can I do to avoid this happening to me?? This presentation will focus on currently available medical, lifestyle, and behavioral strategies that, in a combined fashion, are the best advice for these aging middle ages. The presentation will provide a framework for translating a sometimes confusing array of study outcomes into language that is understandable and usable by this generation. We will specifically examine the roles of elevated lipids, homocysteine and Hemoglobin A1C, as well as dietary choices, exercise, sleep disordered breathing, mental stimulation, and other factors that together may make a significant difference in ultimate mental outcome. Since some of these interventions require significant behavior change, we will also address the issue of psychological resistance and adherence maximization.

Biography

Mitchell Clionsky, Ph.D. ABPP-CN is a Board Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist with 35 years of experience in assessing and treating patients with neurological conditions. He and his clinical staff perform 600 dementia evaluations per year. He is the co-developer of the Memory Orientation Screening Test, a well-validated brief measure of cognition and dementia identification that is now available on three iPad apps. He is the co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Alzheimer?s Disease and Parkinsonism.