Expert: Michalene Peticca - 2/28/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi im Ashley and I am a senior at Rootstown high school I am currently doing a very big project on Alzhemiers disease and i was wondering if you could answer some questions about your opinion on Alzhemiers diesase?  I am doing this project on Alzheimers disease because it has had a very big impact on my family my great grandma died from it and my great grandpa as well. So, if you would please just let me know if you could answer some questions for me, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you
Ashley Rothermel

ANSWER: Hi Ashley!

I'd be happy to answer any questions you have on Alzheimer's disease!  

You may either contact me through this website or you may call my work cell phone at 717-385-9855 and if i do not answer, i will be sure to call you back.

Best Regards,
Michalene Peticca, M.A.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: HI, again sorry it took me so long to get back to you, we had snow in Ohio and we had some snow days, so I couldn't get to my questions i was going to ask you. First I would like to know a little about yourself, your education, what you majored in maybe a little about yourself. Thanks again for doing this it really means a lot to me!

Q: What do you feel about the new "helmet" that uses infrared rays to reverse memory loss?

Q: Do you think Alzheimer's disease will ever be cured?

Q: Researchers say that beta-amyloid proteins might be the cause of this disease. What have you concluded about this study?

Q: What do you believe is the best medication to help improve the symptoms of AD?

Q: Do you believe Alzheimer's disease is going to be cured in our lifetime and explain?

Q: Alzheimer's disease is the fourth leading cause of death in adults and 4.5 million Americans have this disease. What do you conclude about this?

Q: Have you ever had a family remember with this disease and if you have what kind of affect did it have on you and your family?

Q:Do you think teenagers can do anything to prevent getting Alzheimer disease now, if so what?

Q: Researchers say some treatment focuses mostly on replenishing the neurotransmitters. What exactly is a neurotransmitter?

Q: How do doctors diagnose the disease?

THANK you so much for doing this for me, you have really helped a lot!!!!

THANKS, Ashley Rothermel

Answer
Hi Ashley,

Some of my biography is attached to my profile on this website and you may access for information.

However, alittle more detailed background is that I graduated from York College in York, PA with a degree in English and minored in Gerontology & History.

I completed my graduate degree in Geriatrics from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.

I continue to update my knowlege through annual seminars and belong to the American Geriatrics society.

I started in Long term care healthcare when i was in High school and have continued on that path since.   

I have worked in all departments of a long term care facility,  except nursing, in the 25 years that i have been in healthcare.  

Now, onto your questions:

1. I have not heard about the "helmet" ? Is there another name for it?
Can you send me to a particular website or scientific publication to read about this!

2. I don't think Alzheimer's will ever be "cured", but i do believe that we will do a Much better job at detecting the beginnings of Alzheimer's and be able to dramatically slow the progression of the disease.  Go to the Boston General Hospital website as they are doing Much research with this.  

3.  True, Beta-amyloid proteins are the "substance" of this disease. Think about ice on telephone wires.  These proteins "stick" to neurotransmitters and start to "cut off" the brain signals, eventually breaking the neurotransmitters (the "telephone wires").  The Cause of the protein build-up is still debateable. I am tending to believe that part is hereditary (kind of like clog arteries in a person's heart) and part is a product of our environment. (i'm starting to think excess chemicals in our food products that enter our blood system and have no where to be eliminated. Thereby, becoming "free radicals" and turning into protein substances.

4.  If Alzheimer's is detected early enough, Aricept has shown good results in slowing down the progression of the disease.  However, because the disease deteriorates the brain in different sections for different people, it is still based on careful following for the individual.

5.  See question #2.  No, i don't think it will.

6.  I feel several factors have lead to this statistic:  a. There are an increasing number of older people over 65 and living well into their 90's (see SS or AARP websites for that info.) thus, the prevelance of the disease is Much greater at this time in history.  b. Due to our increase in longevity in history, we are seeing more "geriatric" type diseases that the medical field hadn't experienced before.  c. Medical technology is so advanced we can diagnose people with Alzheimer's now (before it was "hardening of the arteries" or attributed to something else) d. The Medical field now recognizes Alzheimer's disease as a physical, degenerative disease instead of a psychological disorder.   e  More people are searching for medical intervention with their diseases.   f.  It stands as an incurable disease and will keep rising as leading cause of death.

7.  Yes...i had an uncle with Alzheimer's disease. It was very difficult for my aunt (his wife) as she was very much in denial of the disease. She lived across the street from my parents, who were very much afraid of my uncle as he progressed in the disease and displayed paranoia, forgetfulness,etc type behaviors.  My cousins, his sons, were unwilling to help my aunt and she had to seek help from her friends. It really divided the family in a lot of ways.  My aunt would try to "hide" his behaviors and eventually he died of sepsis from a Urinary tract infection (which seems like it has nothing to do with AD, but looking back, if my aunt didn't want him out in public and tried to "ignore" his behaviors, i think she unintentionally neglected him somewhat and thereby creating more physical problems for him!)   I was in college and it reaffirmed my decision to go into this field.

8.  Yes...i think we need to become Much more aware of our overall health:  dietary habits (eating more organic), good exercise, no smoking, no alcohol (or minimal for adults)...basically, what are the Toxins we are putting in our system everyday that we Didn't put in 100 years ago?   As a teenager, you have the opportunity to approach Alzheimer's in several ways:  a. The cause - help find out why it starts  b. The cure - how to "eliminate" these protein plagues in the brain (can we "dissolve" them? - you may take this idea because i don't think anyone has tried this approah yet!)  c. The status quo - what will you all do to help with the Baby boomers (your parents) via nursing homes, home care, etc.that are going to have this disease in unprecedented numbers?

9.  See question #3.  Neurotransmitters are the brain chemicals that are transferred from one synapse to another synapse.   You'll find some  info. on Gingko Biloba and other "natural" brain vitamins that stimulate the neurotransmitters.  This research is very interesting.

10.  Nowadays, Doctors can detect Alzheimer's disease by using a PET scan.  A person is injected with a  nuclear based liquid and it will show doctors the brain "plagues" from the protein build up.   The University of Pittsburgh hospital invented the PET scan and has good info. on their website.   However, the PET scan is very costly and most people are still diagnosed by ruling out "everything" else: Stroke, Depression, brain tumors, etc. by using blood profiles, CT/MRI scans, historical info.

Hope this has helped at least guide you further to more insight and where to find more info.

If you need anything else, just let me know!   Thanks for keeping this subject at the forefront of discussions...!!

Best of Luck!

Michalene Peticca, M.A.