Alzheimer's related deaths have been underreported

They US Against Alzheimer's group has just pointed me to a new article published in the journal Neurology, which cites that deaths with Alzheimer's related components are far higher than previously established. Right up there with cancer and heart disease, US Against Alzheimer's say that the disease gets a tiny fraction of the funding.


Here's a link to their petition to Congress to get more funding for research.


And here's a layperson friendly article on the new research findings.

Warning: Memory Full

A study discussed in the New York Times contests the idea of more or less natural cognitive decline with age, and suggests it may have more to do with data storage...

What really helps memory?

According to Slate, simple arithmetic problems and reading aloud may be just as good as anything else, and even somewhat better...

Floyd Skloot's "Forgetting it All" piece in the New York Times

I just read an interesting column on line by Floyd Skloot on what it's like to live with a memory damaged mind. Very thoughtful. Check it out HERE if you have time.

qwertyuiop

Who knew that I would have another memory post from Slate so soon? But I do. In this very short video, Slate tells us that most people cannot fill in the typing keyboard when given blank keys. Apparently, typing is something of its own phenomenon, as people learn how to type without really memorizing the layout of the keyboard in the first place. I wonder if this makes it like the piano, where I suppose most people pick out tunes before they can play by touch. Just as most people probably hunt and peck on a keyboard before they can touch type. I was a very late learner at touch typing and find that even as I type this, I really have no idea exactly how I'm doing it. Although I do know that I often type wrong.  

Memory and photography

I thought this brief piece over on Slate would be a good one to mention on this blog. As I've long suspected, taking pictures doesn't aid memory and often impairs it.  I'm no expert on this, but I wonder if this doesn't have something to do with the transactive memory effect I linked to here awhile ago.

The best way to travel I've long thought is for someone else to be in charge of the camera...as long as they'll make you copies of their shots.

Alzheimer's--a quick and simple thing you can do

You can click HERE to urge your members of Congress to co-sponsor the Hope For Alzheimer's Act (H.R. 1507/S. 709). Luckily for me, my representatives, Congressman Sam Farr and Senators Feinstein and Boxer are already on board. Why don't you check and see if yours are too. Maybe they just need a little prompting...