Predictors of Alzheimer’s / Dementia and Caregiver Support

Five article excerpts cover predictors of Alzheimer’s and dementia, including personality traits, caregiver support, a more accurate Alzheimer’s blood test, and vision problems that may be an early determinant of Alzheimer’s.

How the ‘Big 5’ Personality Traits Influence Dementia Risk

“Pooling data from eight different studies involving over 44,000 people, University of California, Davis and Northwestern University investigators homed in on the so-called ‘Big Five’ personality traits and their relationship to cognitive decline.” For example, as people grow older, conscientiousness plays a stronger preventative trait against dementia. Those “who consistently demonstrate thoughtful behaviors, like being organized, responsible, and diligent, might be better equipped to stave off dementia in their golden years.”

How to be a caregiver and get the support you need

Elissa Strauss, parent and caregiver, offers tips at the end of her interview for how people can support caregivers. “CNN spoke to Strauss about our cultural obsession  with independence, and how we can embrace the critical role caretaking can play in our lives and communities.” “Care often is presented as either sweet and simple—a fairy tale—or a horrible burden that squeezes us of our vitality.” “… in fact, there’s an incredibly fertile messy middle in which care challenges us, but also gives us opportunities to grow and is central to the functioning of society.” “… philosophers and theologians have begun to dig into just how transformative care is for our minds and souls. It is challenging and takes us straight to the heart of what it means to be human.”

Blood Test for Alzheimer’s and MCI Shows Improved Accuracy

“An international research team led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed a universal diagnostic blood test for early detection and management of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)… the HKUST blood test measures 21 proteins levels, capturing multiple AD-associated biological pathways. It has shown accuracy rates of more than 96% for AD and 87% for MCI and is applicable across different ethnic groups.”

Family caregivers can help shape the outcomes for their loved ones–an ICU nurse explains their vital role

“No matter how much I comforted her, it was not my hand she wanted to hold. She was screaming for her daughter, April, who was on her way… As a seasoned bedside critical care nurse, I see firsthand the benefits that family caregivers bring to patient care in the hospital. I also witness the emotional stress that caregivers experience when their loved one comes to the ICU.”

Thank you Caregiver Action Network for publishing this article in your newsletter where we became aware of it.

Weird Vision May Predict Alzheimer’s

In a study published in The Lancet: Neurology journal, a team of University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) researchers uncovered an early vision symptom. Despite having normal results in an eye exam, this condition—posterior cortical atrophy (PCA)—may occur in up to 10% of Alzheimer’s cases. PCA affects our ability to judge distances, distinguish between moving and stationary objects, and complete tasks like writing and retrieving dropped objects.