Long Term care Insurance Expert Reports Low Vitamin B12 Linked To Cognitive Decline In Elderly

Older individuals who have low levels of vitamin B12 in their blood have a greater risk of brain shrinkage, losing cognitive skills and greater risk of needing long term health care.

"The number of U.S. adults aged 65 years and older is projected to nearly double over the next two decades," explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance, the national trade organization.  "As a result, the incidence of cognitive issues especially Alzheimer's disease and other dementias is also expected to rise as will the need for costly long term care."

According to Chicago researchers foods rich in vitamin B12 include those derived from animals and include, eggs, milk, liver, meat, and fish.  Vitamin B12 plays a key role in normal nervous system functioning and brain development. It is also involved in the formation of red blood cells.

Scientists undertook a study of individuals aged at least 65 years. They underwent blood tests to check for B12 and B12-related metabolites levels. They were also assessed for memory and other cognitive skills. Some five years later magnetic resonance imaging scans of their brains were taken to measure comparative brain size and to identify other signs of brain damage.

Those with four of five markers for vitamin B12 deficiency were found to have a higher risk of getting lower cognitive test scores and smaller total brain volumes.  The National Institute of Aging funded the study.

Vitamin B12 plays a key role in normal nervous system functioning and brain development. It is also involved in the formation of red blood cells.

Planning experts advise those seeking to learn more about long-term care planning and get long-term care insurance cost contact a designated expert via the Association's Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/free-quote/.  They point out that the best ages to look into this protection is prior to age 65 when health issues can make it harder or more costly to medically qualify for coverage.

Scientists Find Speak Two Languages To Delay Alzheimer's Onset

Speaking two languages can help delay the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms by as much as five years.

The study conducted by Canadian scientists found more dramatic evidence that those who have spoken two or more languages consistently over many years experienced a delay in the onset of their symptoms by as much as five years.

"We are not claiming that bilingualism in any way prevents Alzheimer's or other dementias, but it may contribute to cognitive reserve in the brain which appears to delay the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms for quite some time," said Dr. Craik, lead investigator and co-editor of The Oxford Handbook of Memory.

The brains of people who speak two languages still show deterioration from Alzheimer's pathology; however, their special ability with two languages seems to equip them with compensatory skills to hold back the tell-tale symptoms of Alzheimer's, such as memory loss, confusion, and difficulties with problem-solving and planning.

Observations were made on patients diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's from 2007 to 2009. The patients' date of diagnosis and age of onset of cognitive impairment were recorded along with information on occupational history, education and language history (i.e. fluency in English and any other languages).

The researchers found that bilingual patients had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's 4.3 years later and had reported the onset of symptoms five years later than the monolingual patients. The groups were equivalent on measures of cognitive and occupational level, there was no apparent effect of immigration status, and there were no gender differences.

According to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, the current study adds to mounting scientific evidence that lifestyle factors - such as regular cardiovascular exercise, a healthy diet, and speaking more than one language - can play a central role in how the brain copes with age-related cognitive decline and diseases such as Alzheimer's.

The study was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Alzheimer's Society of Canada.

Hospitalized Patients With Sepsis Seniors More Likely To Get Alzheimer's

Older patients hospitalized for severe sepsis are at higher risk for long-term cognitive impairment and physical limitations than those hospitalized for other reasons.

The conclusion was reported following a study by ached by the Department of Preventive Medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center and reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Sepsis is a condition in which the immune system goes into overdrive releasing chemicals into the blood to combat infection. Sepsis occurs in 1 percent to 2 percent of all hospitalizations in the United States. Sepsis often results after common problems such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections.

Approximately 40 percent of those with severe sepsis die from the condition.  Among surviving patients the researchers found that the odds of acquiring moderate to severe cognitive impairment were 3.3 times higher following an episode of sepsis than for other hospitalizations.

Overall, the study also showed that 60 percent of hospitalizations for severe sepsis were associated with worsened cognitive and physical function among surviving older adults. Severe sepsis also was associated with greater risk for the development of new functional limitations following hospitalization.

Among patients who had no limitations before sepsis, more than 40 percent developed trouble with walking. Nearly 1 in 5 developed new problems with shopping or preparing a meal. Patients often developed new problems with such basic things as bathing and toileting themselves both conditions that result in the need for long-term health care services according to the American Association for Best Long-Term Care Insurance Information (AALTCI) a national trade group.   

Patients in the study had a mean age of nearly 76.9 years. The cohort involved 1,194 individuals with 1,520 hospitalizations for severe sepsis drawn from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative survey of U.S. residents from 1998 to 2006, which collects information on the health, economic, and social factors influencing the health and well-being of Americans over age 50. 

Carrots And Celery Reduce Memory Decline

Diets rich in the plant compound luteolin reduces age-related inflammation in the brain and related memory deficits.   

Luteolin is found in many plants, including carrots, peppers, celery, olive oil, peppermint, rosemary and chamomile.  The compound inhibits the release of inflammatory molecules in the brain.

According to researchers who examined the effects of dietary luteolin in a mouse model of aging and reported their findings in the Journal of Nutrition.

The researchers focused on specialized immune cells that reside in the brain and spinal cord.   Inflammation in the brain also appears to be a key contributor to age-related memory problems, said the University of Illinois animal sciences professor who led the new study.

Scientists found previously that during normal aging, microglial cells become dysregulated and begin producing excessive levels of inflammatory cytokines.  The researcher has spent nearly a decade studying the anti-inflammatory properties of nutrients and various bioactive plant compounds, including luteolin.

According to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance which tracks aging research and issues, this is the first study to suggest, however, that luteolin improves cognitive health by acting directly on the microglial cells to reduce their production of inflammatory cytokines in the brain.

The researchers showed that microglial cells that were exposed to a bacterial toxin produced inflammatory cytokines that could kill neurons. When the microglia were exposed to luteolin before they encountered the toxin, however, the neurons lived.

The researchers next turned their attention to the effects of luteolin on the brains and behavior of adult (3- to 6-month-old) and aged (2-year-old) mice. The mice were fed a control diet or a luteolin-supplemented diet for four weeks. The researchers assessed their spatial memory and measured levels of inflammatory markers in the hippocampus, a brain region that is important to memory and spatial awareness.

Normally, aged mice have higher levels of inflammatory molecules in the hippocampus and are more impaired on memory tests than younger adult mice. Aged mice on the luteolin-supplemented diet, however, did better on the learning and memory task than their peers, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines in their brains were more like those of the younger adult mice.

The data suggests that consuming a healthy diet has the potential to reduce age-associated inflammation in the brain, which can result in better cognitive health.

Free Guide Offers Tips On Living With Dementia

A free informational guide Living with Dementia is available for free download from Homewatch CareGivers.

According to  the World Alzheimer's Report and the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) reports, over 35 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Without a significant medical breakthrough related to dementia care that number could double every 20 years, and by 2050 could affect over 115 million people, explains Jesse Slome, executive director of AALTCI.

"Based on our 30 years of caregiving experience we know that when someone receives a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or dementia that it suddenly involves more than just the patient," said Leann Reynolds, president of Homewatch CareGivers. The Guide to Dementia was prepared to arm families and caregivers with free information and resources, which might not otherwise be provided, that can educate them and provide a roadmap for the difficult journey they face.

The guide covers the following:

- Definitions of dementia and what those definitions mean both clinically and personally
- In-depth tips for communicating with loved ones experiencing dementia
- Communication issues to watch out for as the symptoms of dementia progress
- In-depth tips for helping family members with dementia around the house
- Practical tips for understanding and dealing with behavior issues related to dementia
- Self-help and wellness tips for family caregivers

"Our goal is to support families by providing information and resources," Reynolds added. "We want this guide to be one of the resources that helps family members and caregivers deal with the numerous issues that arise from living with dementia."

Alzheimer's Tab Surpasses $600 Billion

Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are having an enormous and growing impact on the world economy.  Today is World Alzheimer's Day.

According to a new report the cost will surpass $601 billion by the end of this year; over 1% of global GDP (Gross Domestic Product).  The new report published by Alzheimer's Disease International.

The report was authored by Professor Anders Wimo of the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; and Professor Martin Prince, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK.

"This should be an important wake-up call that Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are the single most significant health and social crisis of the 21st century," declared Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.  "Individuals are woefully unprepared for the social and economic disruptions this disease will cause."

The reports highlights the following information:

Global costs of dementia will surpass 1% of global GDP this year

Global costs of dementia will exceed $601 billion for the year 2010

There will be two times as many people with dementia in 2030 as there are today

There will be three times as many people with dementia by 2050 as there arean today

The costs of caring for individuals with dementia will probably increase faster than the increase in prevalence. This will be especially so in developing nations.

Although dementia is one of the costliest illnesses, research and development, as well as investments are considerably smaller than for other major illnesses which do not impact as much on national economies.

One expert nooted that this new Report gives us the clearest, most comprehensive picture yet of the global economic and social costs of dementia. The World Alzheimer Report 2010, merged the best available data and the most recent insights regarding the worldwide economic cost of dementia. This enabled researchers to provide more detailed estimates than before, by making use of recently available data that considerably strengthens the evidence base.

Vitamin B May Help Dementia Alzheimer's Disease

A new study reveals that elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment who take huge doses of B vitamins everyday may reduce the rate at which their brains shrink by 50%, resulting in a much slower progression toward dementia, and eventually Alzheimer's disease.

According to the findings of studies conducted by researchers from Oxford University, England, in an article published in Plos One (Public Library of Science One), this two-year clinical trial is the largest ever which examined the effect of B vitamins on "mild cognitive impairment" (MCI).

Individuals with MCI have a higher risk of progression to Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia notes Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance the industry's trade group.

"People with mild cognitive impairment can function in everyday activities, but they may have problems with memory, such as recalling people's names, losing the flow of a conversation, and not remembering where they left things," Slome explains. Approximately 16% of individuals aged over 70 years are affected by mild cognitive impairment.

David Smith, University Department of Pharmacology and Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, University of Oxford, trial co-leader, said:

The single-center, randomized, double-blind controlled trial involved 168 volunteers who all had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. One group received high daily doses of vitamins B6 (0.5 mg/d) and B12 (20 mg/d), as well as folic acid (0.8 mg/d). This was 300 times the recommended daily intake for B12, 15 times daily recommended amounts of B6, and 4 times daily recommended intake of folic acid.

The other group received a placebo (tablets without any active ingredients). Treatment lasted 24 months.

The principal outcome measure was the change in the rate of atrophy of the whole brain, assessed by serial volumetric MRI scans.

The researchers found that the B vitamin with folic acid group had an average brain shrinkage of 0.76% per year. The placebo group had an average brain shrinkage of 1.08% per year.

Those with the highest homocysteine blood levels at the start of the trial who took the B vitamins and folic acid experienced half the brain shrinkage compared to individuals with the highest homocysteine blood levels at the start and who received the placebo.

To learn more about long-term care insurance and receive a free, no obligation quote for this protection, visit the Association's Consumer Information Center. Click here now.

Mild Cognitive Problems More Common In Men

A new study by the Mayo Clinic has found that the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment was 1.5 times higher in men than in women.
The research which is part of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging also showed a prevalence rate of 16 percent in the population-based study of individuals aged 70-89 without dementia. These are residents of Olmsted County, Minn.

According to the researchers, the finding that the frequency of mild cognitive impairment is greater in men was unexpected. They noted this was due to the fact that the frequency of Alzheimer's disease is actually greater in women.

Ronald Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., neurologist and director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center notes, "If we consider the 16 percent prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in individuals without dementia, then add the 10-11 percent of individuals who already have dementia or Alzheimer's disease, we're looking at 25 percent or more of the population aged 70 or older who have dementia or are at risk of developing dementia in the near future."

With the aging of America, these numbers are staggering and the impact on the health care economy, states Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. "There is a financial, emotional and physical toll on millions of individuals and their families." Slome notes, "and few have taken any steps to prepare."

According to the organization, some eight million Americans currently have long-term care insurance in place. This coverage provides payments and benefits for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Experts advise consumers to look into this protection in their 50s when rates are most affordable and tbe ability to health qualify is higher.

A free guide on reducing the cost of long-term care insurance can be accessed on the Association's website.


The Mayo study will be published in the September issue of Neurology.