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DEMENTIA ALONG THE PATH OF HOPE
It is above all necessary to carry out this early the illness. Other drugs are being studied in the support and “holidays” for the care-giver are
detection process on people at risk, such as family same manner: antiinflammatories, those involving essential. Support psychotherapy or help from
members and the elderly. nerve or neurotrophine growth, N-methyl-D- Mutual Aid groups will sometimes be necessary).
aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists,
PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES antioxidants, statines, etc. SOCIO-HEALTH CARE
Treatment should be aimed in three directions: COGNITIVE REHABILITATION The current response in insufficient in this
to preserve the healthy neurons against any field. Within the socio-health area we have
disorder, to prevent the death of the neurons Cognitive rehabilitation is another essential resources such as the Home Help Service, the
affected and to restore and stimulate the element in treatment and prevention. Memory or Volunteer Service, Tele-care, Mutual Aid groups,
functions of those that are in proper working order. cognitive training has been carried out for years Day-care Centres, Care Homes, etc. These
on elderly people who show memory deterioration resources are scarce at present and need to be
One of the first discoveries that was made about associated with age. This cognitive stimulation is improved; this is the direction in which the Care
Alzheimer's in the biochemistry field was the based on the capacity of the cerebral reserve area Plan for Patients with Alzheimer's and other forms
reduction of neurons that use a cerebral (or the part of the brain that is not being used and of Dementia (1999) is orientated in this respect.
neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Current drugs that can be activated) and neuroplasticity. These Even though the proper place for the patient is
attempt to increase the availability of this two factors, together with what has been come to with his family and the community,
substance in the intersynaptic space. Tacrine was be called the “reorganisation of functions” and institutionalisation will sometimes be necessary
the first of these drugs, others have appeared vicarious systems are the basis on which learning in the final stages.
subsequently: Rivastigmine, Donepezil and possibilities for such patients are founded. There
Galantamine. Diverse substances are currently are ways of learning that require little effort. IS THERE HOPE
being investigated in this field. These drugs These are related to implied or unconscious
manage to delay the illness by almost a year, but memoryc. However, the present situation is not This person is been paid increasing attention.
they are only a partial solution to the problem. very satisfactory. Patients with dementia receive, While the reality of this illness is very hard, paths
Drugs are also being studied on subjects who show in general, a form of stimulation that is not very of hope are nevertheless opening up. If we look
slight cognitive deterioration, without the illness well regulated and that has a weak scientific back twenty years, there was practically nothing
having been diagnosed. It is to be hoped that we base. Fortunately, strict, well-structured in the health or the social field, research was
will have much more effective drugs in a few years. programmes that are adapted to the stage of minimal and the training of the different types of
development of the illness have been used in the professionals in this area was very deficient. The
OTHER FORMS OF TREATMENT last few years. panorama has changed. Concern is increasing.
Studies into the genetic, biochemical,
One of the most spectacular advances could be THE CARE-GIVER immunological and imaging aspects are
the introduction of vaccines. It has already been developing strongly. Epidemiological studies to
proven with mice that the substance involved in This person is been paid increasing attention. discover those people at risk of suffering the
the development of neuronal disorders (the B- We have already commented on the change that illness are intense and promising.
amyloid peptide), prevents the formation of takes place in the life of the care-giver especially,
amyloid plates, which are a fundamental element he is a family member. The extensive Programmes Society is becoming increasingly concerned
in the development of the illness, and even on Alzheimer's include information and about this illness. The Patients' Association is
dissolves those that have already formed. This consultation for the care-giver and the family acting with increasing force, publicising the
vaccine is being studied on humans and it is very among their activities. This consultation should needs of patients and their families, organising
likely that it will be available within five years. This include information about the illness and its sessions, providing advice to the associates and
vaccine and other similar ones or those that act at progression, the patient's needs, his “handling”, their families. The authorities are becoming
other levels would be curative and preventative at the modifications that have to be made to the aware of the problem and increasing the
the same time. The process would be the following: home itself, the socio-health resources and how to resources that are used to solve or alleviate the
study the risk factors of a certain person (genetic obtain them, the emotional needs of the care- problem. We find ourselves in a very hopeful
studies, cerebral image, blood and liquid givers themselves and their reactions (distress, situation, even though the harsh reality forces us
cephalorachidian tests especially), and try the desperation, exhaustion, irritability...) and the to be cautious at the moment. The engine for
vaccine on those persons with a high level of risk. legal aspects involved in dependency. Financial change is fundamentally located on awareness of
This treatment would allegedly impede the onset of the problem by society.
Sesenta y más 35
It is above all necessary to carry out this early the illness. Other drugs are being studied in the support and “holidays” for the care-giver are
detection process on people at risk, such as family same manner: antiinflammatories, those involving essential. Support psychotherapy or help from
members and the elderly. nerve or neurotrophine growth, N-methyl-D- Mutual Aid groups will sometimes be necessary).
aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists,
PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES antioxidants, statines, etc. SOCIO-HEALTH CARE
Treatment should be aimed in three directions: COGNITIVE REHABILITATION The current response in insufficient in this
to preserve the healthy neurons against any field. Within the socio-health area we have
disorder, to prevent the death of the neurons Cognitive rehabilitation is another essential resources such as the Home Help Service, the
affected and to restore and stimulate the element in treatment and prevention. Memory or Volunteer Service, Tele-care, Mutual Aid groups,
functions of those that are in proper working order. cognitive training has been carried out for years Day-care Centres, Care Homes, etc. These
on elderly people who show memory deterioration resources are scarce at present and need to be
One of the first discoveries that was made about associated with age. This cognitive stimulation is improved; this is the direction in which the Care
Alzheimer's in the biochemistry field was the based on the capacity of the cerebral reserve area Plan for Patients with Alzheimer's and other forms
reduction of neurons that use a cerebral (or the part of the brain that is not being used and of Dementia (1999) is orientated in this respect.
neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Current drugs that can be activated) and neuroplasticity. These Even though the proper place for the patient is
attempt to increase the availability of this two factors, together with what has been come to with his family and the community,
substance in the intersynaptic space. Tacrine was be called the “reorganisation of functions” and institutionalisation will sometimes be necessary
the first of these drugs, others have appeared vicarious systems are the basis on which learning in the final stages.
subsequently: Rivastigmine, Donepezil and possibilities for such patients are founded. There
Galantamine. Diverse substances are currently are ways of learning that require little effort. IS THERE HOPE
being investigated in this field. These drugs These are related to implied or unconscious
manage to delay the illness by almost a year, but memoryc. However, the present situation is not This person is been paid increasing attention.
they are only a partial solution to the problem. very satisfactory. Patients with dementia receive, While the reality of this illness is very hard, paths
Drugs are also being studied on subjects who show in general, a form of stimulation that is not very of hope are nevertheless opening up. If we look
slight cognitive deterioration, without the illness well regulated and that has a weak scientific back twenty years, there was practically nothing
having been diagnosed. It is to be hoped that we base. Fortunately, strict, well-structured in the health or the social field, research was
will have much more effective drugs in a few years. programmes that are adapted to the stage of minimal and the training of the different types of
development of the illness have been used in the professionals in this area was very deficient. The
OTHER FORMS OF TREATMENT last few years. panorama has changed. Concern is increasing.
Studies into the genetic, biochemical,
One of the most spectacular advances could be THE CARE-GIVER immunological and imaging aspects are
the introduction of vaccines. It has already been developing strongly. Epidemiological studies to
proven with mice that the substance involved in This person is been paid increasing attention. discover those people at risk of suffering the
the development of neuronal disorders (the B- We have already commented on the change that illness are intense and promising.
amyloid peptide), prevents the formation of takes place in the life of the care-giver especially,
amyloid plates, which are a fundamental element he is a family member. The extensive Programmes Society is becoming increasingly concerned
in the development of the illness, and even on Alzheimer's include information and about this illness. The Patients' Association is
dissolves those that have already formed. This consultation for the care-giver and the family acting with increasing force, publicising the
vaccine is being studied on humans and it is very among their activities. This consultation should needs of patients and their families, organising
likely that it will be available within five years. This include information about the illness and its sessions, providing advice to the associates and
vaccine and other similar ones or those that act at progression, the patient's needs, his “handling”, their families. The authorities are becoming
other levels would be curative and preventative at the modifications that have to be made to the aware of the problem and increasing the
the same time. The process would be the following: home itself, the socio-health resources and how to resources that are used to solve or alleviate the
study the risk factors of a certain person (genetic obtain them, the emotional needs of the care- problem. We find ourselves in a very hopeful
studies, cerebral image, blood and liquid givers themselves and their reactions (distress, situation, even though the harsh reality forces us
cephalorachidian tests especially), and try the desperation, exhaustion, irritability...) and the to be cautious at the moment. The engine for
vaccine on those persons with a high level of risk. legal aspects involved in dependency. Financial change is fundamentally located on awareness of
This treatment would allegedly impede the onset of the problem by society.
Sesenta y más 35
