Full Transcript for Could scientists be getting closer to slowing Alzheimer's disease?

WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.840 Hey everyone, it's Sherry. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:09.759 I was sitting here this morning and I came across a couple articles about Alzheimer's research, and I thought, you know what? 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:12.000 They made me stop for a minute and I thought, you know what? 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:28.320 I want to share this because as most of you know, my mom had Alzheimer's for uh 10 years, and watching someone that you love kind of just slowly change is something that you really kind of never get over. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:33.039 So whenever I hear about new research, I always pay attention. 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:38.640 Not because I'm expecting a miracle, but because it still gives me a little bit of hope. 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:49.439 Now, one of the articles uh talked about a new discovery that researchers can help think can help explain how Alzheimer spreads through the brain. 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:54.560 Now, don't worry, I'm not gonna get all scientific on you, and I couldn't even if I wanted to. 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:56.479 So here's the simple version. 00:00:56.560 --> 00:00:57.439 I'll read it to you. 00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:04.000 Our brains have a protein called ARC that's supposed to help brain cells communicate with each other. 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:16.959 Researchers now think that this harmful tau protein, the one that's linked to Alzheimer's, may actually be using that normal protein almost like a ride from one brain cell to another. 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:18.879 Pretty interesting, right? 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:30.480 So if scientists can figure out how to stop these from jumping around at your brain cells, it can slow down Alzheimer's before it even spreads. 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:32.079 That is great. 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:36.000 Now, let me be clear, this is not a cure. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:38.959 It doesn't mean a new medicine is coming out next year. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:42.000 They're still working with mice on this. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:45.519 Um, so it's going to be a while before they even test it on humans. 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:51.840 That's okay because every breakthrough starts with one small discovery. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:55.519 So maybe the future of Alzheimer's won't be one miracle cure. 00:01:55.760 --> 00:02:02.159 Maybe a lot of discoveries like that one together will change the future for millions. 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:07.920 Then I came across this other article that is a little bit different. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:19.360 It says that researchers believe that nearly half of all dementia cases might be preventable or at least delayed through healthy lifestyle choices. 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:27.439 Now that doesn't mean if you exercise, you're never going to get Alzheimer's, and it definitely doesn't mean that if someone develops Alzheimer's, it's because they did something wrong. 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:31.439 Because you simply can't stop, you know, aging and genetics. 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:33.199 It's just gonna happen. 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:42.400 But if we stay active, like keeping our blood pressure uh under control, protect our hearing and and eyes, which is I feel really big. 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:51.680 So so staying socially connected instead of becoming isolated because um we need to continue to learn new things and keep our minds active. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:54.719 That's key, keep those mind your mind active. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:03:04.960 And to me, that's kind of encouraging because instead of feeling helpless, feeling helpless, you can, you know, do something for yourself if you have that fear like I do. 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:07.680 I have a fear that I might get dementia since my mom had it. 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:14.479 And I know my my grandma on my dad's side also developed in later stages of life. 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:16.800 So I I do have that concern. 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:31.759 So I do keep my blood pressure controlled, I do check my hearing and my and my uh vision, but I do need to work on, you know, healthy eating habits, which I think is a big it it it helps. 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:33.520 I watch what you eat. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:36.639 That's what I'm trying to do at this point in life. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:46.080 Um so this tells me something important about all this research that everybody is still actively working. 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:57.919 There you got researchers looking at the the towel protein thing, and then you have other research researchers looking at health, and everybody's working together to find a solution. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:03:58.639 Easy. 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:06.240 I'm still every week I watch Grey's Anatomy hoping that Meredith finds a cure. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:24.639 Anyway, I'm hoping that someday for someone who like me, my my mom lived with Alzheimer's for 10 years, that there's going to be a cure for families out there who hopefully they'll have, you know, a daughter can have one more memorable conversation with her mother. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:30.639 Um, a husband could have one more day with his wife. 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:38.480 Um families could have one more Christmas, one more I love you, uh, one more birthday. 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:45.839 Um, and grandchildren can have one more memory that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:48.399 That's kind of like what I'm hoping for. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:51.519 And those stories matter to me. 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:54.560 They're not promises, they're possibilities. 00:04:55.120 --> 00:05:02.160 And after everything families go through with Alzheimer's, I think we could all use a little help. 00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:08.319 So if Alzheimer's has touched your families in some way, what do you think about all this? 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:19.680 Do you think that there's hope in, you know, a new medical breakthrough, or do you think it's gonna be healthy lifestyle choices, or is it gonna be both? 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:21.680 I I think it's gonna be a little bit both. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:26.399 I'm gonna put a link to those articles in the description so you can check it out for yourself. 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:29.680 So, anyway, thanks for spending a few minutes with me on this. 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:30.720 It's important to me. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:32.240 I hope it's important to you. 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:38.639 I want you to have a great rest of your week, great weekend, and always remember to embrace your voice. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:40.079 See you next time. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:43.519 Hey, thanks for hanging out with us for a bit. 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:47.600 If this felt like your kind of conversation, go ahead and subscribe and follow. 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:49.279 We'd love to have you back.