#celebratescience

“It’s easy to miss the true impact that these illnesses have on individuals, families, and society at large,” Kafui Dzirasa of Duke University School of Medicine admitted during his session at theNational Institutes of Health (NIH.) “If we know that all of those experiences are locked within this organ called the brain, and that disease happens when there are changes with this organ, the question comes, how come we haven’t figured out how to cure these disorders yet?”  Dzirasa explained that the challenge early neurologists faced with the dissection of the brain was that it gave them an understanding of the anatomy of the organ, but “like taking apart a laptop, one cannot truly understand its function unless studied while it is on and processing.” This is where the beauty of brain imaging comes in. The Power of Imaging Director of the NIH and Celebration of Science co-host Dr. Francis Collins sat down with Daniel Reich in the NIH MRI center to view images of a brain and the vast detailing available with today’s three-dimensional scans.  “How would this look different on somebody with Alzheimer’s disease?” he asked. The audience watched on the screen as ~30% of the brain image deflated, almost like a sponge losing water. Understanding the functionality and physicality of a healthy versus unhealthy brain through imaging has taught us that there’s an opportunity to detect Alzheimer’s disease early and try to do something about it. The Human Toll

Judy Bachrach ofVanity Fair shared her mother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and the complications it has created for her family. She painted a picture – through words and photographs – of a vibrant, loving woman full of energy and life. She then shared another picture of the same impeccably dressed lady smiling at the camera. “This” she said, “is not my mother. There is a vacancy there that was never there before.”

Judy went on to talk about how she has had to become her mother’s mother.  From dealing with embezzlement schemes to constantly battling with banks and insurance companies for control of her mother’s accounts, the emotional toll and demands on her time have compounded.

Each year, Judy’s mother must take an Alzheimer’s test for insurance purposes.  As part of this test, she is asked to write a sentence – just one sentence – on any topic she likes.  Judy shared that the last time her mother was able to perform this task, over a year ago, the sentence read: “I am so sorry that my daughter has to take care of me.” Towards a Cure One of the final sessions at Celebration of Science was “Alzheimer’s and Other Issues of Aging” led by Pfizer’s Freda Lewis-Hall.  It focused on the steps needed to find meaningful treatments and cures for diseases that plague millions of seniors.