| The Monday Edition | September 3, 2007 |
How Smell Can Determine Risk of Dementia - Issue 19
- Problems identifying common smells could signal dementia problems…
- Here’s how you can avoid needless prostate surgery!
- Can cigarettes cause premature menopause?
- Here’s how to recognize the signs of a stroke…
Dear Health-Conscious Friend,
The smell of chocolate cookies baking… a delightful whiff of roses carried on a breeze… the tantalizing smell of cinnamon buns…
…these are just a few pleasant odors you’ve probably enjoyed in your life. But did you know they can also help determine your risk of developing dementia?
In today’s Monday Edition of Health Resources Weekly, I’ll tell you how being able to identify these odors can be tied to memory loss. You’ll also find out about a new prostate test that could save you from painful surgery…
…you’ll also find out about the surprising connection between cigarette smoking and early menopause!
Read on for these and other tips to keep you feeling your healthy best!
Founder & President
Health Resources
Do Forgotten Scents Mean
You’re Losing Sense?
Older people who have trouble identifying common odors may run a greater risk of developing problems with thinking, learning and memory, according to recent study results. These incidents of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are being identified as precursors to Alzheimer’s disease.
In 1997, Robert S. Wilson, Ph.D., of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and his colleagues studied 589 older adults (average age 79.9) who did not have cognitive impairment.
Participants took a smell identification test, where 12 familiar odors were placed under their nose. This included the smells of banana, chocolate, cinnamon, gasoline, lemon, onion, paint thinner, pineapple, rose, soap, smoke, and turpentine.
They were asked to match each odor to one of four possible choices. Study participants received a score from one to 12 based on the number of correct responses.
At the beginning of the study and again every year for up to five years, the participants underwent an evaluation that included a medical history, neurological exam and cognitive tests.
During the study, 177 people—about 30%—developed MCI. Researchers found the risk of developing this impairment increased as participant’s ability to identify scents decreased. They concluded that those who scored below average (8) on the smell identification test were about 50% more likely to develop the condition than those who scored above average (11).
Scientists say it is important to note that developing MCI does not always progress to dementia—or even persist, as many people revert back to normal cognitive performance.
So when you stop to smell the roses—you just might be helping to preserve precious memories!
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Breakthrough Prostate Test May Prevent
Needless Surgery!
Scientists have identified a gene variation in prostate tumors that may help doctors determine if a patient has a potentially fatal form of prostate disease. This latest breakthrough could save thousands of men from suffering from the surgeon’s knife each year!
Unlike other forms of cancer, only certain prostate tumors require treatment. Many are slow-growing and pose little health risk. According to a report in Reuters Health, cancer specialists previously had a hard time separating the “tigers” from the “pussycats”—as oncologists dub them.
New research conducted at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine could change the way doctors diagnose and treat prostate problems. According to study results published in the medical journal Oncogene, this new genetic variation may help doctors determine whether or not abnormal prostate cell growth will be aggressive.
Colin Cooper, professor of molecular biology at Britain’s Institute of Cancer Research, told Reuters “many people get treated radically but probably two-thirds of them never needed treating.” Cooper, who worked on the gene research with Jack Cuzick of the Wolfson Institute, explained their observations of the gene alteration called 2+Edel.
Cooper said prostate cancers normally contain a fusion of two genes. But the new study found in 6.6% of cases—this fusion DOUBLED to create the deadly 2+Edel alteration.
Patients with 2+Edel have only a 25% survival rate after eight years, compared to 90% for those with no alterations in this region of DNA.
Researchers are still unclear about how the duplication makes tumors more aggressive. What is clear is the 2+Edel gene variation provides a clear indication of prostate cancer risk. Cooper is hopeful that doctors will soon use this information along with current diagnostic techniques to decide whether men need treatment.
A system called the Gleason score is used to grade which cancers require treatment. These scores are open to a wide variety of interpretation. Doctors also use prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests to screen for early signs of prostate problems. Experts note, however, that this test is not always a reliable indicator of cancer risk.
This latest finding could be a godsend that will spare countless men from the pain and agony of needless surgery!
Fast Fact
If you want to lower your cancer risk—make sure your diet includes plenty of freshwater white fish…salmon…water-packed tuna, and other broiled or baked fish. They’re loaded with cell-protecting antioxidants—and taste great too!
A Puff a Day May Bring
MENOPAUSE Your Way!
Lighting up that next cigarette could also set your female hormones ablaze! New research indicates women who smoke increase their chances of starting menopause before age 45—and boost their risks for osteoporosis and heart disease.
According to a report in the online journal BMC Public Health, researchers at the University of Oslo in Norway studied a group of 2,123 women. About 25% were current smokers, nearly 29% were ex-smokers and 35% of participants said they were exposed to second-hand smoke.
Researchers found that female smokers aged 59 to 60 were 59% more likely than non-smokers to have undergone early menopause. And the risk of early menopause almost doubled for the heaviest smokers! Dr. Thea F. Mikkelsen and her research team also found that women who quit smoking at least 10 years before menopause were 87 percent less likely than current smokers to have stopped menstruating before age 45.
The Norwegian researchers concluded the earlier a woman stops smoking—the more protection she’ll have from an early onset of menopause.
Editor’s Choice
Harvard Researchers Agree…
“Most people do not consume an optimal amount of
all the vitamins by diet alone… Sub-optimal intake of some vitamins is a risk factor for chronic diseases… especially in the elderly.”
—Journal of the American Medical Association
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- Fight off colds and flu—and other nasty bugs.
- Arm and energize your immune system to stay on full alert
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Health E-Hints
Do You Recognize the Signs of a Brain Attack?
About 700,000 people in the United States suffer from a stroke each year and more than 158,000 of them will die, according to the American Cancer Society. A stroke is a sudden disruption in blood flow to the brain—most often caused by a blocked or bleeding blood vessel.
There are 2 types of strokes that can attack unexpectedly:
- Ischemic stroke—the most common type which strikes about 8 out of 10 stroke victims; this type of stroke develops when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain.
- Hemorrhagic stroke—develops when an artery in the brain leaks or bursts and causes bleeding inside or near the surface of the brain; these strokes are less common but more deadly than ischemic strokes.
You should be aware of general warning signs of a stroke, including sudden onset of:
- Numbness, weakness or paralysis of the face, arm, leg or on one side of the body…
- Vision problems—such as dimness… blurring… double vision… or loss of vision in one or both eyes…
- Confusion and/or trouble speaking or understanding…
- Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination…
- Severe headache…
If you experience any of these symptoms—seek immediate medical attention! If your doctor can diagnose a stroke within the first 3 hours, you may benefit from effective treatments to help limit potential damage and help you recover.
Posted in Blood Clots, Immunity, Memory Problems, Menopausal Symptoms, Monday Edition Archive, Prostate Health.
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