On Saturday October 19, at the invitation of the Friends of the Library association Des Mice et des Livres, Doctor Pierre Torres presented a conference entitled “Alzheimer is not inevitable”.
In front of around fifty listeners gathered in the association room, he used visuals to illustrate his remarks. Extremely clear in his explanations, he began by giving some figures which clearly show the progression of this disease. Currently, in France, it affects more than a million people, several thousand of whom are under 60 years old. Forecasts for 2040 multiply this number by four; the increase in longevity of life being the most important cause of this impressive leap.
He then mentioned the personality of the German Alzheimer’s doctor who, at the end of the 19th century, discovered the origin of the disease in Frankfurt by carrying out an autopsy on the brain of one of his patients. A few sketches allowed the audience to understand the problem of disappearance of connections between neurons, the basis of this degeneration.
The doctor admitted the ignorance of the medical profession regarding the causes of the disease and how to treat it. However, it seems that certain recent medications could reduce the loss of cognition; but unfortunately they are accompanied by the development of very disabling side effects which have pushed the French authorities to ban them. Also based on a work by the Alzheimer Research Foundation, Doctor Torres highlighted the role of healthy lifestyle which can prevent or at least delay the progression of the disease. As the role of genetics turns out to be very small, the importance of a balanced diet, the absence of tobacco and alcohol (as in all pathologies) but also the need to have varied activities prove to be essential. . Reading, playing music, learning a language, playing serious games, and appropriate physical exercises are all beneficial means. And then, it is necessary to maintain social links, communicate, exchange… loneliness being an aggravating factor. In nursing homes, people specialized in the fight against this disease work effectively. A debate and a drink concluded the session (wine in moderate doses, like Viagra, is known to have a beneficial influence against Alzheimer’s).
Health
