Behavioral and psychotic symptoms related to dementia seem to improve when people with moderate-to-late stage Alzheimer's disease regularly drink apple juice.That's what researchers from the University of Massachusetts found in a study published in the June 2010 issue of American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias.
For their study, the researchers assigned 21 individuals with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease to drink a 4-oz glass of apple juice twice a day for one month.
Though caregivers reported reduction in anxiety, agitation and delusion, the individuals with dementia showed no changes in the Dementia Rating Scale.
Previous studies have suggested that apple juice may provide health benefits including reduction of central nervous system oxidative damage, suppression of Alzhiemer's symptoms, improved cognitive performance and more organized synaptic signaling. Thomas Shea says other researchers have shown similar effects with blueberries. "We have also shown similar effects with purified vitamins and nutriceuticals." Shea is professor of biological sciences and Director of the Center for Cellular Neurobiology & Neurodegeneration Research at Massachusetts.
Would apple juice be helpful in people with other dementias?
"We saw in mice that apple juice boosted neurotransmitter production, so it might help us all with mood, and the major effect would be seen on those individuals, disease or not, that had behavioral issues," he says. "However, it is certainly worth a try."
Shea says he would like to compare apple juice with apple cider in another study because "cider has the potential benefit of being fresher, and less processed."
I ran into your comments here:
ReplyDeletehttp://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/09/poets-of-dementia/
and decided to take a visit to your blog.
Your passion and dedication to your father are magnificent.
I am the development officer at a non-profit entitled 'Desert Ministries.' We recruit, train, and place volunteers in LTC facilities to give companionship to lonely, frail, institutionalized elderly.
We also exist to change the values in America to become more elder-friendly.
If you haven't I would have you take a look at a site that I have found to be of comfort to me when confronting dementias. It is:
www.memorybridge.org
You may already be well aware of it.
This is probably not needed, but thank you for being a representative for the demented community. We need more individuals like you. Unfortunately, it seems as if it sometimes has to hit home before we get active in something like this.
When I go out to speak sometimes I look throughout the crowd and I think, "Why don't these people understand what I am saying? Why can't they see how important it is to take care of the elderly, to befriend them, to see them as equals, to love on them and give them care?"
And then afterwards maybe just one will get it and come up to me and make that connection. It makes it all worth while. I think you understand that.
It is a tough go.
Well...may you feel peace as you continue to walk alongside with your father. I believe walking alongside someone is the most powerful process in the world, the most restorative, the most redemptive. May you be blessed for doing so.
Andrew S. Dungan, MA
Development Officer, Desert Ministries, Inc.
www.dunganblog.wordpress.com
www.desertministries.org
Mr. Dungan, How kind of you to take the time to write. It means a lot to me that someone values the work I'm doing with my Dad foremost in my heart and mind.
ReplyDeleteI'm checking out desertministries.org and your blog and linking to them. My "resources" page is a work in progress! Thanks again for taking the time to comment.