[tri-med] Re: new drug study

I didn't mean only for Trisomy kids, but for the "elderly" too.

Although as regard Frank, the geriantologist says he doesn't think 
he's got Alzheimers, as he's been having problems for 3 years and it 
hasn't accelerated a lot, he thinks perhaps it is probably vascular 
dementia in early stage. Apart from the CT scan which showed an old 
infarct and ischeamic changes, he has not had any further medical 
tests. Frank does quite well on oral testing for the most part. Doc 
says it's because of his "high intelligence", that he does better 
than some would with vascular problems.

So Frank feels very happy that he hasn't got Altzeimers and I just 
have to learn to have more patience. But when I asked his doc if 
there was any medication, his response was "no, if there was I'd take 
it myself".

However on our last holiday to our daughter in Queensland, Frank 
exhibited a couple of very worrying "confusion" behaviors. eg 
couldn't find the toilet, and couldn't remember where our clothes 
were hanging and went looking in our grand daughter's wardrobe 
upstairs. When I found him and asked "what are you looking for?" he 
said I'm looking for what shirt I'm wearing today". I said well you 
won't find it in there, he said where are they then. We always hang 
our clothes in a makeshift closet under the stairs when we stay with 
Susie, and he had actually helped me unpack and hang things there, a 
couple of nights before.  Later when discussing this incident, he has 
no memory of any of it.

He is taking all the usual alternative medicine things, such as 
ginko, flaxseed oil caps, and other memory boosting things like 
Brahmi super learning complex, plus he is very fit and walks every 
morning and plays tennis once a week. We eat very healthy, with 
hardly any "junk".

So if someone can come up with something to reverse all this, I would 
be very grateful....so would Frank.


At 09:06 AM 22/08/2007, you wrote:
>Gives us that wonderful word......HOPE. Thanks for sharing Jude.
>
>At 02:10 AM 22/08/2007, you wrote:
> >DENVER - Medical researchers in Colorado say it is promising. They have
> >uncovered clues that could help reverse the learning deficits associated
> >with Down syndrome.
> >
> >
> >The work has been done at the University of Colorado at Denver Health
> >Sciences Center. The results have the potential to help the 350,000 people
> >in the United States who have Down syndrome.
> >
> >One in every 733 children is born with it and the numbers are growing
> >everyday.
> >
> >Sophia Whitten, 4, is a joyful, energetic and beautiful little girl. Sophia
> >also has Down syndrome.
> >
> >Her mom, Michelle Sie Whitten, said most people underestimate people with
> >Down syndrome.
> >
> >"People have no idea what our kids are capable of. There are people with
> >Down syndrome driving and getting married. Twenty years ago they were
> >institutionalized and had a life span of 28 years old," said Whitten.
> >
> >Whitten says much more progress is needed. She says medical research is
> >critical to address other obstacles.
> >
> >"In terms of learning it does take longer and there are more challenges in
> >terms of math in particular," she said.
> >
> >That is where the new findings could really be significant. The research
> >tested the effectiveness of memantine. It is an FDA-approved drug already
> >being used to treat patients with Alzheimer's disease.
> >
> >Forty mice with an animal model of Down syndrome were given the drug for two
> >years. They were found to have better memory retention and showed increased
> >learning.
> >
> >The lead author of the study was Alberto Costa, MD, PhD, and associate
> >professor of medicine and neuroscience at the CU-Denver School of Medicine.
> >
> >"It is exciting. It is a glimmer of hope that it is something that will be
> >able to help children with Down syndrome," he said.
> >
> >It is something that is very close to Costa's heart. His 12-year-old
> >daughter has Down syndrome.
> >
> >"The hope here basically now is that we can translate what we found to be
> >true in the lab into human research now. While it is hard to predict, I
> >think it is very realistic to think (it would translate to humans) because
> >those mice have the same sort of biological underlying problems as people
> >with Down syndrome," said Costa.
> >
> >There are 93 conditions that the federal government provides research money
> >for. Of those, Down syndrome ranks 93rd.
> >
> >Colorado researchers say financial support from local foundations keeps them
> >going.
> >
> >Whitten runs one of those important local non-profit groups. It is the Anna
> >and John J. Sie Foundation. Last year, it gave $1 million for Down syndrome
> >research; including Costa's research.
> >
> >"I think Alberto's work is a first big step towards some significant
> >breakthrough," said Costa.
> >
> >Costa says the next step is testing to see if the drug has the same effect
> >on humans as it did on the mice. He hopes to start a clinical trail in
> >Denver. There is no specific timeline set for that trial to start but he
> >hopes to get approval sometime in the next two months.
> >
> >*****
> >just another kind of trisomy...
> >jude, mom to derek-21, kelsey-19
> >and kameron-10-full t18 (hanging out so i will never be an empty nester)
> >golden, colorado usa
> >http://www.judewolpert.com
> >http://home.comcast.net/~jfwolpert2
> >http://flickr.com/photos/judewolpert/
> >
> >                   Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
> >                        www.trisomyonline.org
> >                   Families Helping Families On-line
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >No virus found in this incoming message.
> >Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> >Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.0/959 - Release Date:
> >17/08/2007 5:43 PM
>
>Jocelyn, Wife to Frank, Mother to Ian, Gillian & Susan. Maker of
>quilts, singer of songs,
>Nanna to Carly 20, Mathew 18, Ashleigh 17, Alex 15, and Tess 10 years
>old with T18.
>also step Nanna to Carrie age 19. & Great Grandmother to Eli, Jonas & Escha.
>Living in NSW, Australia
>
>                   Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
>                        www.trisomyonline.org
>                   Families Helping Families On-line
>
>
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.12.0/959 - Release Date: 
>17/08/2007 5:43 PM

Jocelyn, Wife to Frank, Mother to Ian, Gillian & Susan. Maker of 
quilts, singer of songs,
Nanna to Carly 20, Mathew 18, Ashleigh 17, Alex 15, and Tess 10 years 
old with T18.
also step Nanna to Carrie age 19. & Great Grandmother to Eli, Jonas & Escha.
Living in NSW, Australia 

                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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