Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah Friday September 27 2002 — All Research Continued from A1 Liz Klein project manager at the Center for Epidemiologic Studies for USU said funding from the National Institute of Health is being used to conduct three current studies using-thisame control group of seniors “One of die things that’s really been notable in this study is in the previous waves of data collection dim's been excep s tion" Klein said“We credit (3ini£0jD33 IMD raflUos ubQ£fe QxiIflSa0 CfiBB (StFB OS QjB Qj i i jtsCfEBlfi) that to die community contributing their time and energy to participate in our study” The fiik recruitment round in the mid-199drew 90 percent of county residents over age 65 The minimum age of the participants is now 72 Klein said “I’m just so impressed that we had over 3000 respond from Cache County who stuck with this study and have done this service forthe whole world” said Bobbie Coray president of the Cache Chamber of Commerce UI think our aging studies will put USU on the map in medical research” In 1995 to 1996 Cache County volunteers ages 65 or older were assessed for dementia and researchers ' assessed their histories of medication use Three years lain interval medication his-tones were obtained and 104 participants with Alzheimer’s were identified among the 3277 participants who were still alive “They noticed some very distinct patterns and the pat- ' tern that came out was that if you take an aspirin or an NSAID (once a day) for ' longer than two years the rates (for contracting Alzheimer’s) Were 12 percent” said Gordon Walker executive director of Utah’s Alzheimer’s Association Of those in the study who 0s BtrtowU $10000 Spree either itort y For up to did not take the ' medication daily for two years or more 83 percent got Alzheimer’s Walker explained The new findings go on to show this NSAID-protectieffect appears to be there even in very low doses pain drugs appear to help only when taken several years before the onset of mild dementia or fullblown Alzheimer’s A low-douse of aspirin over a long period of time has been shown to protect against heart disease ve or se ( in some patients The study replicates and extends earlier findings from previous studies in the community but is still not enough to recommend the use of NSAIDssuch aslbuprofen as a precaution against Alzheimer’s disease The prolonged use of any medication can have serious side effects and should be discussed with a physician he said The research has paved the way for clinical controlled trials to confirmthe study’s findings Walker said The new Alzheimer’s Disease Antiinflammatory Prevention Trial (ADAPT) recently began to test the NSAID theory Alzheimer's disease is a progressive degenerative dis- ease of the brain A variety of environmental and genetic factors may trigger its onset lt results in impaired memory thinking and behavior An estimated four millionAmericans are now afflicted with Alzheimer’s It is the fourth leading cause of death among adults and foe chances of getting Alzheimer’s increase with age Walker said One in 10 ' people over age 65 have it five in 10 over age 85 have it he said The degenerative brain disorder costs American businesses $33 billion annually most of which is from the lost work of employees who are caregivers Walker said Over 28000 people in the state of Utah have the disease and the rate is expected to increase Walker saidFour-tee- n million Americans will have Alzheimer’s disease by 2050 unless a cure or preven- -' tion is found he said Research is the first step to eradicating Alzheimer’s disease and the Alzheimer’s Association is urging Congress to increase federal funding of Alzheimer research from its current level of $600 million a year to $1 billion by 2004 Walker said 4 (stoles (jViow-- e Cf or our entire ! see store m Ooiiflii -- for details Floor Covmugs avud Prior purchases excluded ckir&dito iMtembOtni® OanaMirnim IJB© (MwDgDD (iHUIUlk j Qjg S MQm 1221 mlrUEiD |