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Show Want to fend off Alzheimer's? Read, do puzzles and lay off TV I Adults with hobbies that exercise their brains sucharreadingjifpaw puzzles or chess are 2 12 times less likely to have Alzheimers disease, while leisure limited to TV watching may increase the risk, a study says. A survey of people in their 70s showed that those who regularly tidpated in hobbies that lectually challenging during their younger adult- years tended to be protected from Alzheimer's disease. The finding supports other studies showing that brain power unused is brain power lost. The study is also more bad news for the couch potato, said Dr. Robert P. Friedland, first author of the research appearingTuesday in the Proceedings ofthe National Academy of ticipants were in their 70s when the survey was conducted. The information about the Alzheimers patients was gathered from family and friends, while the others were interviewed directly. The researchers gathered informs tionon how the subjects spent their leisure time during their early adulthood, age 20 to 39, and during their middle adulthood, age 40 to 60. . The survey centered on three types of activities: Passive, such as watching television, talking on the phone orliaten-- , ing to music. Intellectual, such as readingjigzaw or crossword puzzles, playing musical instruments, chess or other board games, knitting or woodwork. SrfWIHH, Physical, such as baseball, football or other sports, bike riding, swim"Television watching is not protective and may even be a risk factor ming, walking or skating. "The Alzheimers patients were for Alzheimers disease, said Friedland, an associate professor of less active in all these activities except for television watching; said neurology at Cfcse Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Friedland. Intellectual activities seemed member of the medical staff at Uniparticularly protective, he said, versity Hospitals of Cleveland. those whose leisure centered Dr. Zaven Khachaturian, senior medical adviser to the Alzheimers on hobbies were about 2 12 times less likely to deAssociation, said the study is important because it supports other re velop Alzheimer's. Friedland said that the effect search showing that the onset of comes from activities between the Alzheimeri is delayed by education and by intellectually demandingpro-feasion- s. ages of 20 to 60. He said the results were adjusted for the known beneficial effects on Alzheimers of educaIn the study, Friedland and his cotion and intellectually demanding authors analysed the leisure activities in young and middle adulthood professions. No matter the profesof 193 Alzheimers patients and of sion or the amount of education, he 358 controls, people who did not have said, there still was a beneficial symptoms of the disease. All the par - . DOUBLE WHAMMY The driver ofthis pickup truck wasn't at fault in the accident neat Top Stop on Highway 40 Saturday night, April 2 1 , but he was . charged with DUI after failingafie Id sobriety test Officers became suspicious when they noticed the man had failed to apply his brakes when a car turned in front ofhim. Tribes Claim Norton Is Ignoring Trust Fund Ruling American Indians have asked a federal Judge to hold Interior Secretary Gale Norton in contempt of court, rhnr"gbatshab fcllwHfaisnfiifff that government employees who know about problems with Indian trust fluids can speak freely without fear of reprisal The motion was filed Monday in Ui3. District Giurt before Judge Rqyce Lamberth. Two years ago, Lamberth held Nortons predecessor, Bruce Secretary Bkbbitt, and Robert Rubin, in contempt for "flagrant disregard of his orders to provide documents related to the trust fluids, part of a 1996 lawsuit filed on the Indians' behalf. Norton has inherited a trust program left in disarray by her predecessors, but she is still obligated to take steps to correct the problem, said lawyers for the plaintiffs led by then-Treasu- ry . -- ' satisfied, saying the government has failed to provide a sworn statement" to the court that all employees in the field offices received the order. In a related development. Justice Department lawyers Monday sent Balaran a letter that acknowledged for the first time that Indian trust records kept by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, some more than 100 years old, are in "imminent danger. Many of these documents are deteriorating due to age and use and should not be at the local agency office in the first place, wrote Jus- - tice Department lawyer Sarah Himmell Reprinted with permission from the Salt Lake Tribune. ; . not-ingth- ot mind-challengi- UINTAH BASIN STANDARD. April 24. Intellectual stimulation in early AARP and middle adulthood docs not abso- - jSBSSASSSSSftl the activities could delay the disease for years. "The brain is an organ just like every other organ in the body. It ages in regard to how it is used. Just as strengthens the Ehysical activity and bones, intellec tual activity strengthens the brain against disease. Its believed, he said, that healthier brain cells are better able to control or alow Alzheimer, Khachaturian said the effect seems to be that activities build upa reserve" of neuron connections. Because of this reserve, said Khachaturian, it takes longer for the Alzheimers process to destroy enough neurons for there to be identifiable symptoms. Intellectual stimulation may delay the onset, said Khachaturian. "There is no evidence, however, that it will actually alter the disease course. But delaying the disease onset, he said, could give many more years of rational life for people who eventually develop the disease. Alzheimers disease is a fetal brain destroyingdiaorder that is generally diagnosed after the age of 60. The disease progressively destroys memory and eventually, the ability to care for oneself. There are sbou 1 4 million Americans diagnosed now, but that number is expected to jump to 14 million by 2060 as U.S. society ages. The disease is thought to affect about roe in 10 people age 65 or older, andabouthalfofeveryone over the age of 65. The formation in the brain of pro-d plaques that destroy rons orbrain cells has been identified as the prime disease process, but no cure has been found. brain-challengi- -- tem-base- 2001- - ... Page 21 zeroes in on costly home loans TheAARPannouncodacampaign Tuesday against high --cost, abusive mortgage lending that preys on elderly homeowners and other groups. The campaign by the senior citizens group, including consumer education, legislative lobbying and legal action against lenders, comes as a movement grows around the country to stem predatory lended ing. Tho practice occurs when some lenders pressure homeowners into, loans they may not be able to ropey. Older homeowners are often ensnared in predatory loans because they're persuaded to borrow loans for home raoneyin home-equit- y repairs, health costs or debt consolidation, according to tire AARP. ."There is simple evidence ...that people are sold loans as a miracle financial cure, said Dawn Sweeney, the groups associate executive director. "Many homeowners are then stunned to find out that they cannot afford to payofflhoseloansand they may lose their homes. high-intere- st ItwillstartwitheventsinCalifor- - nia. Now York and Ohio this week and next, and will move to other states during the year as their legislatures consider predator lending is-sues. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan brought the issue to promi- nence about a year ago when he criticized predatory lending speech, calling it "abusive and saying it can damage poorer neighborhoods by targeting minority and elderly borrowers. Predatory loans are often packed with excessive fees, costly credit insurance and balloon payments. Reprinted with permission from the Salt Lake Tribune ' e, Elouise Cobell, a member of Montana's Blackfoot tribe. The trust accounts, which cover at least 300,000 Indians, were set up to compensate Indians feruaeaftheir land. Lawyers for the Indians contend the government owes up to $10 billion for de- cades of lapses. Norton stated that she was going to take care of this, 'said Dennis Gingold, an attorney for the Indians. "But she says one thing and does the other." The plain tiffe' attorneys are also asking the Judge to hold in contempt Nortonscounaelwho are career lawyers with the Justice Department. They're asking Lamberth to rule that Norton disobeyedaFeb. 8 order from d the special master, AlanBalaran, to issueamemo telling all employees they may communicate directly with Balaran in complete confidence, without fear of reprisal. The lawyers contend there is "strong evidence Norton and her lawyers have fosteredanatmoBphere of intimidation in the various Department of Interior field offices. They allege the memorandum demanded by Balaran hasnt been circulated throughout the Interior Department and that employees wont speak out fin fear of being fired or transferred. But Interior Department officials on Tuesday produced copies of memoranda they say prove they complied with Balaran's order. We have made every effort to try to distribute this directive, "Interior court-appointe- spokeswoman Department Stephanie Hanna said. But the Indians lawyers arent What to do if you lose your purse or wallet Weve all heard horror stories about fraud thats committed using your name, address, Social Security number, credit, etc. Unfortunately, I ha ve firsthand knowledge, because my wallet wss stolen last month end within a week the thievets) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone pack-W applied for a VISA credit card. had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more. But heres some critical information to limit the dsmags in case this happens to you or someone you know. As everyone always advises, cancel your credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll free numbers and your cardnumbers handy so you know who to call Kero those where you can find them easily (hav ing to limit for them is additional stress yuu wont need at that point!). File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, tide proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (ifthere ever is one). Heres what is perhaps most important, and I never ever thought to do this. Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I had never heard of doing that until ad vised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company thatchecks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you kyphone to authorize new credit By the time I was advised to do this almost two weeks after the theft all the damage bad been done (there are records of all the credit checks initiated by the tliievespur-chaae- s, none of which I knew about before placing the alert). Since then, ha been done, nnijditionsl and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). . b, COPY 1 t.,--. |