The Tangled Neuron

The I CAN! I WILL! Library: A Major Milestone

2011-09-10T18:09:13-04:00

Sometimes it feels like not much has happened in the world of Alzheimer’s and dementia since my father died. We still don’t know what causes dementia, and there are still no highly effective treatments. But there has been progress in...

The Musician's Mind Graphic Novel - 4th Strip

2011-09-02T12:12:20-04:00

click on strip to enlarge Here's the 4th strip of The Musician's Mind, the interactive graphic novel I've been working on. Parker's wife Vanessa owns and runs a high-end home design and accessories store called Domesticity. Since their marriage 25...

Lakeview Ranch Model Featured in AHRQ Innovations Exchange

2011-08-22T13:26:31-04:00

My friend Judy Berry's Lakeview Ranch Model of Specialized Dementia Care™ is featured in the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ's) Innovations Exchange. This publication is a clearinghouse for innovations and tools to improve the quality of healthcare....

The Musician's Mind: Need Input on Character Interaction

2011-08-19T11:25:53-04:00

The Musician's Mind is an interactive graphic novel about Alzheimer's. The interactive part means that readers can influence the story and characters via blog comments and by “talking” with fictional characters via Facebook, Twitter, online forums, and perhaps some live...

The Musician's Mind Graphic Novel - 3rd Strip

2011-08-17T10:59:34-04:00

click on strip to enlarge In the third strip of The Musician's Mind graphic novel about Alzheimer's, Parker is back home in Chicago, being interviewed for a nationally broadcast public television program. He sticks to his favorite theme of truth...

More About The Musician's Mind

2011-08-11T17:49:38-04:00

click on strip to enlarge Here's the second strip of The Musician's Mind, the interactive graphic novel I've been working on. The story is about Parker Sanningham, a concert pianist who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's and disappears at the height...

2011-08-06T15:44:18-04:00

Thanks to Penny Peterson for the link to a fascinating and entertaining TED video on creativity and the brain - http://www.ted.com/talks/charles_limb_your_brain_on_improv.html

Biomarkers: Some Thoughts from Richard Taylor

2011-08-05T14:04:26-04:00

Richard Taylor, PhD Note: as a person with dementia and a retired psychologist, Richard is uniquely positioned to think about Alzheimer's and dementia. Here are some of his thoughts about what the headlines on biomarkers mean for people with dementia...

Introducing The Musician's Mind: A Graphic Novel About Alzheimer's

2011-08-02T16:56:30-04:00

click on strip to enlarge I've been working on an interactive graphic novel called The Musician's Mind. The story is about Parker Sanningham, a concert pianist who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's and disappears at the height of his career. That's...

Dementia Beyond Drugs: A Book by Al Power

2011-03-18T16:55:52-04:00

Al Power, MD Along with St. John’s Home, Al Power hosted the informal gathering in Rochester, New York earlier this month. He is an Eden Mentor at St. John’s, a long term care community in Rochester. He’s a geriatrician, author,...

Lakeview Ranch: Reducing "Challenging Behaviors" in Dementia

2011-03-07T18:05:30-05:00

Lakeview Ranch residents Bernie (left) and Sheila-Roo the wallaby with Judy Berry Summary: Lakeview Ranch provides specialized dementia care for people who are at high risk of repeated hospitalizations because of behavioral issues. With careful attention to residents’ emotional and...

2011-02-24T21:11:20-05:00

Interesting study suggesting half of people diagnosed with Alzheimer's may instead have dementia due to other problems in the brain. http://bit.ly/eeE26E

New Ideas in Dementia Care

2011-02-20T10:09:12-05:00

From left: Jim Rohl (St. John's resident), Al Power, Mona Johnson, Sarah Rowan, Richard Taylor (seated), Judy Berry, Julius Keya In a previous post, I wrote about the alphabet soup of organizations working to find new treatments for Alzheimer’s. Much...

Can Lifting Weights Improve Your Attention and Thinking?

2011-02-07T17:06:58-05:00

Summary: Lifting weights as little as once per week may improve your attention and thinking. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Ph.D., PT Several studies have shown that exercise might reduce your risk of memory loss, or even improve your memory and thinking. Most...

Alzheimer's Drugs in Trial, Part 2

2011-02-02T16:15:24-05:00

Summary: There is a new emphasis on cooperative efforts to speed the development and approval of Alzheimer’s drugs. The difficulties in bringing new Alzheimer’s drugs to market, along with doubts about a cure, highlight the continued need for research on...