Department of Medicine
Connecting Tec h n olog y, Educ ation a n d D iscov e r y w i t h H u m a n i s m i n M e d i ci ne
Vol. 2 Issue 1 Jan. 2013
Alzheimer’s Disease: What’s in a Name?
Dementia is a clinical syndrome marked emotional damage by the insidious onset and slow progression in work lost, careers of cognitive impairment. Alzheimer’s disease abandoned and lives is the most common dementia and the fifth put on hold. The leading cause of death in Americans over age cost of medical and 65. It affects more than 5 million Americans institutional care and millions more worldwide. Based on for patients with the aging population, these numbers are Alzheimer’s disease is predicted to double every 20 years. estimated in billions of John Dougherty, M.D., associate dollars per year. professor of Medicine and the director of Identifying the the University of Tennessee Medical Center problem at an early Cole Neuroscience Center, along with his stage is pivotal to clinical and research colleague, Monica realistic management John Dougherty, M.D., and Monica Crane, M.D., are investigating many aspects of Crane, M.D., clinical assistant professor, and meaningful Alzheimer’s disease. are part of a very active multidisciplinary, research. “Up to multi-institutional team investigating many aspects of 60 percent of patients with early indicators of Alzheimer’s disease go Alzheimer’s disease. undiagnosed in the primary care setting” says Dougherty. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s usually begin with short-term To facilitate earlier diagnosis, Dougherty has developed a memory problems that eventually affect job skills and daily life at computerized test that may be self-administered or administered home. Problems with using and understanding language develop. by physicians, caregivers or family members to screen for cognitive Further complicating the illness are confusion about time and place, deficits. He and his research team recently completed a project problems with abstract thinking, personality changes such as apathy correlating driving skills and cognitive function that resulted in a poster and withdrawal from social situations, mood swings and behavioral presentation at the International Alzheimer’s Conference in July 2012 difficulties. entitled “Turning the Keys Over in Alzheimer’s Disease.” Some medical researchers believe Alzheimer’s disease is caused or According to Crane, accurately diagnosing Alzheimer’s also is complicated by amyloid, a proteinaceous material that forms hair-like important but can be difficult. Diffuse Lewy Body, Vascular Dementia, fibrils that deposit in the brain causing devastation and eventual death. Frontotemporal Dementia and Parkinson’s Dementia may be confused The devastation is not confined to the person with the disease. Since with Alzheimer’s disease. the disease gradually renders patients unable to care for themselves, Depression, vitamin deficiencies, hypothyroidism and chronic the burden of caregiving usually falls on the spouses or other family subdural hematoma can cause symptoms easily mistaken for dementia. members. These unpaid caregivers suffer unmeasured financial and “It is important to diagnose these accurately since they are treatable,” continued on page 2
Points of View
Rajiv Dhand, M.D., Chair
Academic medical centers are at the core of scientific innovation and discovery. Mankind has immensely benefited from scientific discoveries that have improved health care. Vaccines have eradicated dreaded diseases, such as small pox; others such as polio are at the brink of eradication; and antibiotics effectively treat highly fatal infections. We also have an unparalleled ability to diagnose diseases at an early stage with biochemical tests, ultrasound, x-rays, magnetic resonance and radiopharmaceutical imaging.
Exciting findings of the ENCODE project provide a vast wealth of knowledge about gene regulation that could unlock vexing mysteries of common diseases that have remained resistant to all scientific inquiry. Society expects academic medical centers not only to train excellent physicians but also provide new knowledge and discoveries to enhance human health. We embrace this responsibility, because through our efforts trainees will receive instruction in the latest technology and the most up-to-date, advanced scientific knowledge. If the past is our guide, we can imagine the day when dedicated efforts of medical researchers will lead to lasting cures for cancer and other diseases that currently take an enormous toll on human life. The health and well-being of future generations depends on our ability to build on the achievements of our predecessors in academic medicine. 1