From the Los Angeles Times, "How Lack of Sleep may be Bad for the Brain," reports that the lack of sleep has been linked to Alzheimer's and bipolar disease, and it's been found to adversely affect learning and mood. Also, abnormal insulin levels (common in shift workers and sleep-deprived people) may increase the risk of certain neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, scientists at the University of Washington have found. Normally, insulin acts on the brain to promote learning and memory, but insulin resistance may cause inflammation in the brain, a key process in the development of Alzheimer's.
Also, a new report by the Alzheimer's Association states that 10 million U.S. baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's. The report predicts by 2010, there will be almost a half million new cases of Alzheimer's disease each year, and that by 2050, almost a million new cases will surface each year. Whereas today someone in America develops Alzheimer's disease every 71 seconds, by mid-century someone will develop Alzheimer's every 33 seconds. Women are nearly twice as likely as men to develop Alzheimer's disease (17 percent vs. 9 percent). The likelihood of developing Alzheimer's doubles every five years after age 65.
Note: both my mother and my maternal grandmother died of Alzheimer's. In addition, both my brother and myself suffer from diabetes. So this is indeed a discouraging word regarding Alzheimer's, especially the links between insulin levels and these diseases. Having watched both of these strong women succumb to Alzheimer's was a visual nightmare I would not wish on anyone!
