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News Releases
The Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr. Alzheimer’s Center & Research Institute reminds the public that November is Alzheimer’s awareness month. NOVEMBER IS ALZHEIMER’S AWARENESS MONTH TAMPA, FL (October 21, 2005) — The Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr. Alzheimer’s Center & Research Institute reminds the public that November is Alzheimer’s awareness month. Approximately 4.5 million Americans suffer with Alzheimer’s disease. Ten per cent, or 450,000 Alzheimer’s patients, live in Florida. Advanced age is the single greatest risk factor for the disease. At age 85, one in two people will be diagnosed. The state of Florida ranks second nationally in the number of Alzheimer’s disease patients and claims the nation’s highest percentage of people over age 60. Alzheimer’s patients stratified across race, ethnicity and demographics living in Florida. More than seven out 10 of these patients live at home, and nearly 75 percent of homecare for people with Alzheimer’s disease is provided by family members and friends. Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that results in the slow decline of intellectual functions, including remembering. Alzheimer’s disease is not a part of normal aging, however, just getting older strongly increases the risk of being affected by the "late onset form" of Alzheimer’s disease. This form of neuronal disease is found in half of all seniors over the age of 80. Scientists and physicians talk about two different types of Alzheimer’s disease. The "early onset form" that has been found in people younger than 40 is usually related to changes in certain genes. Therefore, family history might hint towards the risk of becoming affected by the disease. There is increasing evidence that some of the risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, as well as lack of physical and mental activity, may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists believe that there are preventable measures that can be taken to stave off Alzheimer’s disease, including staying mentally, physically and socially active; not smoking; maintaining a healthy diet; taking supplements, including Vitamins A, B, C and E; and getting regular check ups. The Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr. Alzheimer’s Center & Research Institute (BACRI) was established in 2002 by the Florida Legislature and is led by Dr. Huntington Potter, Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director. Scientists throughout Florida are working in collaboration with the Byrd Institute, and research grants have been awarded to community groups working directly with persons living with Alzheimer’s disease. "We are working in conjunction with our collaborators around the state to one day find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease," said Potter. "Researchers working in the field of Alzheimer’s disease have made marked progress over the past 20 years, and we are confident that, in working with our colleagues, the Institute will be play an instrumental role in finding a cure for this disease that effects millions," Potter continued. In April 2005, BACRI, in collaboration with the University of South Florida, received Florida’s first-ever National Institute on Aging funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) grant. The prestigious ADRC grant supports three projects targeted at understanding Alzheimer’s disease’s destructive progression through the human mind, as well as supporting core facilities to assess Alzheimer’s disease in patients. This center of excellence, located at BACRI, creates the first statewide research consortium in Florida dedicated to studying the fatal disease. Statistics indicate that virtually every family in America will be affected by Alzheimer’s disease. By providing factual and reliable scientific information, the Byrd Institute hopes to better equip caregivers and those who suffer from Alzheimer’s to find and choose options, resources and therapies that work for them. Established in 2002, the Johnnie B. Byrd, Sr. Alzheimer’s Center & Research Institute is located on the grounds of the University of South Florida and is dedicated to the cure and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. The Byrd Institute is governed and operated by a Florida not-for-profit corporation that is organized solely for the purposes of the Institute. For more information, visit www.byrdinstitute.org.
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