Alzheimer's webchat

Find out what Dr Hilary had to say during his recent webchat

Dr Hilary: Hi everyone - Lets get the ball rolling.. I'm ready to answer any queries you have about Alzheimer's disease.

Liz: I would like to know if Alzheimer's is hereditary. My late mother suffered from this. And are there any tests which can be done to test if anyone has early signs of it?

Dr Hilary: Hi Liz - It is not strongly hereditary, but about 15% of people affected will have had parents who had it also. Remember that 1 in 5 people over 85 will develop it, so it is very common. There is no single test which will diagnose it early, normally it's a question of recognising the clinical symptoms as soon as possible.

Fiona: My mother in law has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and has been given a drug called Arocet. It doesn't seem to be working. She keeps hiding things and blames everyone of stealing things. She screams and shouts and becomes extremely aggressive. One day we fear she could hurt someone.

Dr Hilary: Fiona - Unfortunately her symptoms are typical of this devastating disease. Her medication does not work for everybody but in some people it seems to delay progression of the illness and give sufferers a little more insight into the world around them.

BAChivers: My dad has had Alzheimer's for the last 8 years and for no apparent reason has not walked since June. Is it part of Alz as he was always walking and very energetic. Not sure if he had a fall in care?!

Dr Hilary: Ask doctors to rule out an undiagnosed injury such as a fracture. Undoubtedly physical slowing down can go hand in hand with mental slowing down but ask your doctor whether there could be another condition such as Parkinsons disease present simultaneously.

Kathleen: Since I had my 2nd child 26 years ago, my memory has just gone haywire. I forget everything from what I was going to do – to how I sign my name. I've told this to my doctor but he just laughs and tells me it's just my age (I'm 50). Do you think my symptoms could be Alzheimer's?

Dr Hilary: Kathleen - unlikely. We all forget things from time to time and offen it's because we're distracted or just terribly busy. Loss of memory on its own if mild should not be a problem as you can get round it by making lists etc. But if there are other symptoms such as difficulty understanding speech or written words or if there is personality change, further tests would be a good idea.

Rosaleen: What do you think of the drug Risperidone for my mum who has dementia and possibly also Alzheimer's?

Dr Hilary: Hi Rosaleen - This drug is more offen used to control psychotic behaviour where there are pronounced mood swings. This can sometimes happen with dementia. It's certainly worth trying, if these symptoms persist and a psycho-geriatrician would be the best person to prescribe it.

Hi Hilary. My mother has Alzheimer's and (I think) is still in the early stages. When she is confused and eg: asks for a baked bean in her tea instead of sugar. Is it best to let it be or to correct her?

Dr Hilary: Correct her gently, repeat the correct word to reinforce her memory. Keeping sufferers in touch as much as possible with reality and forcing them to use the cognition that remains is important.

Mercury helpline: Hi Dr Hilary - I have heard lots of case studies of people with Alzheimer's who are getting better though detox of the metal from their brain. Why do you not believe in this?

Dr Hilary: I have seen no solid scientific evidence to support this theory. How would you account for millions of people world-wide having Alzheimer's where no sophisticated dental treatment exists. It is easy to scare people but until we have real evidence of heavy metal toxicity we should be careful about publicising hypothetical links.

Pete: The symptoms caused from mercury poisoning from amalgam tooth fillings can lead to Alzheimer's. Why is it that the NHS still consent to the use of this? Amalgam fillings are 50% mercury - a substance known to be highly toxic. Why do they put it in our mouths?

Dr Hilary: Hi Pete -Actually it isn't mercury but a stable derivitive of it. Can you give me one scientific reference to your statement stating that amalgam fillings cause Alzheimer's or are you just slavishly trotting out something you have heard from an ill-informed journalist?

Stephen: Do you think that Omega-3 fish oils can stop Alzheimer's?

Dr Hilary: Stephen - Omega-3 fish oils are offen thought about as brain food. But somebody in there 70's is no longer building an regenerating brain tissue. Far from it. Dementia involves the loss of brain tissue but whilst Omega-3 can be very useful for children with behavioural and learning difficulties, it is not yet shown to be of proven therapeutic value in dementia.

Maureen: I'm 52 and have a history of Alzheimer's in my family. What can I do to prevent this? I currently take Gingko Biloba.

Dr Hilary: This herb along with some others has a beneficial affect on the circulation, including the blood supply to the brain. In some types of dementia notibly vascular dementia - where blood vessel disease is the problem, they are certainly worth trying as they are generally free of side affects at the directed dose.

Hi Dr Hilary - I'm hoping you might talk about the higher incidence and earlier onset of dementia in adults with Down's Syndrome. I'm a full time carer to my 38-year-old cousin who lives with me and know this is something I have to be aware of.

Dr Hilary: There are many elements to dementia which researchers are interested in. One is the increased incidence in people with Chromosomal disorders like Down's. They do tend to suffer from dementia an an earlier age and researchers would love to find out what it is about chromosomes which can accelerate brain tissue loss. You do a great job being a carer - undervalued, underpaid and overworked, but I think you're great!

Catherine: The NICE guidelines on prescribing Alzheimer's drugs are due to be reviewed in October - do you think we can hope for a good result? If NICE could be assured that accurate early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression was possible, would that help their decision?

Dr Hilary: Catherine - I'm sure it would. These drugs are not expensive in the great scheme of things and they certainly help a proportion of patients. The trouble is we don't know which ones and if we can make progress in this area we could more accurately select recipients of these drugs to make the prescribing costs more reasonable.

Marilyn: I have suffered a brain haemorrhage plus a burst aneurism followed by a further aneurism followed by a further aneurism being removed, both in my head. Could this result in getting Alzheimer's? I am 52 and recently started to be very forgetful.

Dr Hilary: Marilyn - Blood vessel problems can be associated with dementia but I would imagine that your problems are more likely to relate to the long term affect of the haemorrhages that you have had on the surrounding brain tissue. I don't think you would be any more likely otherwise than anyone else of developing dementia.

Lizzie -  Hi Dr Hiliary - do you agree that a high homocysteine level is always present in patients with Alzheimer's. Would it not be a good and reasonably cost effective way to treat as simply giving large doses of vit b and folic acid lowers the level within 3 months and patients vastly improve.

Dr Hilary: Lizzie, homocysteine is unlikely to be the full story. But it is as important as cholesterol in the cause of blood vessel disease, including those blood vessels in the brain. Taking folic acid reduces it, so with the current level of knowledge it would seem reasonable to eat plenty of healthy foods which are rich in folic acid as a precaution.

Jayne: I'm worried about Alzheimer's. What can I do next or who can I contact for help and support?

Dr Hilary: Hi Jayne, I think everyone worries about this awful disease to some extent, but to find out more, why not contact the Alzheimer's Society helpline on 0845 300 0336. Also you can talk to your doctor about your concerns because sometimes what appears to be something you dread, can turn out to be a treatable and much less serious condition.

Sorry that's all we've got time for, but I hope some of this advice has been useful. Never be afraid to ask questions if you're worried and your GP I'm sure will be glad to help you or anybody you know who may be touched by Alzheimer's in any way. Bye for now.