Blue Cross Blue Shield of Indiana, which is available through Acceptable Answers to Insurance, is backed by one of the biggest insurance networks in the country. With millions in investments, and hundreds of thousands of medical services providers in its networks, you can be sure of quality medical care in a timely manner. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Indiana covers treatment for thousands of people every year who suffer from Alzheimer’s.
Medical News Today reports that McGill University’s Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics has recently gained a new understanding of Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s disease creates a communication problem in the brain between the nerve cells. This results in memory loss, damage to cognitive abilities, and physical breakdown. All if this is due to a molecule referred to as nerve Growth Factor, or NGF. NGF works throughout a person’s life to produce health neurons. This is what keeps the brain functional, even as we age. However, for some reason, NGF is very sensitive to the causes of Alzheimer’s. NGF has not flaw or weaknesses in it that would make it susceptible to Alzheimer’s, but it is certainly quick to degenerate when exposed to components of the disease.
By tracing the development and maturation of NGF, researchers have discovered the way the molecule is formed, and they have discovered that the NGF degrades with time, which makes it vulnerable to Alzheimer’s. They have also learned exactly what happens to the NGF when Alzheimer’s attacks it. This is a new discovery to scientists.
In laboratory tests, rats with normal brains received drugs that kept NGF from forming. This resulted in Alzheimer’s like symptoms, with the rats’ losing their cognitive abilities. The step forward came with they then treated the rats with drugs that promote NGF. The ration of neural connectors in the rats’ brains showed a marked improvement.
Alzheimer’s is almost always a fatal disease with no treatment, although some therapies can ease the symptoms for a while. It is first evidenced by forgetfulness that is strong enough to affect everyday functioning. A person with the beginnings of Alzheimer’s will forget important dates, or forget something they have just been told. He or she may not follow conversations well, asking the same question repeatedly.
With forgetfulness that is age related, the person may forget an appointment, but then remember later (usually after it’s too late to make the appointment.) A person with Alzheimer’s may also find it hard to complete normal, everyday tasks. For instance, he or she may have a hard time getting to a grocery store he’s gone to for years.
A healthy brain will be able to follow directions. It’s easy, for instance, to forget to put the salt in a recipe, especially when there are distractions around. However, a brain being affected by Alzheimer’s will have a hard time following a recipe at all, often going over the same part numerous times without awareness of the repetition.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Indiana will continue monitoring the developments in treatment of Alzheimer’s. This is promising research that must not be ignored. Our friendly insurance agents are here for you and are eager to help you find the best plan for you. Visit our website or call us toll free at (888) 355-7129.
