1. “A Childhood Disorder”
Alzheimer’s Disease
“A Childhood Disorder”

2. Your Brain Weighs 2-4 pounds
Is made of 60% fat (it’s the fattest part of you).
25% of the blood from each heartbeat goes to your brain.

3. Your Brain Humans have a cortex and a subcortex.
The cortex (means “bark of a tree”) controls your language, personality, memory, intentional motor skills, spatial ability, and visual perception.
The subcortex controls more primitive areas, like drives, emotions, fears, instincts, reflexes, subconscious processes, and automatic behaviors.
Some animals, like birds, don’t
have a cortex.

4. What is the most important part of your brain?
The hippocampus

5. The hippocampus The most important part of your body.
In the temporal lobe (sits in the middle).
Gets damaged with physical, emotional, and/or environmental trauma.
Very sensitive relationship with the environment.
Is capable of Neurogenesis- it can regenerate new brain cells.
An adaptive process that responds well to a positive environment.

6. Alzheimer’s Disease- a neurological disease
4 million Americans have it.
Problems associated with it are the 4th leading cause of death in U.S. adults.
Symptoms:
Memory loss, disorientation, forgetfulness, irritability, social withdrawal.
Causes:
Genetics
Lack of mental stimulation
Life’s events (traumas)

7. Alzheimer’s Patient
Martha Palero

8. What happens in the brain?
Neuron connections snap:
In an Alzheimer’s patient,
the myelin sheaths that protect
the axons dissolve, causing the
axons to snap. When neurons are
disconnected, memory loss and
dementia occur. The hippocampus
is the first to be affected by this.
Vitamin B12 is known to prevent
the deterioration of myelin
Sheaths.

9. Why is Alzheimer’s a “childhood disorder”?
Because it can be prevented starting in childhood, even in the womb.
It is your responsibility to build “brain reserves”: make more cellular connections!
5 Factors for Brain Health:
Socialization
Physical Activity
Mental stimulation
Nutrition
Spirituality

10. Assignment: Your Brain Health Pie
In your circular chart, include things that YOU personally do (or will do) to promote your best brain health.
You may write them, or use color and pictures to show instead.