Dispatches from the Land of Alzheimer's

From the perspective of a neurologist now living with the condition, this book is a hopeful summary of current research in Alzheimer's Disease.

Daniel Gibbs (Author)

9781009430050, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 22 February 2024

228 pages
19.7 x 12.9 x 0.9 cm, 0.24 kg

'The book combines professional expertise with personal experience, offering unique and empathetic insights. The writing is clear and accessible, making complex medical concepts easy to understand. The book is well-organized and engaging, using personal anecdotes to make the content relatable and informative.' Danielle Stepien, Doody's Reviews

In 2006, Daniel Gibbs, author of A Tattoo on my Brain: A Neurologist's Personal Battle against Alzheimer's Disease (soon to be a documentary produced by MTV/Paramount+), first noticed symptoms which he now knows to have been early signs of his Alzheimer's Disease. Daniel still writes every day, something he credits with keeping his mind sharper and his demons at bay. This book is a personal collection of essays written over the past two years that describe his own personal experiences, first treating patients with Alzheimer's, and now living with the disease himself. The book presents an up-to-date discussion of recent advances and setbacks in Alzheimer's research. Humane and hopeful, this book offers evidence-based information on how it may be possible even now to slow progression of the disease.

1. Physician heal thyself
2. Evaluating new advances in Alzheimer's research – separating hype from fact
3. Alzheimer's dementia or Alzheimer's disease – what's the difference and why should we care?
4. The first patient with Alzheimer's disease
5. Kidnapped in Kinshasa
6. Smell, disgust and Alzheimer's
7. Apolipoprotein-4 (APOE-4): bad for the brain and bad for the heart
8. Lost in the fog of Alzheimer's
9. My father's 'stuff'
10. Face blindness during a pandemic
11. Biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease
12. Olfactory impairment in Covid-19 and Alzheimer's
13. Alzheimer's disease and work
14. Crossword controversies
15. Can loneliness increase risk for dementia?
16. Excessive laxative use and dementia
17. Dog dementia (canine cognitive dysfunction)
18. The possible role of brain inflammation in Alzheimer's disease may be more significant in APOE-4 carriers
19. Surprisingly good news about the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine)
20. More about the importance of exercise
21. Rolling on the river
22. The MIND Diet revisited
23. My photographs, then and now
24. Does cataract surgery really decrease the risk of dementia?
25. Hearing loss, aphasia and dementia
26. To sleep, perchance to dream
27. The amyloid hypothesis is not dead, but it may be gasping for breath
28. Could Lecanemab offer a ray of hope?
29. A fatal case of multiple brain hemorrhages associated with Lecanemab
30. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) – should it be a contraindication for drugs like Lecanemab?
31. Hitting the sweet spot in the spectrum of Alzheimer's disease for future trials of anti-amyloid medications
32. Disappointing results of two human trials of monoclonal antibodies in Parkinson's disease
33. Repurposing old drugs for Alzheimer's treatment
34. Writing while impaired
35. Spreading the word
36. Saying goodbye to Lizzy G
37. Amyloid and tau PET scans of my brain
38. Running on a field of dreams
39. Living in the moment.

Subject Areas: Neurology & clinical neurophysiology [MJN]