At 07:23 PM 2/15/99 -0600, Murray Propes <MPropes@wpsmtp.siumed.edu>wrote:
>Hello All, I just completed a two week Alheimer's disease clinic
>elective. After speaking to several neuropathologists who feel that
>Alzheimers disease is an inevitable fate for all that live long enough I
>have some somber conclusions. Since 10% of people age 70 have dementia
>(>50% due to Alzheimer's), and that number climbs to 40% of people by
>age 85, by my calculations, nearly 100% of people who reach 115 will be
>demented (aymptotically speaking of course, as we know nothing is 100%).
> My point is just that any chemical which radically extends human life,
>but is not lipophilic enough to cross the blood brain barrier, will be
>far worse than no treatment at all. Murray
Well, no one forces you to extend your life.:)
As for me, I'll take the risk that Alzheimer's and other diseases will be cured or prevented sooner or later. The task will be to live long enough and in good enough shape to take advantage of that. I find it highly unlikely that it would not be cured. It's merely an engineering problem -- as is most if not all aging and disease.
Vivamus!
Daniel Ust