The Denver Post (10/22, Draper) reported on the impact Alzheimer’s disease has on families and workplaces nationwide and in Colorado, focusing in particular on the special needs of people with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Patients with the early-onset form of the disease are often younger adults with families and careers, and such a diagnosis can be devastating to finances and careers.

Four years ago, the Social Security Administration made it easier and faster for people with early-onset Alzheimer’s to get disability benefits by adding the disease to its “Compassionate Allowance” list. People with early-onset Alzheimer’s also have some protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act. An estimated 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s.

Related Links:

— “Colorado lives, workplaces increasingly robbed by Alzheimer’s disease,” Electa Draper, The Denver Post, October 22, 2014.

The New York Times (10/22, Span) “Well” blog reports that other medical problems can mimic dementia or Alzheimer’s, but fortunately can be improved or reversed. For example, symptoms of chronic depression and alcoholism in an older person may mimic those of dementia. Vitamin deficiencies, anxiety, thyroid deficiency and certain medications may also cause dementia-like symptoms in patients. In general, “dementia tends to develop slowly; family members often realize, in retrospect, that an older person has shown subtle cognitive decline for years,” whereas “when a person’s mental state changes suddenly over a few days or weeks,” clinicians will seek another cause.

Related Links:

— “Is It Really Dementia?,” Paula Span, New York Times, October 21, 2014.

The New York Times (10/21, Brody) “Well” blog reports that teenagers are more likely to be sleep-deprived than any other age group, with studies showing that few get the recommended “eight and a half to nine and a half hours of sleep each night.” Dr. Judith A. Owens, a pediatric sleep specialist and lead author of “a policy statement issued in August by the American Academy of Pediatrics,” said the lack of sleep is associated with health problems, “risk-taking behavior, depression and suicidal ideation, and car accidents.” The piece notes that early school start times, electronic devices, overscheduling, and parental pressure contribute to the problem.

Related Links:

— “Hard Lesson in Sleep for Teenagers,” Jane E. Brody, New York Times, October 20, 2014.

A Wall Street Journal (10/21, Mccabe, Subscription Publication) article reports on virtual reality exposure therapy and its ability to help war veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The article notes that the technique, which has shown to be successful with other conditions, creates a virtual, three dimensional environment for the patient in a safe and controlled place so that they can better confront the people and places that trigger anxiety. According to the experts, the process of healing begins when the patient experiences familiarity of the scenes, suppressing fear neurons and allowing for new information about the event is learned.

Related Links:

— “Virtual Reality Therapy Shows New Benefits,” Caitlan McCabe, Wall Street Journal, October 20, 2014.

HealthDay (10/18, Haelle) reported that, according to a 99-patient study published online Sept. 29 in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, “family rejection could be potentially deadly for teens already at risk for suicide.” After adjusting for confounding factors, researchers found that “boys with feelings of invalidation from their families were almost four times more likely to attempt suicide than boys who didn’t feel rejected.” In fact, “boys who felt rejected most often during the follow-up were eight times more likely to attempt suicide than those who felt accepted by their families.”

Related Links:

— “Family Acceptance Key to Curbing Teen Suicides, Study Shows,” Tara Haelle, HealthDay, October 17, 2014.