‘Pocket book’ star Gena Rowlands has died at 94. What to learn about her Alzheimer’s analysis.

Acclaimed actress Gena Rowlands died Wednesday at age 94, her household and representatives have confirmed. Information of the star’s dying comes simply two months after her son, filmmaker Nick Cassavetes revealed that his mom had been identified with Alzheimer’s, although no official reason for dying has but been made public.

Talking to Entertainment Weekly in June, Cassavetes, famous the parallels between his mom’s real-life analysis and her function within the The Pocket book, which he directed. Rowlands performed a girl dwelling with dementia within the 2004 movie.

“I acquired my mother to play older Allie, and we spent lots of time speaking about Alzheimer’s and desirous to be genuine with it, and now, for the final 5 years, she’s had Alzheimer’s,” stated Cassavetes, whose father was Rowlands’s late husband, director and actor John Cassavetes.

Based on Leisure Weekly, Gena Rowland’s mom, actress Girl Rowlands, had the illness too. Right here’s what to know in regards to the leading cause of dementia in older adults and what having a household historical past of Alzheimer’s means for danger.

What’s Alzheimer’s illness?

Alzheimer’s illness impacts an estimated 6.7 million folks within the U.S., based on the Alzheimer’s Association, whereas a 2020 survey estimated that a couple of third of People have a detailed relative with Alzheimer’s or one other type of dementia.

Alzheimer’s is one in every of a number of sorts of dementia, a illness that interferes with an individual’s reminiscence, habits and skill to assume clearly. It accounts for between 60% and 80% of dementia diagnoses within the U.S..

Alzheimer’s is distinguished from different dementia and reminiscence loss primarily by the way it manifests within the mind, Dr. Kostas Lyketsos, director of the Johns Hopkins Reminiscence and Alzheimer’s Remedy Middle, tells Yahoo Life. The tell-tale indicators are plaques of a byproduct of a protein, referred to as amyloid beta, and tangles made up primarily of one other protein, referred to as tau. Lyketsos says that docs like himself can often distinguish between Alzheimer’s and different types of delicate cognitive impairment by the point signs present up, however the variations are delicate. Signs of Alzheimer’s are usually extra extreme and will worsen extra rapidly than different types of dementia or cognitive impairment. “Quick-term reminiscence difficulties — main an individual to ask repeated questions or neglect latest occasions or conversations — are often a few of the earliest signs” of Alzheimer’s, Dr. Vijay Ramanan, a Mayo Clinic neurologist, tells Yahoo Life. Other forms of dementia usually current first with completely different signs, together with character modifications.

What causes the illness?

Scientists are “not 100% clear” on causes, says Lyketsos, and says {that a} household’s genes are a serious predictor of their Alzheimer’s danger. “However there are actually two sorts of genetic relationships,” he says. Ramanan emphasizes that “having a household historical past of the illness does improve one’s private danger to a level, however you will need to keep in mind that practically all instances of Alzheimer’s illness should not instantly attributable to a gene change.”

There are three genes which might be “deterministic,” nevertheless, Lyketsos says. “For those who get one in every of these dangerous alleles” — or gene variants — “you’ll get the illness.” Most individuals with these deterministic genes begin to develop early-onset Alzheimer’s, beginning of their 60s, and even their 40s and 50s, Lyketsos says. However they’re uncommon, accounting for less than round 5% of all instances of Alzheimer’s. “Everyone else has what we name a sporadic [genetic] danger,” says Lyketsos.

Exterior of those uncommon genes, there are greater than 100 genes in addition to environmental and behavioral elements that contribute to an individual’s Alzheimer’s danger profile. The No. 1 danger issue is age; the chances of growing the illness double about each 5 years after age 65, based on the National Institute on Aging. Rowlands would have been round 89 on the time of her analysis. “Individuals who develop Alzheimer’s at this age and had a mother or father who had it are at elevated danger, however it’s extra of a sporadic kind of danger,” Lyketsos says.

One other essential danger issue is cerebrovascular disease, through which cerebral blood vessels and blood circulate are compromised. Hypertension and smoking are each danger elements for mind vascular illness, which, in flip, will increase dangers for Alzheimer’s illness, “however there aren’t any clear environmental causes that we will say for certain result in Alzheimer’s,” says Lyketsos.

What to do if in case you have a member of the family with Alzheimer’s

Whereas Alzheimer’s does run in households, “we don’t advise genetic testing proper now in people who find themselves asymptomatic” normally, Lyketsos says. “But when there’s a sturdy household pedigree of illness, and of anyone getting it at a younger age, we’ll check.”

Having a mother or father or different shut relative with Alzheimer’s can result in some anxiousness, provides Lyketsos. “Not sometimes, I’ll have a toddler of somebody who developed dementia or Alzheimer’s … are available involved,” he says. “However more often than not, in that scenario, we will both not measure the reminiscence loss, or there are different explanations, like poor sleep, consumption of alcohol or despair, that is likely to be inflicting modifications that mimic dementia or delicate cognitive impairment” and could also be unrelated to Alzheimer’s or their cherished one’s analysis, Lyketsos says.

Lyketsos says that there are not any particular precautions to take if in case you have a household historical past of Alzheimer’s, however there are numerous typically pro-health habits which might be significantly essential if you recognize that you just’re in danger, together with staying lively each mentally and bodily, eating a balanced weight loss program and sustaining general brain-and-body health, he says. Past that, Lyketsos advises getting a mixture of cardio and anaerobic train “that you just do frequently, so choose one thing you will do.”

And final however not least: “It is a crucial factor: Be socially engaged,” says Lyketsos. “Loneliness appears to be a danger issue.” Be particularly certain to remain engaged and get social help in the event you’re caring for a cherished one with Alzheimer’s, he provides. “Get in contact with professionals who might help information you in establishing a protected, steady atmosphere, but additionally who might help you handle your self, as a result of it’s a really lengthy highway.”

This text was initially printed on June 25, 2024 and has been up to date.