THE TIMES, JANUARY 31 2019 PAGE
fleaftli it
‘ Dementia can
begin early
By PROF. RANDOLPH HOWES M.D., PhD
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Longtime medical columnist for The Times, the
author is an accomplished surgeon, medical inventor, and Country music
recording artist. Dr. Howes grew up on his parents’ Ponchatoula straw-
berry farm. He is a graduate of St. Joseph, Ponchatoula High School,
Southeastern, 'I\11ane two doctorates, followed by a residency at the
Johns Hopkins Hospital in plastic surgery. He says he is “retired” now
in
Kentwood. The doctor’s column appears on facebook.com/theponchatou-
latimes and on facebook.com/theindependencetimes. It is also available
online at ponchatoula.com/ptimes)
A frightening thought is the loss of one’s memory.
An estimated 5.2
million Americans have
Alzheimer’s disease
(AD) or some other form
of dementia and those
numbers will jump to 13.8
million by 2050. Until now,
the general consensus was
that the onset of cognitive
decline, associated with
dementia, did not begin
until 60.
A study published in the
British Medical Journal,
conducted by an Inserm
research team, shows that
our memory and capacity
for reasoning and under-
standing start to decline
at the age of 45.
The study estimated
43.8 million cases of de-
mentia worldwide in 2016,
which “represented an in-
crease of 117% from the
number of cases in 1990
(20.2 million).
The highest age-stan-
dardized prevalence rates
of dementia were reported
in Turkey and Brazil, and
the lowest were found
in Nigeria and Ghana.
Dementia was the fifth-
leading cause of mortality
worldwide in 2016.
The age-standardized
prevalence of dementia
was 17% higher among
women vs. men in 2016,
and the number of women
who died of dementia was
nearly double that of men.
g Tragically, nearly a half-
million new Alzheimer’s
cases will be diagnosed
annually.
The prevalence of de-
mentia approximately
doubled for every 5-year
increase in age between 50
and 80 years. Increased life
expectancy implies a sig-
nificant rise in the number
of elderly people. clinical
studies demonstrate a cor-
relation between the pres-
ence of amyloid plaques in
the brain and the severity
of cognitive decline.
It would seem that
these amyloid plaques
are found in the brains of
young adults. Actually,
there are three main drugs
(Aricept, or donepezil; Ex-
elon, or rivastigmine; and
Reminyl, Razadyne or gal~
antamine) which are cur-
- Super Bowl
Saints 2018-2019 theme‘
song, have agreed to per-
form to demonstrate their
feelings regarding the
NFL and the Super Bowl.
Other individuals have
chosen to host “Boycott the
Super Bowl” parties where
they avoid watching the
Super Bowl. “During my
party, I will briefly turn
on the Super Bowl and
then immediately turn it
Off. I want to send the
message to the television,
stations that we have no
interest in watching a set
game. This type of party
demonstrates that football
fans are only interested in
watching a national cham-
pionship when the game is
fair, without faulty game-
changing calls/no calls.
One Louisiana resi-
dent wrote a song describ-
ing the controversial no-
call which went viral. Al
d’Aquin Jr. uploaded the
Dr. Howes
rently approved for use
in mild-to-moderate Al-
zheimer’s disease.
Not one of the six clini-
cal trials examined by
Italian researchers found
that the drugs significant-
ly reduced the rate of pro-
gression from mild cogni-
tive impairment (MCI) to
dementia. Estimates are
that upward of one in four
with MCI are given these
drugs, which can cause
ulcers, gastric bleeding,
nausea, vomiting, diar-
rhea, insomnia, fatigue,
fainting, muscle cramps,
etc.
Giving Alzheimer’s
drugs to people with early
membry problems did not
delay the onset of the dis-
ease. Bitter debates have
erupted over question-
able benefits and enor-
mous costs. Drug compa-
nies must stop trying to
“shame” us into asking our
physicians to prescribe in-
effective medications for
our affected family mem-
bers.
A cure is desperately
needed but current pros-
pects are poor.
In the America that I
love, we realize that as life
expectancy continues to
increase, understanding
the correlation between
cognitive decline and age
is one of the challenges of
the 2lst century. We ur-
gently need more clinical
trials to find truly effective
drugs to slow the onset of
dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease.
Be careful of
duplicitous “campaigns of
persuasion.”
FROM PAGE ONE
song “Bullsh$t” and with-
in hours had thousands of
“likes” and shares. He used
humor to call out Roger
Goodell and the NFL. Per-
haps the most popular line
of the song which claimed,
“It was a'call so bad, even
Ray Charles could see
(it).”
Some fans have also
rallied to show unending
support for their team.
Following the game, mem-
bers' of the Who Dat Na-
tion fl00ded Facebook with
posts of anger and disap-
pointment regarding how
the game was won by the
Rams.
' One Jefl'erson Parish
councilman and fans lob-
bied for a parade in honor
of the Saints, they believe
the Saints deserve recog-
nition for their hard-work
and winning season.
limos into: not Edition www,ponclmiuuln,comlptimes
tmmm m m
)0)"
Official Airshow sponsorship photo
Pictured (left to right) are Hammond Mayor
and Hammond Airshow Foundation Vice Presi-
dent Pete Panepinto, First Guaranty Bank Presi-
dent and CEO Alton Lewis, Senior Vice President
Marketing & Loan Administration Desiree Sim-
mons, and Hammond Airshow Foundation Presi—
dent Guy Recotta.
Hammond Northshore
Regional Airshow to
return September 19-20
The Hammond Airshow Foundation is excited to an-
nounce that the Hammond Northshore Regional Air-
show will take flight again on September 19-20, 2020, at
the Hammond Northshore Regional Airport, with First
Guaranty Bank signed back on as the 2020 presenting
sponsor.
“It is a great honor for
First Guaranty Bank to be
asked to be the presenting
sponsor of the Hammond
Northshore Regional Air-
show for 2020,” President
and CEO Alton Lewis
said.
“First Guaranty Bank
welcomes the opportu-
nity to support the City
of Hammond, this great
event, and our entire com-
munity in any way that we
can. Let’s all work togeth-
er to make this a great
success.”
The Hammond-based
bank was also the present-
ing sponsor for the 2018
Airshow, joining more
than 70 other sponsors,
both businesses and indi-
viduals, committed to put-
ting on a strong event.
This past year, over
35,000 guests from across
the region enjoyed top
name acts such as Skip
Stewart, the Aeroshell
Aerobatic Team, the
Shockwave Jet Truck, the
all-female Misty Blues
Jump Team, and the big-
gest headline — the Air
Force’s F-22 Raptor fight-
er jet.
Newly-elected Ham-
mond Airshow Founda-
tion board officers are
President Guy Recotta,
Vice-President Mayor
Pete Panepinto, Treasur-
er Theresa Harris, and
Secretary Joe Thomas, as
well as Airport Director
David Lobue, Paul Cutrer,
who handles performance
management, William
Wainwright who handles
logistics and Chip Rocker,
who joins the board this
year.
“The Foundation is ap-
preciative of the support
the community gave to the
2018 Airshow,” President
Guy Recotta said. “Its
success was due to First
Guaranty Bank which led
[the way by stepping up as
presenting sponsor, and
the support of all of our
other sponsors and volun-
teers. The 2020 show will
be even more thrilling!”
Over the next two years,
the Foundation board will
be working to secure acts
and sponsors, and work out
the logistics to put on an-
other successful airshow.
The Foundation board
has also been trained and
certified through the In-
ternational Council of Air-
shows (ICAS), completing
Airshow 101 and 102. This
yearly ICAS event also
gives them the opportu-
nity to meet top national
and international airshow
talent.
Local nonprofits receiv-
ing support from the 2018
Airshow proceeds include
the Louisiana Children’s
Discovery Center, Ham-
mond Afterschool Pro-
gram, Hammond High
Magnet School Torbotics,
and the Tangipahoa Af-
rican American Heritage
Museum STEM Summer
Camp.
“I’m honored to work
with everyone to host the
Hammond Airshow in
2020 because it benefits
Hammond in so many
ways,” Mayor Panepinto
said. “People visit who
may never come to Ham-
mond otherwise. They eat,
stay, and shop in Ham-
mond, seeing everything
that we have to offer.”
Airshow enthusiasts
are encouraged to follow
the Airshow on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/
hammondLAairshow and
on the web at www.ham-
mondairshow.com for all
the latest news.
Businesses interested
in being a part of the Air-
show, should visit www.
. hammondairshow.com/be-
come-a-sponsor to contact
the Foundation.
Home of the Airshow,
the Hammond Northshore
Regional Airport, is fully
equipped to handle large
aircraft, with dual light-
ed runways as well as an
air traffic control tower.
The airfield is over 900
acres and has based 193
aircraft including general,
corporate, and military
aircraft. Also located on
the airfield is unimproved
land for development by
corporate or private avia-
tion individuals.
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EDUCA'l'lO
ASSOCIA’TK)
THE TERRY ANN MCMAHON
MEMORlAL LABYRINTH
AT ROSARYVILLE
Labyrinths have existed for OVer
2,000 years. Be a part of this
addition to our community by
donating to help build the
Terry Ann McMahon Memorial
Labyrinth.
This labyrinth path will be stained
green on a 60‘X60' concrete slab
requiring little upkeep.
Open to the public at no charge.
A great attraction for Rosaryville
and Tangipahoa Parish.
Send your donation or stop by
Rosaryville’s gift shop for some
labyrinth charm jewelry.
Attn: Labyrinth Fund
39003 Rosaryvilie Rd.
Ponchatoula, LA 70454
The Krewe of Erin began the
project in honor of Terry Ann
McMahon, co-founder of the
Krewe of Erin and greatly missed
community advocate.
@LOUISIANA
ASSOCIATION 0! EDUCATORS
E Mail. otliiuv'cqipoimimlouil;\.(:om or
iimcsnfimlr‘pendonceéugmnil.com
