Alzheimer's disease is the second most feared disease in America after cancer with as many as possibly 5 million  American having the disease.  As people live longer and as the baby boom start reaching retirement age, the number of people afflicted with the disease may rise.

A good summary of what causes Alzheimer disease is seen in this animation video.

The animation shows how the two hallmarks of Alzheirmers (beta amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary tangles) are formed.

The two-hour video documentary "Momentum in Science" by HBO Documentary Films does an excellent job of explaining what Alzheimer's disease is, what causes it, and how it can be delayed or prevented. It is broken into two parts and you can watch both parts in the above link. This video documentary "Momentum in Science" is just a part of the larger "Alzheimer's Project" which consists of three more documentaries on the disease including Memory Lost Tapes, Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am with Maria Shriver, and CareGivers.

All four documentaries can be viewed in full for free in the above link.  However, a DVD set of all four documentaries available on Amazon.

In addition to the four documentaries, there are also 15 shorter supplementary films linked here.

Although you can watch all the videos in the Alzheimer's Project in the above links, I have selected the below YouTube video of one of Alzheimer's Project supplementary films for you to watch below. This video was selected because Dr. Craft does such a good job in explaining the science and in convincing us that we (through execise and diet) can have an effect on reducing insulin resistance and hence on the aging of brain.

In the film, Dr. Suzanne Craft talks about how insulin resistance plays a role in Alzheimer's. Insulin is becoming more prevalent today with the increase in obesity and sedentary lifestyles. A chart shows the rise in beta amyloid deposition as insulin resistance and glucose intolerance increase. The accumulation of beta amyloid is responsible for the memory loss in Alzheimer's. The most potent treatment of insulin resistance is aerobic exercise. Diet plays a role as well. There is a study where a diet high in sugar and saturated fat results in more beta amyloid in the spinal fluid which is an indication of what is in the brain.

The documentary shows what doctors and clinics are doing in Alzheimer's research as well as glimpses into the lives of some of the people who have Alzheimer's.

It also shows how one might be able to prevent or delay Alzheimer by having a good diet, regular exercise, being socially and mentally active.

The documentary showed a experiment where mice that had exercise were able to learn and remember better in finding a hidden underwater platform. Exercies produces BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor).

Cognitive reserve can make one person be symptom-free even though there is Alzheimer pathology in the brain. Brains can change and is activity-dependent. Social isolation is one risk-factor for dementia. In one case, they showed a person who had a large social network did not develop dementia (even though the post-death brain showed Alzheimer pathology); whereas another person with a smaller social network did develop dementia symptoms.

Inflammation and the immune system are both involved in Alzheimer's. The immune system can launch an inflammatory response to the beta-amyloid deposits in the brain. These inflammatory cells in the brain are called micoglia which eats beta-amyloid -- which is a good thing. But the double-edge sword is that it might also destroy healthy cells (such as neurons and nerve fibers that connects neurons) in the process as well.

Although there are many factors in Alzheimer that we can control, genetics is one factor related to Alzheimer that we can not control.

These are just some of the concepts that the documentary covers. The documentary has interviews with scientists and patients and goes into greater detail and length and is highly informative. There is a companion book to this documentary: "The Alzheimer's Project: Momentum in Science".

Article written in 2009. Author may receive Amazon and Google revenues via display ads and links in this article.