Duke University beleives they may have identified a second gene thought to be responsible for Alzheimer's Disease. Though more research must be done to confirm, they are excited to start studies that could begin as early as 2010. I have a personal link to Alzheimers. My grandmother Maddalena was diagnosed in 1995 with the disease and waged a long 12 year battle with it. It was extremely hard to watch her go from a vibrant, happy person to a shell of someone we had never met. Her losing the ability to speak for us was one of the hardest phases. Her melodic voice was silenced forever and we were left with only occasional eye contact. When that was gone too, we had all but given up hope that her spirit was still there. But shining thru like the sun on cloudy day was her smile that could light up a room. Watching someone go thru Alzheimers is like watching a person fall away piece by piece. Almost as if they die twice. She did pass in 2003 and I pray that scientists are getting closer to preventing this disease as I want to know for myself as well as my children.
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