Is There a Cure for My Dementia?
Parade Magazine, November 2012
Today’s article in Parade Magazine, What If Grandpa Doesn’t Really Have Alzheimer’s?, plays an important role in our quest to educate the public about the form of hydrocephalus called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus or NPH. While the condition was identified over 50 years ago, there is little research into the condition, which so far is the only known reversible form of dementia but it is often mistaken for Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease. The Hydrocephalus Association, along with our Medical Advisory Board, is trying to change that.
Dr’s Luciano and Williams, in Cleveland and Baltimore respectively, are two members of our board of advisors that are foremost experts in the field of NPH and who were interviewed for the article in Parade Magazine. In addition to these two great doctors, we have other resources you can turn to for information and support. Our Medical Advisory Board also includes Dr. Marvin Bergsneider at UCLA and numerous other experts that can be found in our Physician’s Directory. If you want to get answers to your questions about NPH, you can turn to our NPH Page or download our publication About Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: A Book for Adults and Their Families.
Awareness of this treatable condition is important but so is the state of research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) are currently funding only $500,000 of research looking into causes and treatments for NPH, while the number of people affected are estimated between 345,000 and 540,000. At the Hydrocephalus Association, we do not think this is enough. In order to improve the state of research, HA is investing in an adult extension of the work of our pediatric-focused partner, the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN). This effort, led by Dr. Mark Hamilton of Calgary, is a group of physicians collaborating to study the condition and standardize the treatments to improve outcomes. In addition to Dr. Luciano and Dr. William’s participation in this effort, the group includes Dr’s Relkin, Klinge, and Katzen from Cornell, Brown and Miami University respectively.