Nuns teach aging with grace.
Alzheimer's Donation
Donate Online Now
.
A look inside a well-known Alzheimer's study that began 20 years ago
By TOM DUNKEL
'Down to a system'
That's a lesson worth imparting. America, like the School Sisters, is going gray. Millions of baby boomers are completing their long trip from rock 'n' roller to Social Security recipient -- and potential Alzheimer's patient.
The Nun Study has been the subject of a Time magazine cover story, a Nightline broadcast, radio shows, innumerable articles and one book, ''Aging With Grace,'' written by Snowdon. It has been credited with two landmark findings: establishing a link between vascular episodes -- such as strokes -- and the onset of Alzheimer's, and confirming a belief that intellectual activity helps ward off the disease.
Continuing his rounds, Snowdon taps on Sister Helen Fellenz's open door. She is 94 and taught music at the order's schools in Japan.
''I feel honored for you to come see me,'' Sister Helen says softly.
''Thanks for all you've done being part of the study,'' Snowdon tells her. ''The book just last year was translated into Japanese. How do you say 'thank you' in Japanese?''
''Arigato.''
Before Snowdon can visit her again, Sister Helen will die of heart failure, reducing the number of living Nun Study participants to about 150, less than a quarter of the original total.
Like all School Sisters, Sister Helen received the traditional Mass of Christian Burial, and was laid to rest wearing her SSND pin, a crucifix and rosary. But as a Nun Study sister, she had a parting gift for Snowdon: her brain.
''We have it down to a system,'' says Sister Bernice Feilinger.
Sister Bernice, coordinator for the Nun Study at Villa Assumpta, makes sure the bodies of all sisters in the study are immediately transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. A lab assistant removes each brain, placing it in a container of formaldehyde, where it sits 10 days before being shipped inside a foam-lined cardboard box.
In the Notre Dame community, the School Sisters who have volunteered for the study have a saying: ''When we die our souls go to heaven, but our brains go to Kentucky.''
Snowden stores the brain specimens, chronologically by death, at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington. It is believed to be the largest, most thoroughly documented collection of its kind: 520 human brains and counting. Snowdon, by training an epidemiologist -- a ''disease detective'' -- is their keeper.
In 1986, while completing his doctorate at the University of Minnesota, Snowdon began a pilot project on aging. For his control group, he chose a community of School Sisters of Notre Dame in Mankato, Minn.
COMING: Cause or effect?
That's a lesson worth imparting. America, like the School Sisters, is going gray. Millions of baby boomers are completing their long trip from rock 'n' roller to Social Security recipient -- and potential Alzheimer's patient.
The Nun Study has been the subject of a Time magazine cover story, a Nightline broadcast, radio shows, innumerable articles and one book, ''Aging With Grace,'' written by Snowdon. It has been credited with two landmark findings: establishing a link between vascular episodes -- such as strokes -- and the onset of Alzheimer's, and confirming a belief that intellectual activity helps ward off the disease.
Continuing his rounds, Snowdon taps on Sister Helen Fellenz's open door. She is 94 and taught music at the order's schools in Japan.
''I feel honored for you to come see me,'' Sister Helen says softly.
''Thanks for all you've done being part of the study,'' Snowdon tells her. ''The book just last year was translated into Japanese. How do you say 'thank you' in Japanese?''
''Arigato.''
Before Snowdon can visit her again, Sister Helen will die of heart failure, reducing the number of living Nun Study participants to about 150, less than a quarter of the original total.
Like all School Sisters, Sister Helen received the traditional Mass of Christian Burial, and was laid to rest wearing her SSND pin, a crucifix and rosary. But as a Nun Study sister, she had a parting gift for Snowdon: her brain.
''We have it down to a system,'' says Sister Bernice Feilinger.
Sister Bernice, coordinator for the Nun Study at Villa Assumpta, makes sure the bodies of all sisters in the study are immediately transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. A lab assistant removes each brain, placing it in a container of formaldehyde, where it sits 10 days before being shipped inside a foam-lined cardboard box.
In the Notre Dame community, the School Sisters who have volunteered for the study have a saying: ''When we die our souls go to heaven, but our brains go to Kentucky.''
Snowden stores the brain specimens, chronologically by death, at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington. It is believed to be the largest, most thoroughly documented collection of its kind: 520 human brains and counting. Snowdon, by training an epidemiologist -- a ''disease detective'' -- is their keeper.
In 1986, while completing his doctorate at the University of Minnesota, Snowdon began a pilot project on aging. For his control group, he chose a community of School Sisters of Notre Dame in Mankato, Minn.
COMING: Cause or effect?
posted by Valery Yermalitsky at
7:53 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home