Every now and then the MSM can bring it on, and an in-depth investigative science series without some sort of political agenda is right up my alley. With One man’s epic quest for understanding, the Los Angeles Times rises to the occasion with the story of UC Irvine neuroscientist Gary Lynch, who has dedicated his life to trying to figure out the process of memory creation and recall. Silly me, with all the research in Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia that has occurred over the last few decades, I thought that the chemical/biological basis of how the brain functioned was well established. Evidently not yet, but maybe very soon we’ll know the truth? Looks like we had better . . .

We are on the verge of a dementia pandemic. It is estimated that by 2040, 100 million people worldwide will suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s or some other form of dementia. Science has been able to do precious little to combat these diseases, in large part because the understanding of the underlying cognitive processes has been meager. Thousands of scientists have spent countless years seeking and largely failing to unearth the secrets within the human brain.

Medical advances have allowed more and more people to live longer but have been unable to relieve longevity of its principal bane — the breakdown of mental processes, especially memory. When memory loss occurs, it seldom fails to impress upon its victims and those who know them the extent to which our memories constitute our selves.

My father was felled by Alzheimer’s a dozen years ago. With my being out here, and he living back in Oklahoma, I wasn’t witness to the daily degeneration of his mind, the slow but persistent loss of him as himself. I was just shocked at the progression each time I did go back for visits, and one particular visit it finally happened. We were sitting, having a completely engaging conversation when I realized that he didn’t have a clue who I was. I still loved him dearly, but all later visits were distinctly bittersweet, and the last few years he not only didn’t know who we were, I don’t think that he was aware anyone was there. But, that could have been my own lack of observation. My mom, and my son both spent a lot of time with him after he was admitted to the Veterans’ Center in Claremore, OK — right across the highway from the Will Rogers Memorial. According to the Veterans Center website:

Oklahoma is one of the top two states in the nation with seven veterans centers providing intermediate to skilled nursing care and domiciliary care for its wartime veterans. These centers are located in Ardmore, Claremore, Clinton, Lawton, Norman, Sulphur, and Talihina.

The care that he received there was amazing. The staff was so caring, so empathetic with the guys. Their service was honored in ways beyond compare, even when the cared for had no understanding of what was being provided to them. That’s commitment and dedication! But, back to Lynch and the LAT.

This is a long-engaging read, a 4-part series with part two here and part three here, with part four coming out tomorrow, I’ll link that when it’s available online. You’ll have to register, but it’s free. Tomorrow I guess we learn if his research has come to fruition — from today’s article it looks promising. I could research it online and find out right now, but for the first time in a long time I’m enjoying a good ol’ fashioned newspaper article, dead-tree style. Full pages of info, big color pics and graphics, and a bit o’ suspense. Why should I ruin that for a little quick gratification? Besides, I love the smell and feel of newsprint in the morning! I just usually don’t like what I’m reading in our local rag. Nice to know that the LAT can print something that could possibly be Pulitzer worthy and not offend the Okie.

I really am getting to be an ol’ fart I guess, huh?

Technorati Tags: Gary Lynch, the process of memory

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