My Alzheimer's Journey
Part 53 - A Few Things On My Alzheimer's Mind
Feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS; a.k.a. feline dementia) is a clinical disorder observed in elderly cats that is similar to human dementia.
The above statement popped up while I was reading about recent Alzheimer’s research. It came as a complete surprise to me. As the human parent of an elderly cat, I started digging to learn more.
I learned that CDS is a condition with symptoms like those of Alzheimer’s disease. Senior cats with CDS experience memory, critical thinking, behavior, and reasoning problems. More than a quarter of cats aged 11 to 14 show at least one sign of dementia. It’s even more common as they age, with half of cats over the age of 15 showing signs of cognitive dysfunction.
My constant feline companion, Big Bit, falls into that age group. Wouldn’t it be crazy if Big Bit and I share a similar disease?
My research led me to an article published in the European Journal of Neuroscience. The article was published August 11, 2025. Titled, Amyloid-Beta Pathology Increases Synaptic Engulfment by Glia in Feline Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome: A Naturally Occurring Model of Alzheimer’s Disease, the article describes the similarities between CDS and Alzheimer’s disease.
I plan to dig deep into this research over the next few days. I will write about my findings soon.
Also on my mind today, someone recently suggested that I look into research Dr. Roger Seheult is conducting using near infrared lights to treat cognitive decline, including Alzheimer’s disease. I will report on my findings as soon as possible.
The last thing on my mind today are three tragic events that occurred over the past few days.
Fifteen people killed in Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia during a Hanukkah celebration. In addition to the people killed, at least forty more people were injured.
Two Brown University students murdered during an attack Saturday afternoon. This mass shooting also injured nine students.
The death of Rob and Michele Reiner.
Each of these senseless acts of violence are disturbing, shocking, and troubling to me. Time will tell if the perpetrators of these acts suffered from mental illness. If so, this will be another reminder that better mental health treatment is urgently needed. Not just better treatment. We need to remove the stigma of mental illness. We need to train first responders to better recognize mental illness. Most importantly, everyone needs to speak up if they think a friend, a family member, or even a stranger is struggling with mental illness.
After Robin Williams death, Rob Reiner was interviewed by Larry King. He spoke about his own battle with depression. “It (Williams’ death) hit me in a very, very deep level. I have depression. I’ve wrestled with it my whole life. I know how difficult a struggle that is for somebody, and how difficult it was for Robin, and it’s so upsetting to hear somebody who fought as hard as he did all these years to try to manage it, had to succumb to it.”
As a society, we can do better. We can prioritize mental illness treatment.