Aging with Grace by David Snowdon
This text presents the story of an ongoing, long-term study of a large group of Catholic nuns who have given Dr David Snowdon access to their medical and archival records and participate each year in comprehensive mental and physical examinations designed to measure the long-term effects of aging. They have also agreed to donate their brains upon death. So far there are 250 brains in the bank making it the world's largest of its kind. Dr Snowdon is one of the world's leading experts on Alzheimer's disease and director of the "Nun Study", a research project involving 678 Catholic sisters ranging in age from 75 to 104 and which has been running for the past 15 years. We get to know many of the nuns personally, and through them discover some of the ground-breaking work which the "Nun Study" has achieved.
Dr Snowdon's book is popular science like no otherThis doctor of philosophy and epidemiologist directs a long-term, multi-million dollar research project into the longevity of 678 Catholic nuns ranging in age from 74 to 105. As the American project has already run for 15 years, the book gives clues to achieving healthy aging. High linguistic ability in early life may protect against Alzheimer's disease later. Therefore read to your children every night (booksellers are bound to agree with that). The sad descent of certain nuns into dementia nonetheless provides indicators, genetic and otherwise, as to the triggers. Nutrition has a significant beneficial role, especially certain anti-oxidants. All the findings are carefully detailed and the nuns courteously introduced, even when their brains are examined after death. A truly remarkable study, although it pays no attention to the effect of living in a community without men!
David Snowdon received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and he began the Nun Study there in 1986. The study is now based at the University of Kentucky, where Snowdon is a professor of neurology . He has presented his findings in leading medical journals such as The Journal of the American Medical Association and The Journal of Gerontology.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781841152912 |
| ISBN 10 | 1841152919 |
| Title | Aging with Grace |
| Author | David Snowdon |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | HarperCollins Publishers |
| Year published | 2001-08-20 |
| Number of pages | 256 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |