HEALTH

TRANSGENDER ADULTS GET DEMENTIA EARLIER?

by: Daniel Pearce, D.O., FACOI, AAHIVMS

TRANSGENDER ADULTS GET DEMENTIA EARLIER?
A new study shows that transgender adults were about twice as likely to experience cognitive decline at an earlier age (about 3 years earlier) compared to cis-gendered adults. The cognitive functions affected were: ability to work, volunteer, perform self-care, and socialize. Sad news: add this to the list of health disparities of transgender people.
“We are not certain what may be causing the elevated subjective cognitive decline rates among transgender adults. We postulate that it may be in part due to anti-transgender stigma and prejudice that expose transgender people to high rates of mistreatment and discrimination where they live, work, learn, seek healthcare and age,” Cicero [one of the researchers]said in a statement.
People who are transgender, due to stigma and discrimination may not have had the economic, educational, health care, and social advantages people who are cis-gender had. They also have greater rates of health disparities that are considered risk factors for dementia: e.g., higher rates of cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes, tobacco and alcohol use, and obesity. As with HIV, coping with this life may influence some to use substances which accelerates cognitive decline. All that mental stress over so many years takes a toll.
I love this quote: “Alzheimer’s and dementia do not discriminate. Neither can we,” Maria C. Carrillo, PhD, chief science officer for the Alzheimer’s Association, said in a statement.

WHY DO PEOPLE STOP MEDS FOR CHRONIC CONDITIONS?
Metformin, the foundation for diabetes treatment (Type 2) is not taken by half of these patients by the end of a year. Why? Maybe because having a chronic disease is new and they can’t feel a benefit, i.e., feel better on this medication, even though it is getting rid of some fat and controlling sugars without the risk of hypoglycemia. It is not a dramatic medication and has side in only some patients. Like having HIV (now a chronic disease), it is hard to continue medications for years or for life. For life—a good phrase with double meaning. Most are used to feeling bad, taking a med for a short while and then getting better. Chronic diseases and medications are a new experience for many.

LONG-TERM COVID: ACCELERATING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
In addition to chronic fatigue, depression, and brain fog for maybe the rest of their lives, those with Covid are at risk for getting their Alzheimer’s disease sooner. It seems in some patients with Covid, there are antibodies directed to their own organs and that attack causes the long-term symptoms. They have isolated chemicals from these patients which promote Alzheimer’s too. Many of these patients had no symptoms or only mild symptoms after they caught Covid.

MASKING AGAIN AND ANTI-VAXERS DYING
I’ve been putting my mask back on in July since the CDC and LA County said put masks on in buildings when they found out that the delta virus can be spread easily. Also, I don’t want to give Covid to those who are not vaccinated, even though they are believing the risk of the vaccine outweighs the risks of Covid. I know my risk of bad Covid is low since I am vaccinated. There is no information on long-term Covid for the vaccinated. So for me and others, I’m masking again to prevent Covid in me, others who are vaccinated and the unvaccinated.
One man wrote a text to his fiancé as he was dying of Covid saying that he wished he had taken the “damned” vaccine. There are many stories of those dying or suffering in the hospital regretting their listening to conspiracy theories or news stations who have a history of sensational doom and gloom stories that don’t turn out the way they predicted. E.g. Donald Trump, Tucker Carlson, and Sean Hannity have received the vaccine now after many months of promoting false theories. Hannity is now pushing for people to get the vaccine. These are the people who said Ebola is going to kill us, MERS is going to kill us, SARS is going to kill us, etc. They make millions of dollars getting people upset about their theories denying good, scientific evidence. For some reason, bad and false news attracts people and they get sucked in.

ABORTIONS ARE AVAILABLE, BUT FAR AWAY FOR MANY IN THE SOUTH
Outside an abortion clinic in Florida are license plates from Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The new restrictive laws by Republicans in these states force women to travel (and take time off work = lost money!) far away to get an early-term abortion.

CONVICT HAS WU-TANG ALBUM SOLD TO PAY FINE
Martin Shkreli was convicted and sentenced. He is the one who bought the rights for some essential medications and set their prices out of reach for many, very ill people and laughed about it during a hearing. The government seized his assets which included the album to pay the $7.4 million fine.

Keep those questions coming and be safe!

dpearce@western.edu

Daniel Pearce, D.O., FACOI, AAHIVMS
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine Adjunct Professor of Internal Medicine and HIV, Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine and Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine HIV, Hepatitis B,C, Transgender, Suboxone Specialist, Borrego Health (Riverside, San Bernardino, San Jacinto) Member, Coachella Valley Clinical Research Initiative

REFERENCES: Medscape®