Claire Anderson is an avid photographer. She focuses on nature and portraits.
"There is that beauty of the face," Anderson said. "It is lovely to capture."
With three kids and nine grandchildren, Anderson has plenty of potential subjects, faces she hopes time doesn't erase.
"My parents both had the diagnosis of Alzheimer's," said Anderson.
Now, Anderson is also showing early signs of the disease.
"I wanted to see that something could be found that could alter that," Anderson explained.
Researchers looking at the protein buildup in the Alzheimer's brain have discovered a commonly prescribed drug may make an impact.
"We know that people with a history of antidepressant use have less plaque in the brain than people who don’t have a history of antidepressant use," explained John Cirrito, assistant professor of neurology specializing in Alzheimer's disease at Washington University, St. Louis.
In the recent study, researchers gave a single dose of the antidepressant Citalopram to 23 adults under age 50. Samples of spinal fluids over the next 24 hours showed a 37 percent drop in the protein that forms brain plaques.
"This is promising," said Cirrito, "but it's early."
Anderson knows that a cure for Alzheimer's may not come quickly, but it's crucial to her nonetheless.
"I can be optimistic that my grandchildren will benefit from these studies," Anderson said.
Cirrito said while most patients tolerate antidepressants well, the risks outweigh the benefits of using the drugs until a strong connection is established. He said that will take additional research.
Researchers plan to study older adults and treat them for two weeks with the antidepressants to see if there is continued reduction in the proteins that cause brain plaque.
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