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Angela Lunde
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Angela Lunde
Angela Lunde is a dementia education specialist in the education core of Mayo Clinic's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the Abigail Van Buren Alzheimer's Disease Research Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Angela Lunde
The transfer of information about dementias, as well as understanding the need for participation in clinical trials, is an essential component of the education core.
Angela is a member of the Alzheimer's Association board of directors and co-chair of the annual Minnesota Dementia Conference. She is a member of the Dementia Behavior Assessment and Response Team (D-BART), a multidisciplinary outreach service assisting professional and family caregivers in understanding and managing difficult behaviors often present in dementia. She facilitates several support groups, including Memory Club, an early-stage education and support series, and more recently, helped to develop and now deliver Healthy Action to Benefit Independence and Thinking (HABIT), a 10-day cognitive rehab and wellness program for people with mild cognitive impairment.
Angela takes a personal interest in understanding the complex changes that take place within relationships and among families when dementia is present. She is particularly interested in providing innovative and accessible ways for people with dementia and their families to receive information and participate in valuable programs that promote well-being.
"Amid a devastating disease, there are tools, therapies, programs and ways to cope, and it is vital that families are connected to these resources," she says.
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Dec. 20, 2008
No link between Alzheimer's and flu shots
By Angela Lunde
A few of you have asked about the relationship between the flu vaccine and increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. I went to my colleagues in the Department of Behavioral Neurology for some help with this question, and Brad Boeve, M.D., suggested sharing the following:
There is absolutely no evidence that flu vaccines contribute in any way to Alzheimer's disease, and it is hard to imagine a mechanism of how this could affect amyloid or tau. One blogger referred to excitotoxicity, but this idea came from a non-physician making wild claims and selling a book for profit.
Consider also that thousands of healthy people die from the flu each year, and the vaccines clearly reduce the potential of developing the flu, and lessen the severity of the flu if you still get it. The public must balance what is proven and could keep them from getting very ill or dying as opposed to an unfounded theory by a layperson.
If this theory keeps one person from getting the vaccine, and then he or she becomes very ill or dies from the flu, those who write or support such claims have contributed to that person's illness or death.
27 comments posted
November 29, 2009 9:46 a.m.
To report your loved one's adverse reaction to a vaccine go to: http://vaers.hhs.gov/index. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a national vaccine safety surveillance program co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Lori
November 29, 2009 9:21 a.m.
My 79 year old mother developed alzheimer's symptoms within days of receiving her flu shot. She went from a fully functional full of energy person to someone who doesn't know when she's hungry, won't prepare her own food, leave the house, shower or wash her hands. She is confused and agitated. She now needs round the clock care. No one believes it can be from a flu shot but I do. Stop this absurdity of routinely vaccinating our elders against flu!!!! I'd rather the flu kill an older person than have to live years and years with Alzheimers - a disease with no cure!
- Lori
October 8, 2009 9:03 a.m.
Just wanted to give the other side of the story. A Nov. 27, 2001, Canadian Medical Journal report suggests older adults who were vaccinated against diphtheria or tetanus, polio, and influenza seemed to have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those not receiving these vaccinations. The full text of this report is posted on the journal’s Web site. http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/165/11/14
95?eaf - Jason
October 6, 2009 8:51 p.m.
You have a point, but then if they eventually prove it does increase chances of Alzheimer's and people take the flu vaccines because you say it doesn't then you are contributing to that persons illness. Now how does that make you feel?
- Jim
September 25, 2009 4:16 a.m.
According to Hugh Fudenberg, MD (http://members.aol.com/nitrf), the world's leading immunogeneticist and 13th most quoted biologist of our times (nearly 850 papers in peer review journals), if an individual has had five consecutive flu shots between 1970 and 1980 (the years studied) his/her chances of getting Alzheimer's Disease is ten times higher than if they had one, two or no shots. I asked Dr. Fudenberg why this was so and he said it was due to the mercury and aluminum that is in every flu shot (and most childhood shots). The gradual mercury and aluminum buildup in the brain causes cognitive dysfunction. Is that why Alzheimer's is expected to quadruple? Notes: Recorded from Dr. Fudenberg's speech at the NVIC International Vaccine Conference, Arlington, VA September, 1997. Quoted with permission. Alzheimer's to quadruple statement is from John's Hopkins Newsletter Nov 1998." ----Ted Koren, D. C. http://www.odyssee.net/~expodome/autism.htm#T
op Koren Publications (800-537-3001). [Home] [Vaccination] [Diseases] [Vaccine damage] - No name given
September 10, 2009 9:17 a.m.
I have to agree with a lot of other posters here regarding whether flu shots are worth it. My mom, before she passed away at 76, had COPD and chronic bronchitis. Every year for at least 8 or 9 years, her doctor du jour would encourage her to get the flu shots, given her medical history, and every year she would get sick, immediately following the shot! Luckily, there were never any signs of Alzheimers. I recently turned 50 and I have no health problems at all. All of a sudden, , my doc is suggesting that I get my first flu shot this year. No way! I'll take my chances and live thru maybe one commom cold this year, like usual. Rather than know that I will get sick if I go with the flu vaccine! Like they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
- les
August 25, 2009 8:12 p.m.
"There is absolutely no evidence that flu vaccines contribute in any way to Alzheimer's disease" Is there any evidence that they don't? Oh, it has not been looked at in any meaningful way? Hmmm. What is the cause of Alzheimer's? Oh, no one knows? But you know for a fact that vaccines are not causative. Hmmm. "The public must balance what is proven" Exactly what is proven? Can you provide references?
- No name given
July 30, 2009 2:33 p.m.
"the South Carolina medical board found Fudenberg "guilty of engaging in dishonorable, unethical, or unprofessional conduct," fined him $10,000, ordered him to surrender his license to prescribe controlled substances" Unless the South Carolina Board repeated Dr. Fudenberg's research and scientifically refuted it, their fine and license suspension are wholly irrelevant to Fudenberg's peer reviewed scientific experiment. Afterall, no government institution would ever behave wholly in a political manner, would they? Or wholly to support state lobbyists, would they? The answer is, of course they would - and do. And if the Board did not bother to scientifically refute Fudenberg's experiments, I'm afraid you have indeed verified and trusted an unreliable source. Unlike state medical boards, science need not be political, and pure experiment never is. Clearly, then, the peer reviewed scientific experiments by Dr. Fudenberg carry full weight on the scientific question of whether mercury, or mercury containing flu-shots, contribute to Alzheimers. Current experiment clearly suggests that it can. A summary of Dr. Fudenberg's mercury-Alzheimer experiments can be found here: http://www.royalrife.com/flu_shots.html The post by "experts and studies" from December 18, 2008, below, appears to be much more on point, although no source is given for his/her comments.
- Matthew
July 18, 2009 9:48 a.m.
Every time I hear about these strange singular cases of a negative result from a flu shot I must remind myself to verify before I trust. A comment about the danger of flu shots was made citing as an authority one Hugh Fudenberg. Herman Hugh Fudenberg, M.D., Ph.D. Ref: http://www.casewatch.org November 1995, the South Carolina medical board found Fudenberg "guilty of engaging in dishonorable, unethical, or unprofessional conduct," fined him $10,000, ordered him to surrender his license to prescribe controlled substances (narcotic drugs), and placed his license on indefinite suspension. The Board's order, shown below, said that he could apply for probationary status if he underwent a neuropsychiatric examination and was judged capable of practicing medicine safely. In March 1996, he was permitted to resume practice under terms of probation that did not permit him to prescribe any drugs. His license expired in January 2004; and in March 2004, he applied to have it reinstated. However, after a hearing in which the Board considered a neuropsychatric report issued in 2003, Fudenberg agreed to remain in a "retired" status and withdrew his application for reactivation of his license. The South Carolina board's Web site lists his license as "lapsed." "Calling Dr Hugh, calling Dr Hugh" The gullible await you!
- lyon
April 16, 2009 6:39 a.m.
I have been googling all morning trying to figure out why my 83 year old mother's mental faculties suddenly deteriorated within a week and she is in a confused state - guess what she had a flu vaccine a week ago. Interesting ......
- Schwartz
April 7, 2009 12:17 p.m.
I do not believe in flu shots. My husband had angina 55 years ago. He became very ill after having a flu shot. I did not become ill. I haven't taken one since. Lately I heard a doctor say he does not also because of the mercury that's in them. If you die of the flu, it's not because of lack of the flu shot. I'm 78 years old and do not believe in drugs. I've used levaquin lately for a shortness of breath accompanied with pain in back.
- Aileen Estrem
March 26, 2009 12:07 p.m.
The guvment and the medical establishment would never, ever lie to us, would they?
- Ken
March 19, 2009 7:02 a.m.
Thank you for the information.
- Alex
March 9, 2009 10:59 a.m.
our digestive system is the begining of our health. Introducing flue vacines changes our imune systems stomach chemical composition to include flue fighters. This in turn lowers our resistance and creates celiac problems. This lowers natural metabolism of necessary vitamins, especially k. then chemical brain structure changes causing alzheimers. Alzheimers is not a disease, Its a reaction to changing your eating habits, even if you don't know it, or stress caused by meds and chemicals introduced in the food chain. We are what we eat if we are a tomato, we can't survive on food for a pinetree. Everyone is different, whats good for one may not be good for another. If everyone and everything was the same in this world it would be very boring. Don't try to push rapid changes on anyone, especially yourself. Stress is the result of rapid change, resistance of any change, and desiring things you do not really need or can't afford. Doctors sometimes cause stress, but you are ultimately the one who lets it bother you. STRESS is the number one killer of americans. Relax, Did you ever wonder if alzheimers was a way of seriously going to a stressless place? Remembering your childhood where there was a lack of pressure, your parents absorbed your stress, just follow the rules. No stress you say, Try to pick out cereal, milk, anything from the store. These extra choices no mater how minute, thousands a day lower relaxation time. Now I really got you stressed. RELAX
- rickymouse
January 20, 2009 11:11 a.m.
my mother had alzheimers and I have read where mercury is very unhealthy, I at 58 years of age, will not put anything in my body where there is even a chance of getting alzheimers, and there is with mercury and this is my choice, no flu shot for me.
- uservick3633@aol.com
January 6, 2009 1:05 p.m.
I'm sorry, but I won't get the flu shot. I'm 58 and haven't ever gotten one nor don't plan on it, unless I can be convinced with evidence that it won't hurt me. My Dad got one and a few days later, his temperature went up to a dangerous 104 degrees!! The next year, his doc suggested that he get his flu shot, he did and he got sick again!! Temperature shot way up there, 104degrees!! He was very disoriented and couldn't even get up off teh couch. Nope not me! thanks, Brenda
- Brenda Carlile
January 5, 2009 5:14 p.m.
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-system/alzheimers-disease/. BestSitePicks highlights the very best websites for a variety of topics. Visitors vote links up and down the page, defining a Top 10 list, or weed out "bad links". To ensure quality, each topic has a maximum of 30 links. - E. Rachels
January 4, 2009 7:31 p.m.
From a global health perspective vaccination will always be advocated by the medical community in order to prevent pan/epidemics.The 'masses' expected to swallow such blanket prescriptions also have individual minds capable of self governing and determination.In order to make a critical decision between death by disease or intervention for oneself, perhaps the best public education campaign should include influencing facts such as whether or not the ethics and scientific review committee members involved in the provaccination validation have been vaccinationed along with their children and grandchildren.Thus, all the facts and less persuasion please. Kerrisma
- Kerrisma
December 25, 2008 9:21 p.m.
That's odd. My comment is missing. I guess it's just a technical glitch, so I'll repost. You wrote: "Consider also that thousands of healthy people die from the flu each year" May we see the proof please that thousands of healthy people die from the flu each year?
- Mom4truth
December 24, 2008 9:30 p.m.
The medical community is still in the dark ages when it comes to diagnosis of diseases. Basically they check blood pressure, cholestrol, diabetes, heart disease that is it. AD patients have the same damage to their liver, digestive system, brain injury as autism. Merucry causes inflammation of the brain, gastrointestinal disease (malabsorption) liver detoxification dysfuntion. Seniors getting pneumonia and flu shots full of mercury and also some containing alluminum is medical abuse of our seniors, just as the children have been medically abused. Do your homewrok, mercury is the second most toxic substance on the planet. You would not inject lead into a patient. Mercury is 750 times more toxic than lead. 36,000 do not die of the flu in the US each year. That is a lie. Check the CDC web page. You took an oath to do no harm. People are dying as a result of the poisons in the vaccines. We call it SIDS. With seniors you pretty much call it what you like. Mercury cause respiratory disease, seizures, heart problems. It it a contributing factor in many arthritis cases. Look up Dr. Boyd Haley on mercury poisoning. This desribes a generation of damaged children with multiple health issues and our senior population. Elaine Dow
- Elaine Dow
December 23, 2008 8:27 p.m.
Noted immunogeneticist H. Hugh Fudenberg, who has 850 papers in peer-reviewed journals, stated in 1997 that people who've had five consecutive flu shots from 1970-80 were 10 times more likely to get Alzheimer's disease than those who had one, two or no shots. Most injected flu shots contain 50,000 parts per billion of ethylmercury, or 25 micrograms. Look at flu vaccine package inserts, read the Thimerosal MSDS, and look up toxicology studies online. A 2005 NIEHS primate study by Dr. Thomas Burbacher et al. showed that ethylmercury from Thimerosal binds to brain tissue much more quickly than methylmercury from fish consumption. University of Kentucky chemist Boyd Haley, PhD has done extensive research on mercury and on the extreme neurotoxcity of Thimerosal, even at nanomolar levels. UC-Davis stated of its 2006 study, "When thimerosal, at a concentration as low as 20 parts per billion, alters the fidelity of normal calcium signals, dendritic cells show abnormal secretion of IL-6 cytokine - a potent chemical signal that initiates inflammatory responses." Researcher Dr. Isaac Pessah said, "Thimerosal dramatically alters how two key calcium channels, code-named RyR1 and IP3R1, found in dendritic cells function...." Agreed: Don't listen to laypeople... or those with conflicts of interest, or behind in their journal reading.
- Experts and studies
December 23, 2008 1:37 p.m.
Why is it that the medical community vehemently denies information such as this? What is more important here, drug companies giving doctor's hospitals, clinics perks or the best interests of the general public? Where is the truth?
- No Name Given
December 22, 2008 9:11 a.m.
Mercury affects tubulin and actin in neurons, denudung them, leading to neurofibrillary tangles (which have been found in the brains of Alheimer's patients. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11277574
- Helke
December 22, 2008 9:02 a.m.
Absolutely NO link between flu vaccine and AD! Ha. Show us the scientific proof of your wild statement. Perhaps not proved yet, but also not disproved. Autism and AD have much in common-google and check out the studies.
- Maurine Meleck
December 22, 2008 8:50 a.m.
According to a well knowm immunologist there is an increased risk of Alzthiemers after flu vaccination due to the mercury and alum. It is apparent that the aurthor has not researched. The fact that alum decreases the blood brain barrier is a tip off. The author should also see the studies done out at university of Kentucky by Boyde Hayley. Autopsies showed mercury was consistant in all Alzthiemers brains.
- noyfb
27 comments posted