Alzheimer’s drama – Still Alice
Julianne Moore receives Hollywood Actress Award for her performance as a linguistics professor with Alzheimer’s disease in the movie ‘Still Alice’. The Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland’s movie is based on the 2007 novel ‘Still Alice’, written by Lisa Genova, an American neuroscientist and author.
According to alzheimers.net there are several ‘Alzheimer’s books’ – “written from many different perspectives, including caregivers, family members and physicians”. The Site goodreads.com lists over 300 books & titles, where ‘Still Alice’ (Paperback) by Lisa Genova is listed first, shelved 185 times as Alzheimer’s, whereas amazon.com lists the top 100 most popular titles related to Alzheimer’s disease.
As per the Site verywell.com there are 8 films that deal with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. This includes: Away From Her (2007) – with Julie Christie, Oscar-nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of Fiona; The Savages (2007) – about children caring for a parent with dementia; Aurora Borealis (2006) – with Donald Sutherland and Louise Fletcher, where Sutherland plays a grandfather with dementia; The Notebook (2004) – about Allie (Gena Rowlands), who is in a nursing home due to Alzheimer’s disease, see more.
The movie ‘Still Alice’ is about a 50-year-old woman’s sudden decline into early onset Alzheimer’s disease. In this movies Julianne Moore plays Alice Howland, a linguistics professor at Columbia diagnosed with familial Alzheimer’s disease, whereas Alec Baldwin plays her husband, John, and Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth, and Hunter Parrish play her children, Lydia, Anna and Tom.
Alice Howland, a linguistics professor at Columbia University, celebrates her 50th birthday with her physician husband John and their three adult children. After she forgets a word during a lecture and becomes lost during a jog on campus, Alice’s doctor diagnoses her with early onset familial Alzheimer’s disease. Alice’s elder daughter, Anna, and son, Tom, take a genetic test to find out if they will develop the disease. Alice’s younger daughter Lydia, an aspiring actress, decides not to be tested.
Julianne Moore’s performance garnered widespread critical acclaim and won her the Academy Award for Best Actress (see above), the first of her career after four previous nominations.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Still Alice has a “Certified Fresh” rating of 85% based on 206 reviews, with an average rating of 7.40/10. The site’s consensus reads, “Elevated by a gripping performance from Julianne Moore, Still Alice is a heartfelt drama that honors its delicate themes with bravery and sensitivity.
Read more: hollywoodreporter.com
Why we bring out this short story?
BrainImmune published over 15 articles and posts related to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. This includes ‘the brain glymphatic system’ and dementia, the role of neuroinflammation and several cytokines, including IL-33, etc.
We also discuss the connection between stress and the increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. This covers the work of Lena Johansson, outlining the contemporary concepts and research trends related to the long terms effects of stress and their impact on risk and development of Alzheimer’s disease in women.
Of note, it appears that women specifically are more prone to stress-related disorders and have greater associated morbidity; they also react to stress with greater cortisol response, limbic system activation and cytokine activity as compared with men.
Additionally, another study from Sweden, where Lena Johansson is a first author, indicates that stress in middle-age women is associated with increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease decades later in life. This is perhaps the first population study on the relationship between midlife stressors and increased risk of dementia in late life.
Interestingly, as per alzheimers.net new research revealed that every stressful event was equal to 1.5 years of brain aging across all participants, except for African-Americans, where every stressful event was equal to 4 years of brain aging.
Moreover,a 2019 report based on the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area study indicates that a greater number of recent stressful life events, but not of more remote stressful events, was associated with greater verbal memory decline by in women but not in men.
Updates
More Movies About Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Age Old Friends (1989)
Age Old Friends is a classic film, where Hume Cronyn gave a great performance as John Cooper, who chose to live in a retirement home instead of with his daughter (played by Cronyn’s real-life daughter Tandy Cronyn), as a symbol of maintaining his independence.
While there, John befriends Michael (Vincent Gardenia), who starts showing signs of dementia. When John’s daughter extends an offer to live with her again, he must decide between leaving the rigid structure of the retirement home and staying to help his friend cope.
This Japanese film with English subtitles won several international film festival awards. It tells the story of Naomi (Maho), a troubled teen who gets sent to the country for the summer to work for her aunt and uncle.
Naomi is asked to care for an aging neighbor with Alzheimer’s. She is initially unhappy about the arrangement but soon connects with the woman in a transformative way.
Aurora Borealis (2005)
The story of a young man named Duncan. After returning home to care for aging grandparents, Duncan learns more about himself and the realities of growing older, particularly through his grandmother’s Alzheimer’s disease.
Aurora Borealis is a heartfelt exploration of caregiving, family bonds, and the compassion needed to support loved ones with memory challenges.
Away from Her (2006)
In “Away from Her,” Julie Christie was Oscar-nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of Fiona, a woman with Alzheimer’s who voluntarily enters a long-term care facility to avoid being a burden on Grant, her husband of 50 years.
Away From Her tells the story of Fiona, and Grant, her devoted husband. When Fiona decides to move to a memory care community, Grant struggles with her absence and the evolving dynamic of their relationship.
The Notebook (2004)
A classic romance beloved by many, The Notebook also gives audiences a glimpse into the realities of Alzheimer’s.
The story follows Noah and Allie, a couple whose deep love is tested when Allie develops Alzheimer’s. Noah reads their love story to her daily in an effort to help her remember. Through its touching narrative, this film showcases the power of love and connection—even when faced with memory loss.
The Savages (2007)
The Savages follows siblings Wendy and Jon as they face the responsibility of caring for their ailing father, diagnosed with dementia. They must confront their own struggles while tackling the challenge of Alzheimer’s disease.
This movie showcases the challenges and conflicting emotions faced by families when caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. It also highlights the importance of communication and forgiveness in difficult situations, even when difficult.
The Artist’s Wife (2019)
Set in the art world of New York, The Artist’s Wife explores the relationship between Claire and her artist husband, Richard, who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
As Claire transitions into the role of caregiver, she faces emotional and personal challenges, striving to balance her own identity while supporting her husband. The film powerfully portrays the resilience and love needed to face life’s changing dynamics.
Related stories you may like:
Lena Johansson, Stress and Alzheimer’s Risk in Women
Benzodiazepine Use May Increase the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
New Evidence Suggests Targeting Neuroinflammation May Be One Key to Slowing Alzheimer’s Disease
The Brain Glymphatic System: From a Good Night’s Sleep to the Onset of Dementia
Microglia and TREM2 Microglia-Specific Gene May Exert a Protective Role in Alzheimer´s Disease
Aducanumab Shows Promise in Reducing Alzheimer’s Amyloid-β Plaques
Interleukin-33 Reverses Cognitive Deficits in Alzheimer’s Mouse Model