‘Circulation of Memories’

By Madeline Garcia

Artist's Narrative

           “Circulation of Memories” is a mixed media drawing representing the effectiveness of non-prescription blood pressure medication and lifestyle practices in Alzheimer's prevention. The components of this piece were chosen to better highlight the vital health factors regarding the prevention of this disease, the behavioral pattern of Alzheimer's disease in the brain, the techniques being used to identify biomarkers, and the current researchable hypothesis regarding increased blood flow due to medication. The images incorporated into the vascular structures descending from the brain structure represent the important areas of overall health in preventing Alzheimer’s disease including physical, vascular, and reproductive health, as well as support in relationships. The lumbar spine is portrayed as being intertwined within the blood vessels to represent the lumbar puncture: a technique used to identify biomarkers for Alzheimer's in the genome of patients. Finally, the bookshelves portrayed in the brain are a symbolic representation of stored memory, both short and long-term, and specifically how “recent volumes” titles begin to fade. The color emphasis on the central brain and blood vessels is meant to emphasize the importance of blood flow in brain health, as well as the area of stored memory–the hippocampus–in the brain.

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