Contents
Alzheimer’s disease takes away the memory and damages the brain, it is irreversible. It is considered to be one of the most serious health crises of the XNUMXst century. How can you protect yourself against it? Scientists have discovered a way that makes the brain more resistant to the destructive effects of Alzheimer’s. This can delay the onset of symptoms for years. Moreover, this method is pleasant.
- Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible brain disease that gradually destroys neurons, memory, thinking abilities, and independence
- Research suggests that exercising the brain through reading, writing, and games or puzzles may make it more resistant to the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s
- Researchers believe such brain training in old age could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms by five years
- More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.
Alzheimer’s is irreversible, but the brain can be “immunized” against its effects
Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible brain disease that destroys neurons (the brain is slowly shrinking), and so also includes memory, thinking ability and, finally, the ability to perform the simplest activities. This can mean that the sick person gets lost, trouble paying bills, problems recognizing friends and loved ones, changes in personality and behavior (e.g. loss of inhibitions, distrust).
Alzheimer’s disease is progressive, which means that symptoms develop gradually over many years, leading to more and more problems. When the stage is advanced, the patient is no longer able to perform normal daily activities – he cannot dress, eat or wash himself, he becomes completely dependent on the care of others.
It is known that the cause of Alzheimer’s disease is the build-up of two types of proteins in the brain: the so-called beta-amyloid; and the tau protein. The resulting protein deposits first disturb the proper functioning of nerve cells, and then lead to their degeneration and death. It still remains a mystery exactly what triggers this destructive process. However, a recent discovery by scientists from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago shows how you can protect yourself from the damaging effects of these compounds on the brain, and thus delay the onset of dementia symptoms by up to five years.
How to delay symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. What did the research show?
This method is simple and within the reach of every person. Moreover, it is never too late to apply it and on its own it is rather enjoyable. What is it about? About activities such as reading, writing, playing cards, checkers, chess, solving puzzles. They all exercise the brain by making it more “resistant” to Alzheimer’s disease. This has been shown by studies lasting several years. Their results were published in the medical journal “Neurology”.
- A way to detect Alzheimer’s early. The key is the way we speak
1 people, whose average age was around 903, participated in the study. At the time of starting the analyzes, the volunteers were not diagnosed with dementia. At the beginning of the seven-year follow-up, they answered seven questions assessing their level of cognitive activity. They were asked how much time they spent reading (newspapers or books) each day, how often they wrote letters, solved puzzles, played games, e.g. cards or checkers.
Researchers also collected information about their cognitive activity early in life, participating in social activities, including visiting friends or relatives, living together or alone. Each participant agreed to annual tests to detect possible signs of dementia, as well as to dissect the brain after death (695 in total).
- A simple test for Alzheimer’s disease. All you need is a piece of paper and a pencil
At the end of the study, 457 participants had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. However, in people with the highest level of cognitive activity in old age (several times a week), the first symptoms of dementia developed around the age of 94 (regardless of gender and level of education). In people with the lowest levels of cognitive activity in old age, Alzheimer’s symptoms were observed at the age of 88,6 years.
Mind gymnastics protects the brain from dementia
‘The study suggests that a cognitively active lifestyle can delay the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders for several years and thus significantly reduce life expectancy in a state of cognitive disability,’ concluded Dr Robert Wilson, lead author of the article in Neurology. – We showed that the rate of onset of dementia symptoms was not influenced by the participants’ education and mental activity earlier in life. It was mainly the mental gymnastics that mattered later in life – he adds. This suggests that cognitive activity in old age is the most important factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Scientists believe that cognitive stimulants alter the structure and function of the brain, strengthening certain nervous systems, “so that relatively more damage is required before they stop working”. “You could say that lifelong cognitive activity delays symptoms but does not stop the underlying disease,” notes James Rowe, professor of cognitive neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, who is not involved in the research. – In other words, this activity provides a kind of “reserve” that makes the brain more “immune” to the destructive effects of Alzheimer’s, allowing it to function better over a longer period of time – explains the specialist. Scientists estimate that a cognitively active lifestyle in old age can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms by about five years.
Increasing evidence suggests that cognitive engagement may be a modifiable risk factor for dementia, stresses neuroscientist Claire Sexton, director of
Attention is drawn to the fact that the described study was conducted on a group of mostly white and well-educated participants. The researchers suggest that future observations should include a more diverse group of people with a broader range of cognitive experiences.
We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to ecology. How to be eco and not go crazy? How can we care for our planet on a daily basis? What and how to eat? You will hear about this and many other topics related to ecology in the new episode of our podcast.