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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 52st century. 30 million people are already struggling with alzheimer’s disease, and in XNUMX years there will be three times more. The exact cause of the disease is still unknown. And while a drug that has just been approved in the US may be a hope, it is important to know what signals indicate the development of Alzheimer’s, who is at risk, and what is happening in the patient’s brain. In the article, we remind you of the most important information.
- Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible disease of the brain that gradually destroys neurons and – hence – memory, thinking abilities, the ability to perform the simplest tasks
- Degenerative changes in the brain can begin 10 years or more before the onset of cognitive problems
- The development of Alzheimer’s is influenced by genes, gender and the environment. The disease most often affects people over 65 years of age
- June 7 this year The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Aduhelm – the first drug to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s
- More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.
What is Alzheimer’s disease and where does it come from?
Are memory problems a natural sequence of things in the aging process or a sign of illness, especially alzheimer’s? This question is probably asked by many people who happen to – more or less often – forget about something. The answers are provided on its website by the Polish Association for Aid to Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease. “While the speed of remembering and intellectual abilities do deteriorate slightly with age, such problems should not interfere with everyday life,” emphasizes the organization.
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If, however, memory problems worsen, it could be an early sign of developing dementia (aka dementia) – a condition that is not a normal consequence of aging, and which, in the simplest terms, means progressive difficulty in independently carrying out daily activities. This can mean getting lost, trouble managing money and paying bills, trouble recognizing family and friends, repeating questions, doing normal activities for longer, changes in personality and behavior (e.g., impulsive behavior, loss of inhibitions, distrust). There are several causes of dementia, but Alzheimer’s disease turns out to be the most common. It is estimated that it is responsible for 50-70 percent. all cases of dementia.
Summarizing, Alzheimer’s disease is therefore an irreversible, progressive brain disease that gradually destroys neurons (the brain gradually shrinks) and thus memory, thinking abilities and, finally, the ability to perform the simplest tasks. The question arises, however, why are these changes taking place at all? Unfortunately, it is still unknown what exactly triggers the degeneration of the nervous system. It is known that its cause is the deposition 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.
Alzheimer’s Disease – Early and Advanced Symptoms
Scientists suspect that degenerative changes in the brain may begin 10 or more years before cognitive problems develop. The second important point is that Alzheimer’s disease is progressive, which means that symptoms develop gradually over many years, leading to more and more problems. It is worth remembering that symptoms vary depending on the stage or severity of the changes in the brain.
For mild symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease you can include, among others problems remembering new information, distraction. Patients have problems with memory related to currently performed activities, e.g. they forget where they have left their keys. Additionally, there may be mood swings, depression symptoms, patients avoid contact with people, withdraw from social life.
Moderate symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease: impaired speech and orientation in the field add to memory problems. Patients stop recognizing previously known places, problems begin with getting home, even with recognizing family members or friends. Delusions may arise.
- «Demon» called Alzheimer’s – Barbara’s family story
When Alzheimer’s disease 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. There is a complete failure to recognize the closest people, and even the time of day and night. There may be problems with walking, urine and stool maintenance, weight loss, difficulty swallowing, and seizures.
Who is most at risk of Alzheimer’s? The main factor and more
As noted above, it is not known exactly what causes Alzheimer’s disease. This is likely to be influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. The importance of any of these in increasing or decreasing the risk of developing the disease can vary from person to person.
The most important risk factors for the development of Alzheimer’s disease, however, is the aging process (the most common disease is people over 65). It is also one of the biggest mysteries of this ailment. Why does it mainly affect the elderly? Scientists are trying to find out by studying, for example, how age-related changes in the brain can damage neurons and affect other types of brain cells.
According to the prestigious Mayo Clinic (the organization conducts research, clinical and integrated patient care), other factors increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s include:
Family history. People whose parents or siblings have Alzheimer’s have a slightly higher risk of developing the disease.
Down syndrome. People with Down’s syndrome are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease because they have three copies of chromosome 21, which can lead to the development of more amyloid plaques in the brain
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI). People with MCI have more memory problems than others their age, although it does not interfere with their functioning. However, it is believed that MCI may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Serious head injuries.
Low level of education. People with less than high school education may be at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Treatment of Azheimer’s disease. “Good news for patients”
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease at the moment, but medications are available to alleviate some of the symptoms, including over-agitation or depression. Work to develop a medicine and better understand Alzheimer’s disease is ongoing. And there are effects of it. June 7 this year The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Aduhelm, the first drug to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. This medicine contains aducanumab, a substance that removes sticky protein (amyloid beta) deposits from the brains of patients in the earlier stages of the disease. In this way, the processes of brain destruction are to be stopped.
“Although the data on Aduhelm are complex in terms of clinical benefit, the FDA has determined that there is substantial evidence that the drug reduces the amount of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, which is likely to benefit patients,” the agency wrote in a statement. – This is good news for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. But this is not yet a cure for this disease. We hope the drug will slow the progression of the disease, commented Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s expert Ronald Petersen.
Experts agree that in addition to medications, lifestyle factors such as physical, mental and social activity can help the brain. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, with moderate amounts of fish, poultry, and dairy products can also be beneficial.
- How to nourish a patient with Alzheimer’s disease?
What can we do to reduce or delay the risk of dementia? On the government website patient.gov.pl, the Ministry of Health advises:
- quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption
- following a healthy, balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight
- reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and controlling blood pressure
- preventing the development of diabetes
- maintaining physical fitness and mental activity
- staying mentally and socially active.
It is recommended: reading, learning foreign languages (preferably new ones), playing musical instruments, volunteering (social activity), doing group sports, trying new activities or hobbies, maintaining an active social life.
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