Alzheimer’s disease, notorious for causing gradual memory loss, impacts nearly 50 million people worldwide, including those with related conditions. It’s a pressing concern as we mark the World Alzheimer’s Awareness Day on September 21st.
This disease is better understood and diagnosed today than in the past. However, there still isn’t a cure available, reminding us of the importance of continued research.
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
First identified in 1906 by German physician Alois Alzheimer, this neurodegenerative disease results in the gradual deterioration of cognitive abilities, eventually leading to the patient’s loss of independence.
Typical symptoms include repeated memory lapses, disorientation, and difficulties with everyday tasks like using a mobile phone. Such symptoms should prompt individuals to seek medical consultation or evaluation at specialized centers through neuropsychological tests to confirm or rule out Alzheimer’s.
The Global Impact
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that about 47 million people globally suffer from dementia, with 60-70% of these cases being Alzheimer’s. Annually, 9.9 million new cases are diagnosed.
What Causes Alzheimer’s?
In most cases, the exact cause of Alzheimer’s remains unknown. According to Dr. Stéphane Epelbaum, a neurologist at Paris’ Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, why some people’s neurons begin to deteriorate while others do not is still a mystery.
However, the sequence of events leading to this degeneration is becoming clearer through ongoing research.
Key Risk Factors
Age is the most significant known risk factor. WHO estimates that starting from age 85, one in four women and one in five men may develop Alzheimer’s. From age 65, the risk doubles every five years.
Despite its association with aging, Alzheimer’s is not an inevitable consequence of getting older. There is also a hereditary form of Alzheimer’s, accounting for about 1% of cases, which can manifest much earlier, around 60 years or even before.
For the non-hereditary form, studies have identified several risk factors, including a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and an unbalanced diet. Factors like depression, low educational level, social isolation, and lack of intellectual activities are also cited by WHO as risk factors.
Diagnosis Tools
Previously, diagnosing Alzheimer’s was difficult, often requiring posthumous confirmation. Today, diagnosis is simpler. It primarily involves clinical examination, using a series of questions to identify cognitive impairments, as explained by Professor Epelbaum.
To confirm the disease, doctors may employ medical imaging, such as MRI and PET scans, to visualize brain changes and perform lumbar punctures to detect specific disease markers.
Current Treatments
As of now, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s. Numerous therapeutic strategies are still in fundamental research stages, as stated by the French Medical Research Foundation (FRM), a research and patient support organization.
Although there are medications aimed at reducing the brain lesions characteristic of Alzheimer’s, known as amyloid plaques, they have proven ineffective in halting the disease’s progression on their own.
The future of Alzheimer’s treatment likely involves a combination of several drugs targeting the various dysfunctions caused by the disease, posits Professor Epelbaum.
We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences on this topic. Have you or someone you know encountered Alzheimer’s? What do you think could help raise awareness or support for research in this area?
Your insights and stories could greatly contribute to our understanding and approach to this significant health issue.
