Neurologist Ekaterina Demyanovskaya, a candidate of medical sciences and an expert physician at the Hemotest Laboratory, told RT that Alzheimer's disease develops gradually and initially manifests itself as barely noticeable memory impairments, especially in relation to recent events.
“Over time, the disease progresses, affecting not only memory, but also speech, thinking, and the ability to navigate in space. In the later stages, a person loses the ability to live independently, forgets loved ones, and cannot perform basic actions,” the doctor explained.
According to her, the main cause of the disease is the accumulation of pathological proteins in the brain: amyloid plaques and tau protein.
“These substances disrupt the functioning of neurons in the brain and lead to their death, causing irreversible changes. The more nerve cells die, the more severe the symptoms of the disease become,” Demyanovskaya said.
The expert noted that people over 65 years of age are at risk, but the disease can also begin in younger people, although this happens less often.
“With age, the risk of getting sick increases significantly: by the age of 85, the probability of developing the disease reaches 25-30%,” the doctor said.
Other risk factors, she says, include heredity, gender, and certain chronic diseases.
“So, if a relative is diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia, the likelihood of other family members getting sick increases. The disease is diagnosed more often in women than in men. It is believed that this is due to a relatively longer life expectancy. Hypertension, diabetes, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and a history of head injuries increase the risk of rapid progression of cognitive impairment,” the neurologist added.
She warned that early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can be so subtle that people often don't take them seriously.
“For example, a person may experience slight forgetfulness, especially in relation to recent events, he cannot remember what he was asked a couple of days ago, who he saw, what he talked about. Other symptoms of the disease are disorientation in familiar places, difficulty finding words and expressing thoughts, changes in mood and personality, such as increased irritability or isolation, previously unusual for a person. If a person notices these symptoms in himself or a loved one, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible,” the specialist advised.
Although Alzheimer's disease cannot be prevented, steps can be taken to reduce the risk and slow its progression, the neurologist reminded.
“Learning new things, solving puzzles and reading help keep your brain active, and regular exercise has a beneficial effect on the health of your heart and blood vessels and prevents obesity. It is also important to monitor your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels and promptly correct existing health problems, avoid head injuries, correct hearing loss with hearing aids, and minimize alcohol consumption,” the doctor advised.
According to her, social contacts and emotional support play a significant role in maintaining cognitive functions.
“The more a person is involved in communication and active life, the longer his cognitive activity is maintained,” concluded Demyanovskaya.
September 21 is International Alzheimer's Awareness Day.
Earlier, Demyanovskaya told RT what causes insomnia and what to do to feel alert.
