Alzheimer’s disease: which symptoms should raise concern and what may reduce the risk

Alzheimer’s disease may manifest not only through memory problems. The first signs may also include changes in emotional state, difficulty performing familiar activities, sleep or gait disturbances. In an interview with UNN, neurologist of the highest category and Candidate of Medical Sciences Tetiana Maikova spoke in detail about what Alzheimer’s disease is, how to recognize it, and whether it can be cured.

Details

According to the doctor, Alzheimer’s disease is associated with degenerative changes in the brain, but it can begin differently in different people. However, ordinary age-related forgetfulness does not necessarily indicate an illness, which is why it is important to pay attention to whether the disturbances recur and gradually become more severe.

Some people may forget how to cook borscht, even though they have cooked it all their lives. Some may fail to recognize their loved ones. Some may forget how they ended up in a particular place. Others may develop difficulty walking. Emotional disturbances may also occur — depression, anxiety, increased irritability, or aggression. The key point is that these symptoms recur systematically and progress. If a person forgets where they put their glasses once but then remembers, that does not yet mean they have the disease

The disease most often develops in older age, and the risk increases over the years, the expert says. At the same time, early-onset forms of the disease also exist.

Usually, this disease develops later in life — statistically, most cases occur after the age of 60. However, early-onset forms of Alzheimer’s disease can also occur, even at age 40. As a rule, these are hereditary forms, when a specific gene associated with dementia is present in the family

According to the neurologist, it is impossible to detect the disease through a single examination alone. However, close relatives can play an important role, since they are usually the first to notice that a loved one’s behavior or habits have changed.

There is no special examination that can be administered to everyone and provide certainty that a person will develop Alzheimer’s disease. An MRI can show signs of neurodegeneration, but these signs alone do not confirm the diagnosis. We assess clinical manifestations more extensively and use tests. Most often, it is relatives, friends, or colleagues who notice that a person is becoming different

The doctor advises paying particular attention to lifestyle. Among the important factors, she names physical activity, social connections, having a purpose, and controlling metabolism. At the same time, she emphasizes the importance of adequate sleep.

The brain needs to know that it is needed — this is very important. A consistently active lifestyle, movement, engaging activities, work, and communication with people are necessary for a fulfilling life. It is important for a person to have a purpose. Adequate sleep is also necessary, because the immune system recovers at night and processes related to the restoration of the body take place

The doctor also emphasizes that prolonged stress can affect brain function. Therefore, it is worth listening to yourself and seeking medical attention in a timely manner.

Emotional stress triggers many negative processes in the body through the brain’s systems. If a person has difficulty coping with stress and cannot switch off, this is already a reason to seek help. After the age of 60, sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, and panic attacks should be treated

Can Alzheimer’s disease be prevented?

The neurologist separately emphasizes the role of chronic pain and physical activity. She advises not to ignore pain that prevents a person from sleeping or moving normally, as this also indicates exhaustion of brain activity.

Chronic pain is a constant source of strain on the brain. If the pain is severe and interferes with sleep or movement, it must be treated

To reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, Tetiana Maikova also emphasized the importance of diet. In particular, the doctor advises ensuring an adequate intake of protein and vegetables and generally following the principles of the Mediterranean diet. She also recommends limiting unhealthy drinks.

Protein should be part of the diet every day—it includes meat, fish, eggs, and fermented dairy products. Vegetables are also necessary. As for caffeinated drinks, they should be limited as much as possible: coffee, tea, cocoa, and cola, because caffeine makes the body expend more energy. And at night, this energy needs to be restored—which is why sleep is very important

Can Alzheimer's disease be cured?

For a long time, one of the main areas of Alzheimer's research was the so-called amyloid theory. According to the doctor, it determined the direction of much of the subsequent scientific research and the development of relevant drugs.

In 2006, the journal Nature published an article by scientists from the University of Minnesota. They showed that the main cause of Alzheimer's disease was amyloid plaques—proteins that disrupt communication between cells. There are also tau proteins, which impair their functioning. At that point, the entire world decided that if we fought amyloid plaques and tau proteins, we would be able to cure people with Alzheimer's disease

However, this theory turned out to be false, and the research had been falsified.

Last year, I believe, a relatively little-known independent researcher repeated the experiments once conducted at the University of Minnesota, on the basis of which the relevant conclusions had been drawn. His results could not be replicated, so he reviewed the photographs from the study and found signs of falsification. This shows that such things happen even in global science. At the same time, the journal Nature retracted its 2006 article on the amyloid theory

Unfortunately, this situation also affected the subsequent development of drugs against the disease, which failed to produce the expected results for patients.

For twenty years, the entire world followed the wrong path, and billions were spent on creating drugs against amyloid plaques. The plaques were removed, but Alzheimer's disease itself was not cured. It later became clear that plaques may be more of a protective mechanism in Alzheimer's disease rather than the cause of the condition. Therefore, approaches to studying the disease are now different

Thus, at present, treating Alzheimer's disease remains a complex issue, while approaches to its causes continue to be studied.

Alzheimer's disease is not a disease with a single cause. It is the result of many changes in the body that may ultimately lead to a loss of energy in the brain. Various approaches are now being studied, including their impact on neuronal function, metabolism, neuroinflammation, and deep brain stimulation. We still need to conduct a great deal of research to better understand how to influence these processes

For prevention, the doctor advises remaining physically and socially active, maintaining intellectual activity, and not giving up social interaction after retirement. She also recommends creating safe conditions for adequate sleep. In her view, caring for the brain should be part of a person's lifestyle at any age.

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