Alzheimer's disease develops imperceptibly, long before the first symptoms appear. This terrible disease takes away from a person what is most precious - memory and the ability to think.
This insidious neurodegenerative disease is characterized by cognitive impairment. Alzheimer's disease progresses gradually and can lead to significant impairment in the ability to perform daily activities. It is one of the leading causes of dementia in the elderly. It is a disease that people fear more than heart disease or cancer.
Symptoms such as:
It turns out that yes! Memory loss is the most common symptom found in people with Alzheimer's disease. Recent studies show that people who develop memory impairment at an early stage develop the disease at a slower rate than those who manifest other symptoms at an early stage.
Researchers have found that difficulties in formulating sentences, planning, problem-solving or problems with orientation in time and space predict a much more severe course of the disease than in people whose memory problems first appeared.
Memory issues are the most common early symptom of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Research results show that in almost 80% of cases, memory loss is the first sign, of developing Alzheimer's disease. This is so common that many people do not associate Alzheimer's disease with other symptoms.
However, researchers have found that nearly 10% of patients with dementia initially have symptoms related to executive functions. Patients may have difficulties with judgment, be unable to plan their day efficiently or perform simple tasks such as logging on to a computer.
Another 10% reported speech-related issues as their first symptom. Patients are unable to speak in full sentences and have difficulty expressing themselves.
Early signs of disease can prove to be an invaluable clue to help patients and their families better prepare for what lies ahead. With this information, we are better able to plan clinical trials to help develop new drugs.
The researchers found that the difference in the rate of cognitive decline was large enough that it may have influenced the results of clinical trials that led to the approval of the Alzheimer's disease drugs Aduhelm (aducanumab) and Leqembi (lecanemab).
Future clinical trials may need to be more careful to make sure that people in different symptom groups respond similarly to treatment. This is not yet personalization of treatment, but a differentiated approach that may prove beneficial to many patients.
Early signs of Alzheimer's disease can be detected as early as eight years before the onset of full-blown disease. Examples of early signs include short-term memory loss and difficulty handling language, as well as depression and apathy.
With mild symptoms, the disease often goes undiagnosed until severe learning disabilities and short-term memory deterioration occur. Over time, situations arise in which the sick person puts himself or others in danger because he is seemingly "out of his mind."
Early detection of symptoms of the disease and taking appropriate action is important insofar as a patient in an advanced stage of the disease requires difficult and costly round-the-clock and long-term care.
The cause of Alzheimer's disease is not fully known. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and two major pathologies, amyloid β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Over the past decade, studies have also confirmed chronic inflammation in the brain as the third underlying cause of Alzheimer's disease. Prolonged activation of brain-resident macrophages (microglia) and other immune cells has been shown to exacerbate the pathology of both amyloid and tau protein, and may serve as a link in the pathogenesis of brain dysfunction.
For several years, the role of the gut microbiota as a key regulator of many disease states has been uncovered. Changes in the gut microbiome have been linked to neurodegeneration through the increasingly understood brain axis of gut microflora, opening up the possibility of new microflora-based therapeutic options. Dysregulation of gut microbiota homeostasis appears to play an important role in Alzheimer's disease.
The gut microbiota encompasses a complex community of microbial species that are found in our gastrointestinal ecosystem and whose changes affect not only various intestinal disorders, but also central nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The microbiota-gut-brain axis is a two-way communication system that is not fully understood, but involves neural, immune, hormonal and metabolic pathways. Increased permeability of the gut and blood-brain barrier caused by microbiota dysbiosis may mediate or influence the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, especially those associated with aging. In addition, bacteria populating the intestinal microflora may secrete large amounts of amyloids and lipopolysaccharides, which may contribute to modulation of signaling pathways and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Certain genetic traits have also been linked to a significant increase in the risk of the disease. Certain gene polymorphisms cause the accumulation of malformed proteins in specific regions of the brain, which in turn leads to progressive neuronal damage. This is why genetic testing is an invaluable predictor, allowing to assess the risk of Alzheimer's disease long before the first symptoms appear.
Importantly, thanks to epigenetics, we already know a number of management methods that can at least significantly slow down the development of this terrible disease.
Alzheimer's DNA genetic testing is used to detect gene mutations that are associated with Alzheimer's disease. The test involves determining the type and number of mutations in specific genes. Some polymorphisms cause a 15-fold increase in risk, while others reduce the risk by 30% compared to the average population-specific risk.
Alzheimer's DNA genetic testing helps to better understand the disease, as well as identify people who are more susceptible to the disease. This enables better management of the disease, including better understanding of behavior and prevention of complications.
With the introduction of proper prevention we can delay the development of the disease for up to many years. The measures we can take are appropriate memory training, lifestyle changes, as well as the introduction of an appropriate personalized diet and proper control of other conditions.
https://www.newsmax.com/health/health-news/alzheimers-symptoms-dementia/2023/01/25/id/1105863/
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