What are the Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease?

Dementia isconsidered a major health problem for the elderly population worldwide. Therate of dementia is estimated at 1.5% among people aged 65 and older, andincreases with age, reaching 22% among those aged 85 and older.[1]

Dementia is aserious health problem whose prevalence increases with aging, and Alzheimer'sdisease is the most common of all types of dementia.¹ Alzheimer'sdisease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by decreasedcognitive function, self-care deficits, and various neuropsychiatric andbehavioral disorders, resulting from neuronal and synaptic loss in variousparts of the central nervous system (CNS).[2]

Risk Factors

Aging is asignificant risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease, and theprevalence of the disease has been reported to double every five years afterage 65.² In addition, head trauma, viral infections, and metaboliclesions also increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Recently, it has beensuggested that a diet high in saturated fat increases the risk of developingAlzheimer's disease.[3]

Geneticpredisposition is another important factor in the development of Alzheimer'sdisease; an increased risk of the disease has been observed in individuals withfirst-degree relatives with Alzheimer's disease.²

Symptoms ofAlzheimer's Disease

The primaryearly clinical symptom of Alzheimer's disease is memory impairment. Sevenstages have been identified in the clinical course of Alzheimer's disease:²

Stage 1: The patient begins to exhibit symptomsof cognitive decline.²

Stage 2: The patient begins to forget thelocation of common objects such as wallets, keys, and glasses, butcommunication skills are not yet impaired. (Very mild cognitive impairment)²

Stage 3: Patients have difficulty choosing wordsduring conversations and remembering the names of acquaintances, and theyfrequently lose belongings. In this stage, patients' planning andorganizational skills are reduced. (Mild cognitive impairment)²

Stage 4: Patients exhibit significant short-termmemory deficits. Memory impairments related to personal history are alsopresent. Patients tend to be withdrawn in social situations. (Moderatecognitive impairment)²

Stage 5: Patients experience mental confusionrelated to time and place. They have difficulty remembering important detailssuch as addresses, phone numbers, and the names of their alma maters. Theyrequire assistance with self-care and daily activities. (Moderate-to-severecognitive impairment / Early-stage dementia)²

Stage 6: Difficulty in spontaneous speech,word-finding, and loss of speech skills are observed. Patients experiencingdifficulty with bowel continence require more assistance with daily activities.(Severe cognitive impairment / Mid-stage dementia)²

Stage 7: Patients' speech abilities havediminished or disappeared, and they experience difficulty swallowing. In thisstage, patients require 24-hour care. (Very severe cognitive impairment /Late-stage dementia)²

What to Doto Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

· Prioritizeengaging in mentally challenging and interesting activities, learning newinformation, and pursuing new pursuits. (Such as Sudoku, learning a newlanguage, chess)[4]

· Thebrain needs time to store information and experiences in long-term memory.Therefore, a good sleep schedule is important.⁴

· Stressimpairs attention, concentration, and recall, so reducing stress is apreventative measure.⁴

· Anactive physical life increases blood circulation, increasing the transport ofoxygen and nutrients to brain cells. This allows the brain to function moreeffectively.

· Researchshows that people with a wide and diverse social network stay healthier. Havingan active social life reduces the risk of Alzheimer's.

Every September 21st, World Alzheimer's Day iscelebrated to raise awareness about the disease and raise public awareness. Ifyou or your loved one experiences these symptoms, do not delay in consulting

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