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Alzheimer’s And Dementia Facts

Though The Symptoms And Characteristics Of Alzheimer’s Are Well Understood The Causes And Risk Factors Are Still Being Researched

Alzheimer’s Association 2022 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures

Although doctors have a good understanding of the symptoms and physical evidence of Alzheimers disease , its less clear what causes the condition. Thats one reason a definitive cure has been elusive.

Studies have shown that there is a genetic component to Alzheimers disease. Having a particular variant of the APOE gene , for instance, can increase a persons risk of developing Alzheimers. APOE is involved in producing a protein that helps carry cholesterol and other fats in the bloodstream. Its estimated that about 25% of people carry one copy of APOE 4. People get one copy of APOE from each of their parents, so depending on their parents genes, a person can have up to two copies of APOE 4. They might not have anyinstead, they may have some combination of APOE 2 and APOE 3.

Its important to note that having the APOE 4 variant doesnt guarantee that someone will develop Alzheimers, and not having the APOE 4 variant doesnt guarantee that they wont. APOE is only one component of a complex set of risk factors.

A persons risk of developing early-onset Alzheimers has been connected to mutations to several different genes: amyloid precursor protein on chromosome 21, presenilin 1 on chromosome 14, and presenilin 2 on chromosome 1.

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People With Dementia Are Four Times More Likely To Die From Covid

Nearly two-thirds of dementia patients with COVID-19 are hospitalized, compared to 25% of the general public. As for African Americans with dementia, that figure jumps to 70%.

Also, data on the mortality rate of Alzheimers disease reveals that more than 20% of patients with dementia died when they contracted the virus, compared to only 5% of people without dementia.

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What Is Known About Reducing Your Risk Of Alzheimers Disease

The science on risk reduction is quickly evolving, and major breakthroughs are within reach. For example, there is growing evidence that people who adopt healthy lifestyle habits like regular exercise and blood pressure management can lower their risk of dementia. There is growing scientific evidence that healthy behaviors, which have been shown to prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, may also reduce risk for subjective cognitive decline. To learn more about the current state of evidence on dementia risk factors and the implications for public health, please read the following summaries on Cardiovascular Health, Exercise, Diabetes and Obesity, Traumatic Brain Injury , Tobacco and Alcohol, Diet and Nutrition, Sleep, Sensory Impairment, and Social Engagement or the Compiled Report .

Aging

There Is An Increased Likelihood Of Depression Emotional Stress And Financial Problems Among Caregivers For Those With The Disease

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The communication difficulties and personality changes of Alzheimers can place an incredible strain on caregivers. The close relationship between the caregiver and the impaired person a relationship involving shared emotions, experiences and memories may particularly place caregivers at risk for psychological and physical illness, reports the Alzheimers Association. Social and therapeutic support are shown to reduce this risk.

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Key Points About Early

  • Alzheimer disease commonly affects older people, but early-onset Alzheimer disease can affect people in their 30s or 40s.

  • It affects memory, thinking, and behavior.

  • Although there is no known cure, early diagnosis and treatment can lead to better quality of life.

  • Stay healthy with a good diet and regular exercise.

  • Avoid alcohol and other substances that may affect memory, thinking, and behavior.

Medications To Maintain Mental Function In Alzheimer’s Disease

Several medications are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat symptoms of Alzheimers. Donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine are used to treat the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimers. Donepezil, memantine, the rivastigmine patch, and a combination medication of memantine and donepezil are used to treat moderate to severe Alzheimers symptoms. All of these drugs work by regulating neurotransmitters, the chemicals that transmit messages between neurons. They may help reduce symptoms and help with certain behavioral problems. However, these drugs dont change the underlying disease process. They are effective for some but not all people and may help only for a limited time.

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Your Heart And Your Head Are Closely Related

Theres interesting research on how inflammation in one part of the body can lead to inflammation in other parts. In Alzheimers disease, theres a buildup of inflammatory proteins in the brain. Many chronic conditions including diabetes and heart disease are also shown to involve inflammation.

There are links between heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and the development of Alzheimers disease. All of these are recognized to involve inflammation in different parts of the body.

According to a 2019 report in Circulation Research, a failing heart might activate or aggravate a disease in the brain like Alzheimers disease.

There are things you can do to help prevent or manage heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. These things may play a role in preventing or managing Alzheimers disease.

Recommendations include:

  • eating an anti-inflammatory diet, such as the Mediterranean way of eating
  • regular monitoring of blood pressure and treatment with dietary changes, activity, and medications, as needed
  • quitting or cutting down on smoking if you smoke
  • practicing physical activity
  • managing cholesterol levels with dietary changes and medications, as needed
  • monitoring blood sugar levels and managing prediabetes or diabetes with dietary changes, physical activity, and medications, as needed

Heart disease may also be a cause of vascular dementia, which results from narrowed blood vessels in the brain. This leads to a decrease in oxygen to brain tissues.

How Common Is Dementia

Dementia and Delirium The Facts

Dementia affects around 5 million people in the U.S. who are at least age 65. The number of people affected increases as age increases.

It’s estimated that by the year 2060, around 14 million people in the U.S. will have some type of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease alone affects about 6 million people in the U.S.

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Alzheimer’s In The United States

lzheimers in the United States is becoming more prevalent than ever.

The number of men and women with Alzheimers disease is expected to double in the next 30 years, according to a new analysis of U.S. Census data.

It is estimated that 6 million Americans aged 65 and older have Alzheimers today, or about one new case every 65 seconds. This number is expected to rise to 13 million.

When It Comes To Alzheimer’s Prevention Is Key

While there’s no one way to definitively prevent Alzheimer’s, experts say there may be several ways to lower your risk. Getting regular physical exercise, quitting smoking, maintaining strong social connections with others, managing underlying conditions such as high blood pressure and blood sugar, and getting adequate sleep are just a few of the strategies medical experts recommend.

Additionally, following a healthy eating plan such as the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delayalso known as the MIND dietcan lessen your Alzheimer’s risk. This particular diet emphasizes minimally processed, plant-based foods while limiting saturated fats, sugars, and animal products.

Since a healthy diet is believed to greatly lower one’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s, experts are now exploring various “nutraceuticals”foods that improve health or prevent diseasein relation to cognitive decline. In fact, the ACS study says that hop flowers, commonly used to brew bitter beers, may be one such food. That’s because certain chemical compounds found within hops appear to prevent the buildup of amyloid beta proteins in the braina hallmark feature and possible cause of AD onset.

Having tested four popular types of hopsCascade, Saaz, Tettnang, and Summitthey found that Tettnang hops were most closely linked with neurological benefits. This particular variety is commonly found in German lagers, ales, and wheat beers.

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There Are An Estimated 800000 Americans With The Disease Living Alone

For all of the Alzheimers sufferers who are receiving support from family caregivers or who are living in an Alzheimers or dementia care community, as many as 15% of people with the disease still live alone. Many of those have no identified caregiver, a situation which puts them at greater risk of medical emergencies, poor self-care, social isolation and a range of other issues.

Source: The Alzheimers Associations Facts and Figuresreport.

What Causes Alzheimers Disease

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In recent years, scientists have made tremendous progress in better understanding Alzheimers and the momentum continues to grow. Still, scientists dont yet fully understand what causes Alzheimers disease in most people. In people with early-onset Alzheimers, a genetic mutation may be the cause. Late-onset Alzheimers arises from a complex series of brain changes that may occur over decades. The causes probably include a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. The importance of any one of these factors in increasing or decreasing the risk of developing Alzheimers may differ from person to person.

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How Much Does Dementia Cost In The Uk

Two thirds of the cost of dementia is paid by people with dementia and their families.

Unpaid carers supporting someone with dementia save the UK economy £13.9 billion a year.

The total cost of care for people with dementia in the UK is £34.7 billion. This is set to rise sharply over the next two decades, to £94.1 billion by 2040.

The cost of social care for people with dementia is set to nearly treble by 2040, increasing from £15.7 billion to £45.4 billion.

Dementia is one of the main causes of disability later in life, ahead of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Screening And Early Detection

The early symptoms of dementia are often recognized by family members or other people close to a person who is having difficulty with everyday tasks such as managing their money, organizing their medications, or shopping.

Screening for dementia is typically done by a primary healthcare provider once the symptoms are recognized. They start by getting a thorough history of the person’s symptoms. A provider will look for other possible non-dementia-related causes of a person’s symptoms, such as side effects of medication, vitamin deficiencies, a head injury, sleep apnea, or depression.

There are several screening tools available for dementia. These tests can be completed in 10 to 15 minutes.

Screening tests for dementia commonly used by primary healthcare providers include:

  • Mini-Mental State Examination

Unfortunately, early identification of dementia does not reduce mortality rates. However, it does give people and their families more time to plan for future decline in function.

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The Progression Of Alzheimer’s Is Divided Into Three General Stages

There are three main stages of Alzheimers: early, middle, and late. Each stage has a distinct set of commonly-seen symptoms, degree of damage to the brain, and treatment options associated with it. The Alzheimers Association estimates that people typically live for 4-8 years after diagnosis, but there is a large degree of variation depending on the individual.

Early:

Alzheimers typically begins with small memory lapses while a person is still relatively independent. That is, a person with early-stage Alzheimers can still carry out everyday activities and care for themselves. Sometimes, however, they might have trouble remembering words, names, or new information. They might also misplace objects and start having difficulty with planning and organizational tasks.

Once these behavioral changes have become apparent to the individual experiencing them, or to their friends and family, its a good idea for that individual to be evaluated by a medical professional and discuss how to mitigate the diseases effects as it progresses.

Middle:

The middle stage of Alzheimers is when the most behavioral changes take place. Its usually the stage that patients are in for the longest period of time.

As the disease progresses, damage to and death of the neurons of the cerebral cortex continues.

The cerebral cortex, or cerebrum: home to language, thought, and decision making. Image from Human Anatomy Atlas.

Late:

Medications To Treat The Underlying Alzheimer’s Disease Process

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Aducanumab is the first disease-modifying therapy approved by the FDA to treat Alzheimers disease. The medication helps to reduce amyloid deposits in the brain and may help slow the progression of Alzheimers, although it has not yet been shown to affect clinical outcomes such as progression of cognitive decline or dementia. A doctor or specialist will likely perform tests, such as a PET scan or analysis of cerebrospinal fluid, to look for evidence of amyloid plaques and help decide if the treatment is right for the patient.

Aducanumab was approved through the FDAs Accelerated Approval Program. This process requires an additional study after approval to confirm the anticipated clinical benefit. If the follow-up trial fails to verify clinical benefit, the FDA may withdraw approval of the drug. Results of the phase 4 clinical trial for aducanumab are expected to be available by early 2030.

Several other disease-modifying medications are being tested in people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimers as potential treatments.

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Alzheimers Disease Is A Leading Cause Of Death

The Alzheimers Association states that Alzheimers disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. About 1 in 3 people over 65 years die with Alzheimers disease or another form of dementia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 121,499 people died from Alzheimers disease in the United States in 2019. This number may not be very accurate, as its based on the official cause of reported death. Other health conditions are often made worse in a person with Alzheimers disease. This can reduce life expectancy.

Only heart disease, cancer, some respiratory diseases, stroke, and accidents caused more deaths than Alzheimers disease.

How Does Alzheimer’s Disease Affect The Brain

Scientists continue to unravel the complex brain changes involved in Alzheimers disease. Changes in the brain may begin a decade or more before symptoms appear. During this very early stage of Alzheimers, toxic changes are taking place in the brain, including abnormal buildups of proteins that form amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Previously healthy neurons stop functioning, lose connections with other neurons, and die. Many other complex brain changes are thought to play a role in Alzheimers as well.

The damage initially appears to take place in the hippocampus and the entorhinal cortex, which are parts of the brain that are essential in forming memories. As more neurons die, additional parts of the brain are affected and begin to shrink. By the final stage of Alzheimers, damage is widespread and brain tissue has shrunk significantly.

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Can Alzheimer’s Disease Be Prevented

As the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not clear, there’s no known way to prevent the condition.

But there are things you can do that may reduce your risk or delay the onset of dementia, such as:

These measures have other health benefits, such as lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease and improving your overall mental health.

Read more about preventing Alzheimer’s disease.

About 5%6% Of Alzheimers Patients Get It Before 65 As Per Alzheimers Stats

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Its called young-onset Alzheimers, and its an uncommon form of dementia. According to Alzheimers disease statistics, of 6 million Americans with Alzheimers, approximately 300,000360,000 have the young-onset form. In addition, these people develop symptoms of the disease between the ages of 30 and 60.

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Stages Of Alzheimers Disease

Some features of Alzheimers disease are commonly classified into three stages, or phases. Not all these features will be present in every person, and they might occur at different stages.

Mild Alzheimers disease

Sometimes this stage is only apparent in hindsight. The onset of Alzheimers disease is usually gradual and it is often impossible to identify exactly when it began.

Someone might:

  • have difficulty shopping or preparing meals.

Moderate Alzheimers disease

At this stage, the impacts of the condition are more apparent and prevalent. A person may experience significant challenges to their independence and require daily support.

Someone might:

  • be forgetful of current and recent events, although generally remember the distant past, even if details may be forgotten or confused
  • often be confused regarding time and place
  • become lost more easily
  • forget the names of family or friends, or confuse family members
  • forget saucepans or kettles left heating on the stove
  • be less able to perform simple calculations
  • show poor judgement and make poor decisions
  • see or hear things that are not there or become suspicious of others

In 2018 165% Of Women Died From Alzheimers Or Other Forms Of Dementia In The Uk

While statistics of Alzheimers disease uncover that in 2018, Alzheimers and other types of dementia were the number-one cause of death among women in the UK, men werent spared either. In other words, dementia was the second leading cause of death among men, with 8.7% of men succumbing to the disease in 2018.

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What Are The Warning Signs Of Alzheimers Disease

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Alzheimers disease is not a normal part of aging. Memory problems are typically one of the first warning signs of Alzheimers disease and related dementias.

In addition to memory problems, someone with symptoms of Alzheimers disease may experience one or more of the following:

  • Memory loss that disrupts daily life, such as getting lost in a familiar place or repeating questions.
  • Trouble handling money and paying bills.
  • Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure.
  • Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them.
  • Changes in mood, personality, or behavior.

Even if you or someone you know has several or even most of these signs, it doesnt mean its Alzheimers disease. Know the 10 warning signs .

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