Control Your Blood Pressure
Hypertension or high blood pressure is strongly associated with an increased risk of dementia. High blood pressure can damage tiny blood vessels in the parts of the brain responsible for cognition and memory. The latest American Heart Association guidelines class blood pressure readings of 130/80 mm Hg and above as the start of high blood pressure.
Check your blood pressure at home. A study in the Netherlands found that a large variation in blood pressure readings over a period of years was associated with an increased risk of dementia. Inexpensive monitors that wrap around your upper arm can help you keep track of your blood pressure throughout the day and pick up on any variations. Some devices even send the results to your phone so you can easily track your readings or share them with your doctor.
Make healthy diet and lifestyle changes. Exercising, trimming your waistline, lowering your stress, and reducing your salt, caffeine, and alcohol intake can all help to lower your blood pressure. Try to cut back on takeout, canned, and processed food which tend to be high in sodium and replace them with fresh vegetables and fruit.
The DASH diet for lowering blood pressure
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH diet, is a specially designed eating plan to help you lower your blood pressure. When combined with a reduction in salt, the DASH diet may help lower your blood pressure without the need for medication. See Get more help below.
Medications For Cognitive Symptoms
No disease-modifying drugs are available for Alzheimers disease, but some options may reduce the symptoms and help improve quality of life.
Drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors can ease cognitive symptoms, including memory loss, confusion, altered thought processes, and judgment problems. They improve neural communication across the brain and slow the progress of these symptoms.
Three common drugs with Food and Drug Administration approval to treat these symptoms of Alzheimers disease are:
- donepezil , to treat all stages
- galantamine , to treat mild-to-moderate stages
- rivastigmine , to treat mild-to-moderate stages
Another drug, called memantine , has approval to treat moderate-to-severe Alzheimers disease. A combination of memantine and donepezil is also available.
What Are The Signs Of Alzheimers
Perhaps you are worried about a loved one who may be developing Alzheimers or simply want to know the signs for yourself. Pay attention and dont disregard clues like memory loss where the person forgets recently learned information, or losing track of processes even in completing simple tasks like making a phone call.
Other signs include disorientation, or confusing times and places, or misplacing and losing things, perhaps putting items in strange places. Another sign is sundowner syndrome where the person experiences agitation and confusion at night due to altered sleep/wake cycle.
The person may exhibit changes in thinking and emotions. They include impaired reasoning with rash or confused judgment and decision-making, rapid mood swings, or an overall change in personality leaning towards fear and paranoia, or trouble speaking that shows up in odd language choices and forgetting words. Some people may have problems with abstract thinking, such as an inability to understand complex thoughts or problems.
Finally, you may notice increased seclusion, growing inactivity and more time sleeping as well as avoiding going out.
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Reminiscence And Life Story Work
Reminiscence work involves talking about things and events from your past. It usually involves using props such as photos, favourite possessions or music.
Life story work involves a compilation of photos, notes and keepsakes from your childhood to the present day. It can be either a physical book or a digital version.
These approaches are sometimes combined. Evidence shows they can improve mood and wellbeing.
Find out how to live well with dementia and more useful information in the NHS Dementia Guide.
Page last reviewed: 05 July 2021 Next review due: 05 July 2024
How To Protect Yourself
Here are some other ways to protect yourself and others from fake Alzheimers treatments:
- Question any product that also claims to be a scientific breakthrough. Companies marketing these products take advantage of people when they are most vulnerable and often looking for a miracle cure.
- Always check with your doctor or health care professional before buying or using any over-the-counter product, including those labeled as dietary supplements.
A great deal of scientific research is being conducted on Alzheimers disease, but at this point, no cure or treatment have been shown to stop or reverse the progression of the disease. Several prescription drugs have been approved by the FDA to treat people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. Most medicines work best for people in the early or middle stages of Alzheimers, and can slow down some symptoms, such as memory loss, for a time. But none of these medications stops the disease itself.
Treatment development and FDA-approval requires clinical research and testing to ensure that any new drugs are both effective and safe. For patients interested in accessing investigational drugs, there are legal ways to do so, such as by taking part in clinical trials.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Early
For most people with early-onset Alzheimer disease, the symptoms closely mirror those of other forms of Alzheimer disease.
Early symptoms:
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Withdrawal from work and social situations
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Changes in mood and personality
Later symptoms:
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Severe mood swings and behavior changes
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Deepening confusion about time, place, and life events
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Suspicions about friends, family, or caregivers
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Trouble speaking, swallowing, or walking
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Severe memory loss
What Happens In Alzheimer Disease
You probably know that your brain works by sending signals. Chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters , allow brain cells to talk to each other. But a person with Alzheimer disease has lower amounts of neurotransmitters.
People with Alzheimer disease also develop deposits of stuff that prevent the cells from working properly. When this happens, the cells can’t send the right signals to other parts of the brain. Over time, brain cells affected by Alzheimer disease also begin to shrink and die.
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When Is It Time To Take Away Their Keys
Okay, let’s just say for the record here, figuring out when your older loved one isn’t coordinated enough to drive is different than figuring out if your Alzheimers or Dementia parent is not able to drive.
LBD symptoms include changes in cognition, movement, sleep, and behavior.source NIH
Our Mom has wet brain, also known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which causes memory loss AND motor function problems.
So we are not just dealing with a lack of motor function as dementia caretakers, we are trying to determine if they will forget how to get home, remember the what a stop sign means or get turned around one street away from home.
We took Mom’s keys away as soon as I realized I would never let my kids ride in her car with her alone. That was a super hard day, to realize that my Mother-In-Law, who had been so independent would now have to rely on someone else to drive her aroundsigh.
That someone turned out to be mostly me. So I added carpooling Mom around to my Mommy Taxi service. As a caregiver, there is temptation to let them do the easy driving so you don’t have to do it, but that is a recipe for disaster!
Fdas Accelerated Approval Program
Aducanumab was approved through the FDAs Accelerated Approval Program, which provides a path for earlier approval of drugs that treat certain serious conditions. This helps people living with the disease gain earlier access to the treatment. The approval of aducanumab was based on the ability of the drug to reduce amyloid in the brain. When using the accelerated approval pathway, drug companies are required to conduct additional studies to determine whether there is in fact clinical benefit after the drug is approved. 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.
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What Causes Alzheimers Disease
Alzheimers disease is caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins in the brain. The build-up of these proteins called amyloid protein and tau protein leads to cell death.
The human brain contains over 100 billion nerve cells as well as other cells. The nerve cells work together to fulfill all the communications needed to perform such functions as thinking, learning, remembering, and planning. Scientists believe that amyloid protein builds up in the brain cells, forming larger masses called plaques. Twisted fibers of another protein called tau form into tangles. These plaques and tangles block the communication between nerve cells, which prevents them from carrying out their processes. The slow and ongoing death of the nerve cells, starting in one area of the brain then spreading to other areas, results in the symptoms seen in patients with Alzheimers disease.
Vitamin And Nutrient Supplements
Many of the risk factors for Alzheimers disease can be negated by the increase or introduction of vitamins, herbal medicine, and dietary supplements into your diet.
Researchers and the Alzheimers Association have even performed randomized controlled trials on the treatment of Alzheimers with some of these natural remedies:
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Early Onset Alzheimers Disease
Although age is the main risk factor for Alzheimers disease, this is not just a condition that affects older adults.
According to the Alzheimers Association, early onset Alzheimers disease affects around 200,000 U.S. adults under the age of 65 years. Many people with this condition are in their 40s or 50s.
In many cases, doctors do not know why younger people develop this condition. Several rare genes can cause the condition. When there is a genetic cause, it is known as familial Alzheimers disease.
Women And Alzheimers Risk
Women are about twice as likely as men to develop Alzheimers disease. Researchers believe this higher risk can be linked to a decrease in fertility and the onset of menopause in middle age. As a woman, the drop in estrogen not only triggers symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, but it can also affect your brain. Since estrogen protects brain cells from aging, a large decrease during menopause may make you more vulnerable to Alzheimers later in life.
Hormone replacement therapy can carry risks, but theres evidence to suggest that taking supplemental estrogen before menopause may help lower your chances of developing dementia. Using the seven pillars in middle age can also be beneficial, especially adopting a healthy diet. Eating foods rich in antioxidants such as fruit, leafy green vegetables, and nuts may help protect your brain, while flaxseeds, soy, nuts, red wine, and fruits such as strawberries, peaches, and apricots can help naturally boost estrogen levels.
While research into the menopause-Alzheimers link is still at an early stage, the more preventative steps you can start taking in your 40s and 50sor even earlierthe more youll lower your risk of developing Alzheimers as you age.
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May Have Found A Cure For Alzheimer`s
Researchers at the University of Oslo could be close to a breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimers Disease.
Alzheimers is currently the most common form of dementia. Between 77,000 and 104,000 people have dementia in Norway, and 60 to 70 percent of these are Alzheimer’s patients. 12 to 15 percent of people over 80 years old is affected by the disease to some degree.
In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, researchers at the University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital are now launching a new direction of treatment regarding Alzheimer’s. They have found that the cells of Alzheimer’s patients are not able to get rid of enough waste materials. There seems to be an accumulation of waste materials in the brain which causes brain cells to die. However, by stimulating the cells’ own self-cleansing system, it is possible to stop the disease.
Ways To Prevent Alzheimer’s Says Dr Sanjay Gupta
Brain health is one of the hottest topics in the medical world, and for good reason: As more of the population ages, more people are developing dementia, a category of progressive brain disorders that includes Alzheimer’s disease. Neurosurgeon and CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is on a personal mission to promote brain healthas he writes in the book Keep Sharp, his grandfather died from Alzheimer’s diseaseand he has isolated five science-backed ways to reduce your risk of the same fate. Read on to find out moreand to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
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How Is Alzheimer’s Disease Treated
Alzheimers disease is complex, and it is therefore unlikely that any one drug or other intervention will ever successfully treat it in all people living with the disease. Still, in recent years, scientists have made tremendous progress in better understanding Alzheimers and in developing and testing new treatments, including several medications that are in late-stage clinical trials.
Several prescription drugs are already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help manage symptoms in people with Alzheimers disease. And, on June 7, 2021, FDA provided accelerated approval for the newest medication, aducanumab, which 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 symptoms or outcomes, such as progression of cognitive decline or dementia.
Most medicines work best for people in the early or middle stages of Alzheimers. However, it is important to understand that none of the medications available at this time will cure Alzheimers.
What Newer Medications Are Under Study
All currently approved medications target Alzheimers disease after it develops. Scientists are currently researching ways to stop or slow the progress of Alzheimers disease before it starts.
Some of the drugs in late-stage investigation are called monoclonal antibodies. These drugs target the amyloid protein that builds up in brain cells. They work by attaching to the amyloid proteins as they float in the brain and remove them, before they form into the plaques and tangles that interfere with the brains ability to properly function.
These drugs are still in clinical trials and are several years away from Food and Drug Administration approval in the United States. Early results have been mixed, with some trials showing no improvement in brain function others showing a slight improvement . Despite the mixed results, researchers are excited about this new potential method to modify the disease process.
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When Someone You Love Has Alzheimer Disease
You might feel sad or angry or both if someone you love has Alzheimer disease. You might feel nervous around the person, especially if he or she is having trouble remembering important things or can no longer take care of himself or herself.
You might not want to go visit the person, even though your mom or dad wants you to. You are definitely not alone in these feelings. Try talking with a parent or another trusted adult. Just saying what’s on your mind might help you feel better. You also may learn that the adults in your life are having struggles of their own with the situation.
If you visit a loved one who has Alzheimer disease, try to be patient. He or she may have good days and bad days. It can be sad if you can’t have fun in the same ways together. Maybe you and your grandmother liked to go to concerts. If that’s no longer possible, maybe bring her some wonderful music and listen together. It’s a way to show her that you care and showing that love is important, even if her memory is failing.
Consider Primehealths Prevention Program
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How can you reverse dementia naturally? You can reverse dementia naturally with simple lifestyle and dietary changes. This mainly works in the very early stages of dementia and cognitive decline.
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The New Treatments For Ad
Alzheimers cure breakthrough studies and potential treatments have shown some promising results.
Dissolving the plaques: Most of the current focus on the management of AD has been targeting the protein plaques known as amyloid. These plaques are a classic feature of the disorder and often deposit early in the brain. Individuals who develop these plaques in the brain are more likely to develop symptoms of AD than those without plaques. Hence, several drugs have been developed that prevent the formation or clumping of these amyloid plaques. The monoclonal antibodies are very similar to the naturally occurring antibodies in the blood circulation, but they have only one target: amyloid beta. Unfortunately, amyloid is not found in all patients with AD and why this happens is not known. It is believed that close to 30%-35% of AD patients with mild to moderate disease may not have brain amyloid and, hence, cannot benefit from this treatment.
Currently, Aducanumab is only approved for use in select patients with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimers disease. Before the treatment can be administered, all individuals with AD must undergo a PET scan to determine if they have amyloid plaques.
Several other monoclonal antibodies have also been developed by different drug manufacturers and they also target amyloid in the brain. All these agents are currently being evaluated in clinical trials.
To be eligible for Aducanumab treatment, one has to meet the following criteria: