Is there a way to prevent Alzheimer's?

Doctor answers

Alzheimer's is one of the scariest diseases there is, but contrary to popular belief - it is not a fate, and the risk of developing the disease can be significantly reduced.

Listen to a conversation with Dr. Noa Bergman on the podcast "Expert Clinic"

Iris Cole

22/04/2022

Friday, 22 April 2022, 01:24 Updated: 01:31

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Alzheimer's is a serious and incurable disease, and the aging of the global population in recent decades is increasing its prevalence.

Dr. Noa Bergman, director of the Cognitive Neurology Service at Ichilov's neurology department, was a guest on the "Specialist Clinic" podcast to explain what causes Alzheimer's, whether there is a way to prevent the disease, and how to treat those who have already become ill.

Dr. Bergman addressed a question that worries many - whether Alzheimer's can be prevented, and replied that the level of risk can certainly be lowered.

In this situation, it is very difficult to repair, maybe in the future we will know how to transplant new cells and return dead cells, but today we understand that the damage to the cells must be prevented, and prevention must happen in the early stages of the disease. "

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Dr. Bergman explained that prevention takes place through the treatment of risk factors, the same factors that can accelerate degenerative processes, which are in fact anything that damages blood vessels - hypertension, cholesterol, sugar. For degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, in fact these are the most powerful risk factors we know today, "she said. She added that there are more and more studies today showing that treating risk factors significantly changes the risk of developing dementia and the age at which cognitive changes occur.

What exactly is happening in the brain in Alzheimer's disease?

"Alzheimer's is a disease that progresses, it slowly impairs the functions of the brain and causes a decrease in thinking and memory abilities, but also in cognitive abilities - such as awareness and insights and changes in emotional aspects. Bergman.The degree of injury is related to the stage at which the disease is diagnosed.

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"The brain disease, the processes that happen in the brain that eventually cause damage to brain cells, occur many, many years before there are any signs of a decrease in memory or thinking abilities. So these processes happen and we do not know it at all," Dr. Bergman explained, "and then begin. There are slight signs of a decline in thinking abilities, and this condition progresses to a state we call dementia. "

When do memory problems raise the suspicion of Alzheimer's?

Dr. Bergman explained that the perception today is that cognitive decline and dementia are not normal, it is not part of normal old age, as some people reach extreme ages without dementia. Although there are things that change with age, but they should not change at a level that impairs function. She added Because one of the big challenges facing doctors is to differentiate between a condition that is normal, a normal puberty that has incompleteness, mistakes in retrieving data or forgetting words, and a condition of illness.

Alzheimer's is a very complex disease.

A therapist's hand holds an adult's hand (Photo: ShutterStock)

In addition, "not every forgetfulness and not every change in the abilities of attention is due to degenerative diseases of the brain, there are lots and lots of conditions, in fact, our brain is sensitive and responsive to almost everything that goes on in the body - deficiencies of vitamins, sleep disorders, conditions, diseases, chronic pain, "Depression," Dr. Bergman explained. This fact makes the diagnosis process complex. "The disease is very complex," she clarified.

Dr. Bergman added that the incidence of degenerative diseases increases with age, the vast majority of patients are over 65. " "The first signs are usually memory disorders, short-term memory, difficulty remembering the contents of conversations, difficulty remembering where we placed objects, difficulty finding words," she said.

But as mentioned - these are things that can happen to everyone, for various reasons, so in such a case it is necessary to start a not simple process of diagnosis.

How are Alzheimer's patients treated?

"There is always medical treatment for cognitive diseases and dementia, there is no such thing as no treatment. It is always possible to improve the condition in something else," said Dr. Bergman, "so the look is very holistic, on all aspects of life, how to produce as good a quality of life as possible She added that

"

Dementia patients can be in a world that is hell - of restlessness, of frustration, of lack of understanding of the lack of empathy of the people around them, to receive the wrong medication, to suffer from side effects, they can have a very poor quality of life." It's good, but on the other hand, they can have an excellent quality of life in the sad reality of the disease. "

Dr. Noa Bergman explains what causes Alzheimer's, is there a way to prevent the disease, and how to treat someone who has already had it (Walla system!)

And we will end with good news: in the last year there has been a very significant breakthrough in the treatment of the disease.

"The FDA has approved the first drug for Alzheimer's, which is a drug that treats one of the underlying mechanisms of the disease," Dr. Bergman explained. For people in the early stages of the disease, which further reinforces the need for early diagnosis.

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Tags

• Alzheimer's

• dementia

• aging

• Memory