Scientists make an action plan to prevent Alzheimer’s disease

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Memory loss, behavioral changes, cognitive deficits: Alzheimer’s disease leads to a dramatic loss of autonomy for those affected and has a heavy impact on health costs.

Its prevention has become a real social challenge.

In a study from the University of Geneva and elsewhere, scientists made guidelines for innovative services to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. These will soon be an integral part of second generation memory clinics.

Improved lifestyles (physical activity, attention to nutrition, cardiovascular prevention) have reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or related forms.

However, the prevalence of dementia continues to rise with the aging population.

In the paper, the team identified four pillars of this novel concept in the field of dementia and Alzheimer’s: risk assessment; risk communication; risk reduction and cognitive enhancement.

  1. Risk assessment

The risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders and their weight have been grouped together in an evaluation grid.

These include factors associated with genes, such as APOE4, or those linked to lifestyle or conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, alcohol consumption, social isolation, obesity, hearing loss, depression or head trauma.

  1. Risk communication

This second pillar—which is crucial in the relationship that is established with the patient—makes it possible to communicate the risk index in the most accurate and comprehensible way.

Indeed, understanding the risk of developing a disease is more complex than understanding being actually affected by a disease.

A series of recommendations based on the patient’s personality and background makes it possible to choose the best tools for presenting the situation to the patient in a comprehensible manner.

III. Risk reduction

Drug and non-drug interventions are proposed for risk reduction. These range from lifestyle improvements to cognitive training and the administration of anti-amyloid drugs, if these become available on the market.

Interventions on the gut microbiota may also be considered in the future.

  1. Cognitive reinforcement

Different types of memory (subjective, objective, meta) can be reinforced or stimulated through paper-based exercises or computer games.

Transcranial electrical or magnetic stimulation will also be an important tool to activate synapses in key brain regions and thus improve memory.

These four pillars will enable second-generation memory clinics to reach out to the segment of the population whose memory is still functioning well and who wish to preserve or improve it.

If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about the cause of memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease, and a new method to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that nose picking could increase risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia, and results showing this stuff in mouth may help prevent Alzheimer’s.

The study was conducted by Giovanni Frisoni et al and published in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe.

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