Can dementia be predicted? Study finds: People who meet 3 characteristics are more likely to develop dementia
In Sichuan, an old woman suffering from Alzheimer's was sent to the hospital for treatment accompanied by her husband. After she was settled, the wife stood by the fence outside the hospital and refused to leave because she was worried.
The old man stretched his hand into the window, stroked the old woman's head, and told her to eat well. The old grandma sat on the stool blankly, without any reaction, not moving at all.
In the end, the grandfather kept telling the grandmother to listen to the doctor's words. At this time, the grandmother seemed to understand and nodded slightly. The grandfather couldn't help crying when he saw it.
Some netizens said that this may be the most beautiful love in the world, but forgetting is a terrible thing. Alzheimer's disease "steals" the memories of countless old people inadvertently .
1. There are more and more "senile dementias". What is the root cause?
According to statistics from the International Alzheimer's Association, there are currently more than 50 million Alzheimer's patients in the world, and it is expected that the number of patients will rise to 139 million by 2050. There are more and more Alzheimer's patients, what is the root cause?
A study of data involving 27,000 participants aged 60 to 75 showed that insufficient blood levels of folic acid in older adults may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
It is estimated that up to 1/5 of the elderly are deficient in folic acid. Compared with the elderly with sufficient folic acid, the incidence of dementia in the elderly with folic acid deficiency is about 3.5% , which is significantly higher than that of the elderly without folic acid deficiency.
Alzheimer's disease is the result of many factors, such as environment, genes and so on. In addition, age, poor lifestyle ( lack of sleep, smoking, lack of exercise ), cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases , obesity, social skills and education levelOther factors also increase the risk of disease.
When suffering from Alzheimer's disease, the patient's memory will gradually deteriorate, and gradually he can't even recognize the people around him, or even who he is , and loses language function, incontinence, and will develop into long-term bed rest Eventually died of infection.
2. People with these 3 characteristics are more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease
The early symptoms of dementia displayed by many elderly people are easily misunderstood by family members as "older and more forgetful", thus delaying treatment. So, how can we recognize Alzheimer's earlier?
A study published in the American journal Neurology found that young people with certain characteristics are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease in old age .
The study, which included 15,001 participants, suggests that failure to control cardiovascular risk factors in early adulthood may lead to a decline in cognitive impairment later in life, such as:
- Elevated body mass index in early adulthood;
- increased systolic blood pressure;
- Abnormal fasting blood sugar.
What are the early symptoms of Alzheimer's before the onset of dementia? The World Health Organization clearly stated 10 early warning signs of dementia in the "World Alzheimer's Disease Report 2021":
1. Memory decline : things that just happened are quickly forgotten;
2. Decreased or impaired judgment : such as repeated random shopping, lending money to strangers, etc.;
3. Obstacles in language expression : often "words do not convey meaning";
4. It is difficult to plan affairs reasonably : it is very difficult for slightly complicated mental work;
5. Unable to complete the familiar work : for example, the driver often goes the wrong way, the chef forgets how to cook, etc.;
6. Frequent misplacing of things : misplacing things;
7. Decreased interest in social activities or work : I do not like to socialize, and lose interest in things I originally liked to do;
8. Changes in mood or behavior : rapid mood changes, and may appear abnormal in peacetime;
9. Fuzzy concept of place and time : sometimes forgetting whether it is day or night, easy to get lost;
10. Difficulty in understanding visuospatial information : such as misreading traffic lights when crossing the road.
3. Alzheimer's disease can be predicted ten years in advance, how to prevent it?
If the clues of Alzheimer's disease can be detected early and intervened in time, its harm can be greatly reduced. In fact, Alzheimer's disease can be predicted in advance.
A study published in The Lancet Health and Longevity found that having high LDL cholesterol in middle age was linked to an increased risk of dementia a decade later .
For people under the age of 65, compared with those with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels greater than 4.92mmol/L and less than 2.59mmol/L, the risk of dementia after 10 years is about 60% higher. What 's more, higher blood lipid levels in middle age were associated with a greater risk of dementia .
Chief Physician Tang Yi of the Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University reminded that the high-risk groups of Alzheimer's can be prevented from the following four aspects:
- Exercise at least 3 times a week
Elderly people who insist on exercising have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. It is recommended that middle-aged and elderly people can exercise according to their own conditions, such as aerobic exercise such as dancing, swimming, Tai Chi, cycling, etc., for more than 20 minutes each time, weekly Work out at least 3 times.
- Control the three highs
Diabetes, high blood pressure, and dyslipidemia are all independent risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, attention should be paid to controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids, which can play a preventive role. If problems are found, they must be treated in time.
- develop good living habits
Some bad living habits, such as long-term smoking, drinking, staying up late, etc., will increase the occurrence of stroke and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, so pay attention to quitting smoking and alcohol, and develop regular work and rest habits.
- Take part in more social activities and learn more
The brain has the characteristics of use it or lose it, so even after retirement, the elderly should pay attention to using their brains, such as reading books and newspapers, playing chess, mahjong, etc. At the same time, maintaining social activities can keep the elderly mentally active and help the elderly maintain a positive mood.
Alzheimer's disease has a great impact on the quality of life of patients, but Alzheimer's disease can also be predicted and prevented in advance. At a young age, we must pay attention to preventing the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease.
References:
[1] "Data of 27,000 people shows that the elderly who lack this vitamin have a high risk of dementia!" ". Health Times. 2022-03-27
[2] "Young people with these three characteristics are more likely to suffer from dementia when they are old...". Life Times. 2021-07-05
[3] "Suspect yourself or your family members may be Alzheimer's? Please read carefully! ". Healthy China. 2021-12-06
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