Afraid of dementia when old? Reminder: If the elderly have these 5 habits, the risk of dementia may increase

Not long ago, a movie "Mom" made many people cry. The story tells the story of a mother and daughter, aged 65 and 85, who love and kill each other, accompany each other and redeem each other.

The daughter is a retired university teacher, unmarried and childless. Early in the morning, she made breakfast, prepared medicines, woke her mother up, and then went to the nursing home to do volunteer work. In the evening, she supervised her mother to take a shower and brush her teeth before allowing her to go to bed.

The mother is a university professor, more like an "old child", trying to "confront" her daughter every day, and likes to play pranks and act like a baby .

However, the daughter was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, which meant that she would not only lose the ability to take care of herself, but also lose the ability to take care of her eighty-year-old mother. For a while, the daughter had to send her mother to a nursing home.

However, how could the mother compromise, after knowing her daughter's condition, she decided to stay and take good care of her. After that moment, the two exchanged identities. Whether it was daily life or spiritual support, this elderly mother once again explained what it means to be a mother.

Since her illness, her daughter has gradually lost her ability to live. Her mother taught her bit by bit how to chew, how to swallow, and how to write... However, none of these can stop the development of the disease.

In the end, the daughter couldn't remember who she was, or who the white-haired old man in front of her was. She could only say gratefully, "You really look like my mother."

Nowadays, more and more elderly people are suffering from Alzheimer's disease. How should we deal with this "silent killer"?

1. The latest research: Alzheimer's disease can be predicted 13 years in advance!

The incidence rate of dementia in China is 7.2% among people over 60 years old, which has exceeded the global average of 6.2%.

A Lancet study found that before the age of 55, the incidence of Alzheimer's disease, with dementia as the main cause, was very low, but it increased rapidly after the age of 65, endangering the health of many elderly people .

Recently, researchers from Shenzhen Kangning Hospital and other institutions in China have used the diagnostic data of more than 440,000 individuals in the UK to develop a new type of dementia point risk assessment tool, which may predict a person's 13-year risk of dementia, accurately rate can reach almost 100% .

Source: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2798618

This tool may be used to predict an individual's risk of dementia, help identify potential risks , and provide technical support for preventing and slowing down dementia.

With the continuous development of science and technology, scientists have developed new detection methods in addition to discovering new progress in predicting Alzheimer's disease.

At present, clinical doctors mainly rely on tests of patients' cognitive abilities to judge Alzheimer's patients. However, pathological evaluation through brain imaging and lumbar puncture is often expensive and invasive, so it is not widely used.

An international research team at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has announced the development of a simple blood test with a success rate of over 96% .

By detecting plasma, it is possible to identify who is an Alzheimer patient, and also to distinguish the development of the disease, which stage it is in the early, middle or late stage. The findings were published in Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

2. Elderly people with these 5 habits have a high risk of dementia

There are at least 35 million Alzheimer's patients in the world, and China accounts for about a quarter of them. What is it that deprives the memory of the elderly again?

At present, the more accepted statement is related to β-amyloid.

Researchers have discovered that a toxic protein in the human brain, beta-amyloid, accumulates in excess , resulting in amyloid plaque deposits that disrupt neurotransmission and increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease .

However, the etiology of Alzheimer's disease is complex and is the result of the joint influence of genes, environment and lifestyle.

It is generally believed that increasing age, suffering from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, obesity, bad living habits, low education level, and lack of social interaction are all causes of dementia.

Especially the elderly who have the following 5 habits are more likely to be "entangled" by dementia

1. Skip breakfast

Not long ago, a Japanese study pointed out that the risk of developing dementia was 4 times higher for the elderly who skipped breakfast. Skipping breakfast will affect cognitive function . Eating more protein and less carbohydrates for breakfast may delay cognitive decline.

2. Smoking and drinking

Tobacco can damage brain neurons. Smoking is a risk factor for dementia and cardiovascular disease. Excessive drinking can also increase the risk of early onset dementia.

3. Lack of exercise

Exercise helps to control risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and hyperlipidemia. Obesity and overweight lead to atherosclerosis and may cause vascular dementia. So lack of exercise increases the risk of dementia.

4. Stay up late

When sleeping, the "cleaners" such as the glymphatic system in the brain will actively remove toxic metabolic waste. Lack of sleep will affect related mechanisms and increase the risk of dementia.

5. Eating unhealthily

Too much sugar and saturated fat, and too little fruit, vegetables, and whole grains increase the risk of dementia.

3. For the elderly who often say three sentences, it is recommended to seek medical treatment as soon as possible

It is not easy to find out whether a person is really suffering from Alzheimer's disease. If you find that the old people around you often say these three sentences, be vigilant, which may be an early manifestation of Alzheimer's disease.

• "Why am I here?"

This is because the time concept and spatial ability of dementia patients are getting worse. For example, I went to the supermarket, but I didn't know how I got there, or I didn't know what day it was today, and I couldn't tell what day it was.

• "How is this word written?"

Patients in the early stages of dementia may forget to write when they pick up a pen. To them. It is difficult to write anything with a pen because they cannot find the right words to express themselves, or they have difficulty concentrating and writing complete sentences.

• "Where's my keys/wallet? It was here just now"

One of the early symptoms is memory problems, which are severe and frequent. Even put the keys in the refrigerator and the wallet in the washing machine.

Regrettably, at present, Alzheimer's disease is a long-standing chronic disease that cannot be cured. Patients can only seek long-term coexistence with the disease and improve their quality of life as much as possible .

Dr. Tang Yi, Director of the Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, reminded: the incubation period of Alzheimer's disease can reach ten years, or even 20 years. After the age of 40, we should pay attention to prevention.

First, to control the weight , the waist circumference of men should be controlled below 85 cm, and the waist circumference of women should be controlled below 80 cm.

Second, control basic chronic diseases , quit smoking and drinking, adjust lifestyle, and follow the doctor's advice.

Third, according to your own situation , exercise at least three times a week. You can choose aerobic exercises such as swimming, cycling, and Tai Chi, or outdoor sports such as playing table tennis and badminton.

Fourth, enriching social activities can help improve the positive emotions of the elderly. You can spare half an hour every day to read, use your brain actively, and invite friends to play chess and square dance every week.

The population of Alzheimer's disease in China is larger than expected, and many people do not understand the disease, which often leads to missing the best treatment stage when the diagnosis is made. It is recommended to pay more attention to the situation of the elderly at home, and seek medical treatment as soon as possible if any abnormalities are found.

references:

[1] Lina Ren， MMed1; Junxian Liang， MS2，3; Feng Wan， PhD2，3; et al Development of a Clinical Risk Score Prediction Tool for 5-， 9-， and 13-Year Risk of Dementia， JAMA Network Open (2022). DOI： 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.42596

[2] "The accuracy rate is over 96%! HKUST develops simple blood test for early detection of Alzheimer's disease". Xinhua News Agency. 2021-07-01

[3] "If you don't do this, the risk of dementia will increase by 4 times!" If you want to have a healthy brain, these habits advise you to get rid of them.” Popular Science China. 2022-06-12

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