Story by Laura Hampson
Ageless Brain (getagelessbrain.com)
It could be possible to spot signs of dementia up to nine years before diagnosis, a new study has found. The findings, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, mean that future at-risk patients could be screened to help identify those who might benefit from early interventions to reduce their risk of developing dementia-related diseases.
They could also help select those suitable for clinical trials for new treatments.
“When we looked back at patients’ histories, it became clear that they were showing
some cognitive impairment — several years before their symptoms became obvious
enough to prompt a diagnosis,” study author Nol Swaddiwudhipong, a junior doctor
at the University of Cambridge, said.
“The impairments were often subtle, but across a number of aspects of cognition.
This is a step towards us being able to screen people who are at greatest risk –
for example, people over 50 or those who have high blood pressure or do not do
exercise – and intervene at an earlier stage to help them reduce their risk.”
For the study, researchers analysed data from the UK Biobank database pinpointed problem solving and number recall as two of the early signs patients could develop dementia. Senior author Dr Tim Rittman, also from the University of Cambridge, said: “People should not be unduly worried if, for example, they are not good at recalling numbers. “Even some healthy individuals will naturally score better or worse than their peers.
But we would encourage anyone who has any concerns or notices that their memory or recall is getting worse to speak to their GP.” People from the UK Biobank data who went on to develop Alzheimer’s scored more poorly compared with healthy individuals when it came to problem solving tasks, reaction times, remembering lists of numbers, prospective memory (our ability to remember to do something later on) and pair matching.
Not remembering numbers could be an early sign of dementia – Bing video
This was also the case for people who developed a rarer form of dementia known as frontotemporal dementia, the researchers found. According to the study, people who
on to develop Alzheimer’s were more likely than healthy adults to have had a fall in the previous 12 months.
David Thomas, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “It is increasingly
clear that the best chance to affect the course of the diseases which cause dementia lies in intervening at their earliest stages. “Health services don’t routinely offer the tests needed to detect changes in brain function that happen before symptoms are noticeable, like those alluded to in this study.
“In fact, the NHS is currently unable to guarantee early and accurate diagnosis for
people living with dementia – more than a third of people over 65 living with dementia go undiagnosed. He added: “It’s now more important than ever that NHS services reflect our growing understanding of the importance of detection and early diagnosis.
“We must ensure that people with dementia don’t fall through the cracks
at a time when treatment or risk-reduction interventions are most likely to be effective.”
How to spot the first early signs of dementia and what you can do about the symptoms.
It’s well known that memory loss and confusion are a sign of dementia. But scientists are discovering that other subtle – and perhaps surprising – signs can herald the onset of the disease.
These smaller and quieter signs occur in our daily lives, making them fairly easy to identify – if you know what to look out for. With our senses being linked to the brain, it’s not surprising that occurrences, such as those relating to our eyesight or hearing, could be signs of early dementia. However, it is also key to understand that some of these changes, such as mood or occasional moments of forgetfulness, can simply be signs of old age – which are not as concerning. Read below for the quiet, early signs of dementia –
and some advice on how to prevent their progression.
What signs and symptoms of dementia should you look out for?
Eye conditions and hearing loss
People who develop certain eye conditions are at increased risk of dementia,
according to research from 2021. A UK Biobank study of 12,000 midlifers found those with age-related macular degeneration were 25 per cent more likely to develop dementia. Those with cataracts had an 11 per cent increased risk of dementia, and those with diabetes-related eye disease had a 61 per cent per cent heightened risk of dementia.
The study follows research from 2021 by the University of Oxford that suggested people who go out for a meal at a noisy restaurant but are unable to hear what their friends are saying may be at an increased risk of developing dementia. The data from the study suggests that age-related hearing loss might be related to the onset of Alzheimer’s and other conditions.
“While preliminary, these results suggest speech-in-noise hearing impairment could represent a promising target for dementia prevention,” says Thomas Littlejohns of the Nuffield Department of Population Health at Oxford and a lead author of the study.
Katie Puckering is information services manager for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
“There are two reasons for this potential link,” she says.
“The first is that hearing loss might be linked with cellular changes in the brain.
But the second is that social isolation has long been known as a risk of Alzheimer’s
and other forms of dementia.” Something as simple as having your hearing checked out – and having a hearing aid fitted, if needed, so you can hear the conversations around you – could lower your risk of dementia. This is known as a modifiable risk – that is, one that you can change or control.
In 2017, the Lancet Commission on Dementia found that 12 modifiable risks –
one being hearing loss – could lower the number of dementia cases by 40 percent.
Others included lack of physical activity, obesity and low educational attainment.
“Mild cognitive symptoms can begin 15 to 20 years before the onset of dementia,”
says Puckering.
“If it’s picked up early enough, a doctor can refer you to a memory clinic for further
tests or point you in the direction of research trials.” Breakthrough medical treatments are starting to appear, such as medications aducanumab and Lecenamab, which has been licensed in the US and is pending approval in the UK. “Early intervention gives you the best chance,” says Puckering. “At the very least, this will allow you to plan ahead.”
Alzheimer’s Withdrawing from hobbies or family – Search (bing.com)
Related video: Are lack of sleep, Alzheimer’s linked? (WBAL TV Baltimore).
U.C. BERKELEY —We spend one-third of our lives sleeping, and yet it is only
in the last decade or so that scientists have begun to really understand why.
Among other things, UC Berkeley sleep researcher Matthew Walker has linked sleep deprivation to psychiatric disorders, obesity, risky behavior, post-traumatic stress disorder, learning and memory loss in old age.
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It’s common in midlife to have periods of low motivation,
or feeling less sociable than usual,” says Puckering.
“But if you find yourself consistently becoming more confrontational than usual,
or regularly snapping at your family, you may want to see a doctor to rule out other
conditions including menopause, a mood disorder such as depression, and a thyroid
condition or even a vitamin deficiency.” Others in the family may notice these
changes before the person themselves.
Not understanding sarcasm or sense of humor
“Early signs of dementia include changes to language, behaviors and responses
to social cues,” says Hannah Churchill, research communications manager at the
Alzheimer’s Society.
According to a 2017 report in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry,
individuals with early dementia laughed less both at their own jokes and
other people’s funny comments than those who did not.
This followed a 2009 report that, following MRI scans, those with neurodegenerative
disease images were less able to recognize sarcasm.
“If you find your sense of humor has changed significantly, it might be worth getting
some medical advice,” says Puckering.
Forgetting what things are called or what they are for
Regularly not being able to remember your own phone number, and finding it hard to organise your own thoughts: both of these may be warning signs. “Much is made of keeping your brain active, doing puzzles and so on,” says Puckering. “But in fact, physical fitness is more important. What’s good for the heart is also good for the brain: 80 percent of our brain is oxygen, and if you starve the brain of oxygen, it won’t do well.”
Experts suggest 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a week, a healthy diet, and keeping conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure under control.
Others;
Gum disease
“The evidence linking oral health or gum disease and an increased risk of cognitive decline or dementia is mixed,” says Churchill. It could simply be that people who have received better dental care during their lifetime may have enjoyed a healthier lifestyle, which tends to be associated with reduced dementia risk.
But a growing body of research, including a 2019 study in the Journal of Periodontology, has shown that periodontal (gum) disease and poorly
fitting dentures can be a risk factor for dementia.
Ensure you stick to basic oral hygiene, brushing your teeth twice a day, with a fluoride-containing toothpaste, see your dentist every six months, and don’t be put off dental procedures.
Change in mood
Research from 2011 in the Archives of General Psychiatry showed that symptoms
of clinical depression doubled the risk of cognitive impairment in older women and
quadrupled it in men – and could even be a precursor to Alzheimer’s.
“Scientists have long known that depression and dementia go hand in hand,” says
Dr. Cornelia Cremens, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
“If somebody appears to have the beginnings of dementia and they are depressed,
it’s very important to treat their depression, and to treat it as aggressively as possible.”
Ask your GP about a referral for talking therapy such as CBT, or, if appropriate, antidepressant medication. Puckering says: “Your GP may tell you you ‘only’ have depression, but it’s important to find a treatment for your distress, whether
it’s a mood disorder, or an early sign of dementia.”
When not to worry: age-related changes that can happen to us all
Sometimes forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later
Occasionally needing help with oven settings or the TV remote control
Misplacing things from time to time, and retracing your steps to find them
Making the occasional bad decision, like running out of petrol
Becoming irritable if your routine is disrupted.
SOURCE: Detecting Signs of Dementia 9 Years Before Symptoms (healthline.com)
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