Today, Wednesday, is World Alzheimer's Day, which falls on September 21 of each year, and on its occasion the so-called "World Alzheimer's Month" is held under the supervision of the Alzheimer's Disease International.
This year's theme, "Know Dementia, Know Alzheimer's," focuses on post-diagnostic support for the disease.
Alzheimer's Disease International says that following recent developments and potential breakthroughs, in both dementia treatment and support, the campaign aims to highlight the importance of supporting people with dementia after diagnosis and helping their families.
Global dementia community
The 2022 campaign aims to follow up on the 2021 campaign, which focused on the journey of diagnosing Alzheimer's or dementia, as well as the warning signs of dementia and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global dementia community.
By continuing to raise global awareness and knowledge, the organization says, individuals, families, communities and governments are better armed with information and advice to prepare, adapt and support those most affected.
Alzheimer's Symptoms Infographic Infographic Infographic Infographic
What are the latest Alzheimer's treatments?
The National Institute on Aging in the United States says that Alzheimer's is a complex disease, and therefore it is unlikely that any drug or other intervention will successfully treat it in all people living with the disease.
In recent years, scientists have made tremendous progress in better understanding Alzheimer's and in developing and testing new treatments, including many drugs that are still in their final stages of clinical trials.
Several prescription drugs are already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help manage symptoms in people with Alzheimer's disease.
On June 7, 2021, the FDA provided rapid approval for the latest drug, aducanumab, which helps reduce amyloid deposits in the brain and may help slow the progression of Alzheimer's although it has not yet been shown to affect symptoms or Clinical findings, such as progression of cognitive decline or dementia.
The National Institute on Aging says most drugs work best for people in the early or middle stages of the disease. However, it is important to stress that none of the medications available at this time will cure Alzheimer's.
Mild to moderate Alzheimer's treatment
Treating Alzheimer's symptoms can provide people with comfort, dignity, and independence for a longer period of time, and it can encourage and help caregivers as well.
The National Institute on Aging explains that the medications galantamine, rivastigmine and donepezil are cholinesterase inhibitors prescribed for mild to moderate Alzheimer's symptoms and may help reduce or control some cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
Scientists don't yet fully understand how cholinesterase inhibitors work in treating Alzheimer's, but research suggests that they prevent the decline of acetylcholine, a brain chemical believed to be important for memory and thinking.
As Alzheimer's progresses, the brain produces less and less acetylcholine, so these medications may eventually lose their effect. Because cholinesterase inhibitors work in a similar way, switching from one to the other may not produce significantly different results, but the Alzheimer's patient may respond better. Better for one drug over another.
Medicines that target the underlying causes of the disease are called disease-modifying drugs or therapies. Aducanumab is the only disease-modifying drug currently approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's.
This drug is a human antibody, or immunotherapy, that targets the beta-amyloid protein and helps reduce amyloid plaques, brain lesions linked to Alzheimer's. Clinical studies have been conducted to determine the effectiveness of aducanumab only in those with early-stage Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment, and researchers continue to study whether this drug works to affect a person's rate of cognitive decline over time.
Moderate to severe Alzheimer's treatment
Memantine, an N-methyl D-Aspartate (Nmda) antagonist, is prescribed to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.
The main effect of this medicine is to reduce symptoms, which may enable some people to maintain certain daily functions for a little longer than if they were not using it. For example, memantine may help a person in the later stages of the disease maintain their ability to use the bathroom independently for several more months, a benefit for both Alzheimer's sufferers and caregivers, according to the National Institute on Aging.
Memantine is believed to work by regulating glutamate, an important brain chemical that when produced in excess, can lead to brain cell death. Because an NMDA antagonist works differently than a cholinesterase inhibitor, the two drugs can be prescribed together.
The FDA has also approved donepezil, the rivastigmine patch, and the combination drug memantine and donepezil for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.
Figures about dementia and Alzheimer's
In a publication issued yesterday, 20 September 2022, the World Health Organization says that dementia is a syndrome characterized by deterioration in memory, thinking, behavior and the ability to carry out daily activities. Although dementia primarily affects the elderly, it is not considered a normal part of aging.
There are about 50 million people with dementia, and that number is expected to triple by 2050.
Dementia is caused by a variety of diseases and injuries to the brain in the first or second place, such as Alzheimer's or stroke.
Dementia is one of the most important reasons that lead to disability and loss of independence for the elderly, and it is a disease that stresses not only those affected by it, but also those who care for them and members of their families.
There is often a lack of awareness and understanding of dementia, resulting in stigma and obstacles to diagnosis and care. Dementia can have physical, psychological, social and economic impacts on caregivers, patients' families and communities.
Symptoms of dementia
The World Health Organization says that dementia affects each individual in a different way, depending on the degree of impact of the disease and the personality of the individual before his injury. In order to understand the signs and symptoms of the disease, it can be divided into 3 stages:
The initial stage of dementia
The initial stage of dementia is often overlooked because symptoms appear gradually. Here are the common symptoms of this stage:
Forgetting
Loss of ability to perceive time
astray in familiar places
Middle stage of dementia
As dementia progresses to the middle stage, the signs and symptoms become more prominent and more restrictive. Including the following:
Forget about recent events and people's names.
delusion in the house.
Increasing difficulty in communicating with others.
Needing help with self-care.
Behavior changes, including questioning and asking questions frequently.
Advanced stage of dementia:
The advanced stage of dementia is characterized by complete dependence on others and almost inactivity. At this point, memory disturbances become significant, and physical signs and symptoms become more apparent. Symptoms of this stage include:
Not being aware of time and place.
Difficulty recognizing relatives and friends.
An increased need for help with self-care.
difficulty walking
A change in behavior that may escalate to include an aggressive form.
Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia
The World Health Organization says there are many different forms, or causes, of dementia. Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia and is likely to contribute to 60% to 70% of cases.
Other major forms of vascular dementia include dementia caused by Lewy bodies (protein bodies that build up abnormally inside nerve cells), and a group of diseases that contribute to frontotemporal dementia (degeneration of the frontal lobe of the brain). It is not possible to distinguish between the various forms of dementia, and a person can develop a combination of them at the same time.
Dementia numbers
There are 47.5 million people with dementia worldwide, with half of these patients (58%) living in low- and middle-income countries. Each year, there are 7.7 million new cases of the disease.
It is estimated that the proportion of people with dementia among the general population aged 60 years and over, at a given time, ranges between 5 and 8 out of every 100 people.
It is expected that the total number of people with dementia will rise to 75.6 million in 2030 and nearly 3 times in 2050 to reach 135.5 million. Much of this increase is attributable to the rising numbers of people infected with the disease in low- and middle-income countries.
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