Alzheimer's: Blurred lines

What to expect with Alzheimer’s and how to prevent it.

Memory slips are common with age but sometimes they could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia. According to the World Alzheimer Report 2013, the total number of older people with care needs will nearly treble from 101 million to 277 million between 2010 and 2050, declaring the disease a national health priority that needs immediate attention. And since out of 193 countries in the World Health Organization, only 13 have national dementia plans, many people are left tackling with the disease on their own.

“In simple terms, patients lose their cognitive functions. This does not only include impaired memory but also reasoning, judgment, problem solving and other thought processes,” says Mughis Sheerani, a consultant neurologist and clinical neurophysiologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital. In its early stages, an individual loses the ability to retain and recall past events. A sense of disorientation prevails, causing anxiety or depression.

Despite copious amounts of research, scientists still do not have a clear idea as to what causes the disease, explains Sheerani. “Whatever the cause, the brain seems to shrink and lose nerve cells. The cells start to die with the deposition of abnormal material in the brain called amyloid [a starch-like protein which is deposited in the liver, kidneys, spleen or other tissues in certain diseases],” he says. “[And] neurons are the only cells that our body cannot reproduce,” adds Safdar Arain, neurosurgeon at Zubeida Medical Centre.

“The patient, because of the cognitive loss, does not understand its implications and devastation. As the disease progresses, the patient becomes more and more dependent on the family for daily activities,” explains Sheerani, adding that it affects the entire family and the caretaker rather than just the patient. “Initially, the patient may have simple problems like difficulty in calculating, driving and cooking. But in the advanced stage, the patient is almost totally dependent on family members even for daily needs like eating and toileting.”



“There is no cure, but there are treatment options available to slow the progression and severity of symptoms,” says Arain, adding that Donepezil and Rivastigmine are drugs prescribed to patients to help reduce the progressive symptoms of the disease and to stabilise the dead brain cells for a moderate period of time. Creating a safe and supportive environment is imperative for constructing a treatment plan. Patients should follow routine habits and minimal memory-related activities should be encouraged. Exercises and keeping count of nutrition intake will also help boost brain cells.

People with a family history of Alzheimer’s often fear inheriting the disease as experts believe that genetics plays a crucial role in the development of early-onset or late-onset Alzheimer’s. But by avoiding or treating the following environmental and lifestyle factors, one can reduce the chances of acquiring the disease:

— Lack of exercise

— Smoking

— High blood pressure

— High blood cholesterol

— Elevated homocysteine level (hardening and narrowing of the arteries)

— Poorly controlled diabetes

— Lack of fruits and vegetable in the diet

Research carried out by the Alzheimer’s Association identifies that lifelong learning and social engagement also minimise the risk of acquiring the disease.

Nisma Chauhan is pursuing a Bachelor of mass communication degree with a major in print. She tweets @ChauhanNisma 

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, July 6^th,  2014.