Is Alzheimers Disease Entering Its Prevention Era?

"What is your biggest fear when it comes to your health? For those over 50, being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is near the top of the list. And for good reason. AD is a condition that impacts more than memory, thinking, and behavior; it robs people of themselves. The onset can be insidious and hard to clearly determine-"Is my partner just stressed, or is their change in irritability and focus something that needs addressing?" is a regular concern expressed in doctors' consulting rooms."

"Often, the precursor to a diagnosis of AD is mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an umbrella term that covers more than just age-related memory changes and deteriorating cognitive processes. This diagnosis can hold sufferers and their families in a tense stand-off with their future. The question of whether these changes in behaviors will resolve or if they are the beginning of a permanent change is a high level of uncertainty to live with."

Fear of Alzheimer's disease is common among people over 50. Alzheimer's disease affects memory, thinking, behavior, and personal identity, with an often insidious and hard-to-detect onset. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can precede Alzheimer's but does not always progress; about 49 percent of MCI cases remain stable over five years. Available medications over the past two decades have produced limited symptomatic improvement. Caring for a person with Alzheimer's can cause long-term emotional, physical, and financial strain on families. Modifiable lifestyle factors — regular exercise, healthy diet, and sustained social engagement — can substantially lower dementia risk even when adopted later in life.

Read at Psychology Today