More than 50 million people worldwide suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease and it is estimated that 40% of cases would be preventable by adopting healthy lifestyle habits, according to the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN). It is precisely within the framework of world brain daywhich is held every July 22, Pharma Market interviewed Alvaro Corral, neuropsychologist from the Fundación Alzheimer España (FAE), to learn more about it neurodegenerative disease.
The expert tells in the interview that you can see in full on our YouTube channelthat if age is one of the main factors in the development of Alzheimer’s disease “not everyone will necessarily suffer from it as a result of aging”.
Symptoms and lifestyle
Moreover, he indicates that “it is true that aging is associated with mild memory loss and this fact becomes a handicap when it comes to differentiating what could be normal aging from what could be pathological aging and which would then be linked to Alzheimer’s disease”.
Although age is one of the main factors in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, “not everyone will necessarily suffer from it because they are getting older”.
The neuropsychologist explains that the Short term memory loss It is one of its main symptoms along with language difficulties, cognitive alterations such as attention or concentration problems. However, there are also emotional or behavioral manifestations that precede or are concomitant with the disease.
With regard to lifestyle habits, Álvaro Corral comments that, on the one hand, we know that there is a series of risk factors related to lifestyle habits that can favor the appearance of this pathology. Likewise, on the other hand, we know that having a the Depression or depressive symptoms two years before the onset of the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, particularly in those over 55, is an important risk factor.
Suffering from depression or depressive symptoms two years before the onset of the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, especially among those over 55, is an important risk factor.
projections
The spokesperson for the EAF considers that over time it will surely be necessary “to carry out population screenings in age groups where it is known that there is a greater risk of the onset of the disease, but it is not there is no consensus on this. could be a recommendation for future”.
In the same way, stresses that the realization of “a series of diagnostic tests to certain population groups could be a way of identifying people at risk of developing the disease and thus of initiating treatment plans as soon as possible”. And he insists that the end goal is to seek a diagnosis as soon as possible.
Regarding non-pharmacological interventions, Corral assures that they have come a long way and that they have “great therapeutic efficacy when it comes to slowing the progression of the disease”.
In reference to non-drug interventionCorral assures that they have come a long way and have “great therapeutic efficacy when it comes to slowing the progression of the disease”.
The coordination between the different health professionals to detect this neurological disorder is still an open question according to the neuropsychologist. “We are better than 10 years ago but it is likely that it will take greater global coordination it should start from the PC where it is necessary to provide resources to professionals and centers so that they are able to detect the first symptoms. At the same time, communication to neurology departments must be coordinated in a more specific way”.