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ShareAlzheimer's, which robs your memory, is no longer a disease that could affect somebody post-65. Sophisticated diagnosis now allows the doctors to spot the disease at an earlier age. Vinay Kamat discussed the problem with Dr Gayatri Devi, neurologist, NYU School of Medicine, and director, the New York Memory and Healthy Aging Services, over email.
Does Alzheimer's also hit people that are young?
The condition is rare in young people. About 5 per cent of Alzheimer's disease affects people under the age of 60. The youngest patient I have diagnosed was 29. The youngest patient in the world literature was 24. So, the age of diagnosis is not declining. It is rather that we have better methods of investigation of the brain that allow us to make earlier diagnosis.
What are the signs people should watch out for?
Early-onset Alzheimer's disease (occurring before the age of 60) is an extremely rare condition. Most often, the signs and symptoms of memory loss, lack of concentration and other symptoms are due to stress, hormonal deficiencies, depression or simple having too much to do!
How do you deal with such an affliction?
The most important thing to do is to have a good evaluation if one is symptomatic. Most causes of memory loss in younger adults can be diagnosed and treated with medications as varied as antidepressants or thyroid supplements.
In those very rare instances, where the diagnosis is Alzheimer's disease, available treatments such as donepezil and memantine benefit patients.
How can you avoid such a thing from happening?
Early onset Alzheimer's is a result of a genetic mutation, most commonly on chromosome 14 and cannot be prevented. Symptoms of late onset Alzheimer's (Alzheimer's after the age of 65) may be delayed by a healthy lifestyle and good eating habits, such as the diet endorsed by the American Heart Association for cardiac health.
Do stress, bad diet and an inactive life have an impact on the age and likelihood of getting Alzheimer's?
General poor health, especially poor cardiac health with little activity and a high-fat diet, will increase the risk for not just Alzheimer's disease but also for dementia due to vascular causes. Chronic stress can reduce the viability of nerve cells in the hippocampus, the part of the brain most important for memory. However, no clear link between chronic stress and Alzheimer's has been established.
Which the groups most vulnerable to the disease?
The most vulnerable group for developing early onset Alzheimer's are the children of a parent with the diagnosis. In these situations, the risk is 50 per cent. Again, I must emphasise that this risk applies only to early-onset AD, before the age of 60. The inheritance of late-onset Alzheimer's, the far more common condition, is multi- factorial.
