MOSCOW, September 21 (RIA Novosti) - World Alzheimer's Day, September 21, has been marked every year since 1994 at the initiative of the Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) that holds World Alzheimer's Month to support the September 21 day.
During the month, international organizations around the world make efforts to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease and its prevention.
Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative disorder of the brain manifested in progressive cognitive impairment. First described by the German doctor Alois Alzheimer in 1907, it is a common form of acquired dementia.
According to statistics, a person lives about seven years after Alzheimer's is diagnosed, and only 3 percent live beyond the span of 15 years.
The early stage of dementia often remains unnoticed as it develops gradually. The symptoms include forgetfulness, loss of perception of time, difficulty in orientation in familiar places. During the middle stages of the disease as dementia progresses, the symptoms become more evident. They include difficulty in remembering recent events and people's names, orientation disruption at home, need for care, behavioral problems including aimless walking and asking the same questions. The advanced dementia stage brings about almost total dependency and apathy. Memory loss becomes considerable, whereas physical signs and symptoms more apparent.
According to ADI estimates, in 2013 there were 44.4 million people with dementia in the world. Experts forecast the number to reach 75.6 million in 2030 and 135.5 million by 2050 with a large part of the increment occurring in the developing countries. Sixty-two percent of people with dementia live in the developing countries, however, the number may increase to 71 percent by 2050. The process is especially rapid in China, India, South Asia and western Pacific.
Dementia affects primarily the elderly. Before the age of 65, dementia is observed in one person in a thousand. The chance of dementia increases to one in 20 in people over 65, while in those over 85, dementia is diagnosed in every fifth person.
The early form of Alzheimer's disease may start after the age of 40. In most such cases it is hereditary; this happens in five percent of patients. According to some data, women are affected by the disease six to 10 times more often than men.
In the United States, 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Estimates show there are up to 1.8 million people with dementia in Russia.
Alzheimer's disease can be temporarily slowed down with medications but complete recovery is not possible as of yet.
To prevent dementia, it is crucial for older people to be part of society, to work as much as they can, communicate, attend various activity groups or a choir.
For better memory one needs enough sleep, rest, walks. Alcohol, sleeping pills and opiate abuse make one's memory worse with age. The more positive emotions people have, the longer they preserve cognitive functions thus preventing Alzheimer's. Optimists are less prone to the disease. Reading also helps in preventing the disease.
A low level of education is also an indirect risk factor for the onset of the disease. The longer a person stays physically and mentally active, the longer his or her memory, attention and other functions are preserved to withstand Alzheimer's.
