Stating that the incidence of Alzheimer's disease increases with age, Prof. Dr. Özgür Bilgin Topçuoğlu said, “While the disease is seen in approximately 5 percent of individuals over the age of 65, the incidence of the disease doubles every 5 years.” Emphasizing that it is important to preserve the functional properties of the mind as much as possible in the course of Alzheimer's disease, Topçuoğlu said, “Working iron shines. The more the mind is kept busy, the more stimuli it receives, the more its functionality continues. Solving puzzles, reading books, knitting and similar pursuits are very important in terms of preserving existing abilities. However, each individual and each patient is unique. The rate of progression of the disease may vary,” he warned.
Every year, September 21 is commemorated as World Alzheimer's Day in order to ensure that the disease is diagnosed at an early stage, to raise awareness and to raise people's awareness. Prof. Dr. Özgür Bilgin Topçuoğlu, Head of the Department of Neurology at Istanbul Atlas University Faculty of Medicine, made a statement on the occasion of World Alzheimer's Day on September 21, and evaluated the causes of the disease, the measures that can be taken and the protection of brain health.
There are many factors in the development of Alzheimer's
Noting that no single definitive cause can be identified in the development of Alzheimer's disease, Topçuoğlu said, “The currently accepted view is that the disease develops as a result of genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors affecting individuals together. Although there are genes known to cause Alzheimer's disease, these genes are detected in less than 1 percent of patients.”
The amount and location of plaques are important
Emphasizing that the amount of plaques formed in the brain and the region where they are located are important in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's, Topçuoğlu said, “Plaques consisting of amyloid, a type of protein, and neurofibrillary tangles consisting of tau, also a type of protein, develop in the brain of the individual, resulting in brain cell loss and shrinkage in brain volume. These plaques and tangles are necessary but not sufficient for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Because both are seen in every elderly person in a certain amount with normal aging. What is diagnostic for Alzheimer's is the amount of these plaques and especially the areas where they are located in the brain. As expected, Alzheimer's disease develops when these plaques and tangles accumulate in areas of the brain that manage cognitive functions such as memory, language and executive functions.”
Disease susceptibility increases Alzheimer's risk
Stating that having a predisposition to Alzheimer's is the first condition for becoming an Alzheimer's patient in the future, Topçuoğlu explained the reasons why one of the siblings has Alzheimer's while the others do not, as follows:
“The genetic material that individuals have from the moment they are born carries the code of the diseases that they will have throughout their lives and are predisposed to have. Having a predisposition to Alzheimer's is the first condition for having Alzheimer's disease in the future. In addition, environmental toxins, lack of environmental stimuli, insufficient sleep, prolonged exposure to physical and psychological stress, alcohol and recreational substance use facilitate and accelerate the development of the disease in predisposed individuals. Therefore, even among siblings raised in the same family in the same physical environment, some may develop the disease while others may never develop it. This can be explained by the fact that healthy siblings do not have the genetic material for an innate predisposition to the disease.”
The frequency of Alzheimer's disease increases with age
Stating that it is not possible for every individual who reaches advanced age to develop Alzheimer's disease, Topçuoğlu said, “However, there is a relativity here. The frequency of Alzheimer's disease increases with age. While it is seen around 5 percent in individuals over the age of 65, the frequency of the disease doubles every 5 years. 50 years ago, the average life expectancy was much shorter, so very few people reached and passed the age of 65. Considering that a certain proportion of these people would develop Alzheimer's disease, the prevalence of Alzheimer's was very low. However, with longer life expectancy, there is now at least one person over the age of 80 in every family, sometimes more. As the age group in which the disease can be seen increases, we naturally encounter more Alzheimer's patients.”
Pay attention to factors such as female gender, head trauma, insufficient sleep
Prof. Dr. Özgür Bilgin Topçuoğlu also mentioned the factors that facilitate the development of Alzheimer's and listed them as advanced age, family history and genetics, female gender, mild cognitive impairment, head trauma, stroke, depression, air pollution, excessive alcohol consumption, poor sleep patterns, lack of physical exercise, obesity, smoking or passive smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, poorly controlled type 2 diabetes and social isolation.
The working mind shines
Emphasizing that it is important to preserve the functional properties of the mind as much as possible in the course of Alzheimer's disease, Topçuoğlu said, “Working iron shines. The more the mind is kept busy, the more stimuli it receives, the more its functionality continues. All dementia patients in general and Alzheimer's patients in particular lose their ability to learn, record and recall new information after a certain stage. Therefore, the first goal for these patients is to preserve as much of their existing abilities as possible. Solving crossword puzzles, reading books, knitting and similar activities are very important in terms of preserving existing abilities. However, each individual and each patient is unique. The rate of progression of the disease may vary.”
Consumption of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory foods is important
Touching on the positive or negative effects of nutrition on Alzheimer's development, Topçuoğlu said, “Oxidation and inflammation play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's and similar neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, consumption of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory foods protects the body from oxidation by-products and contributes to neuroprotection (protection of nerve cells).”
Mediterranean diet should be supported
Emphasizing the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, Prof. Dr. Özgür Bilgin Topçuoğlu said, “Nutrition should be supported with a Mediterranean diet that includes foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds/seeds, nuts, olive oil and vegetable dishes with olive oil. If possible, at least three servings of different colored vegetables and fruits should be consumed every day. It is important to drink at least 6-8 glasses of fluid a day. Although water is the easiest choice, all liquids other than alcohol can be taken into account.”
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