Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : October 1, 2016 6:36 PM IST
The problem with a condition like Alzheimer s is that it is often diagnosed late. Mostly people associate it with loss of memory and forgetfulness. However, there are a lot of things that can predict if you are at risk, here are a few of them.
Blood sample: A study published in the journal Alzheimer s and Dementia by British scientists revealed that people who suffered from mild-cognitive impairment like forgetfulness, late memory recall, etc., had a unique blood protein in them that was linked with brain-wasting properties and could lead to Alzheimer s in the future. In fact, 87 percent of people who took part in the study were detected with Alzheimer s within one year. Alzheimer s is caused by toxic proteins that destroy brain cells, the most common form of dementia. This test cannot prevent Alzheimer s but can help in early detection and delay the onset in people who are at risk. Here are few early symptoms of Alzheimer s you should know about.
Your gait: A study, involving nearly 27,000 older adults from five continents, appeared online in the journal Neurology stating that how fast or slow people walk can predict the onset of Alzheimer s. However, it isn t walking alone that can help achieving the conclusion. Some Q&A about one s cognitive ability is also needed. So, just trying to judge your speed at a park might not help, you would need help of neurophysicians and psychotherapist to get a clear picture if your brain is on the degenerative mode. Know how regular exercise can slow the progression of the disease.
Blood glucose levels: People with diabetes cannot control the levels of glucose in their blood. Many patients rely on insulin or other medications to keep blood sugar levels in check. It especially spikes after meals. Elevated glucose in the blood can rapidly increase levels of amyloid beta, a key component of brain plaques in Alzheimer s patients, a study conducted in mice showed. The build-up of plaques is thought to be an early driver of the complex set of changes that Alzheimer s causes in the brain. Here are five practical tips for the care giver.
Sense of smell and sight: Experts also believe that decreased ability to identify odours is also linked to brain cell damage and reveals early onset of Alzheimer s. Also, the protein amyloid beta, a key component of condition is seen in the retina of people who are at risk.
Your voice: According to an Indian origin scientist, your voice is able to predict your risk for conditions like Parkinson s and Alzheimer s. Though the study is still underway, but once developed fully can help predict chances of suffering from Alzheimer s by hearing one's voice just over the phone. This is because your voice uses stimuli from the brain to respond, a degenerative brain wouldn t be capable enough to respond as that of an active brain. This will help to identify the problems related to brain and predict Alzheimer s in a non-invasive manner.
With inputs from IANS and ANI
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