Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes memory loss and other cognitive decline due to brain cell degeneration.
It’s the most common cause of dementia – a clinical syndrome characterised by a collection of symptoms that affect cognitive abilities, memory, thinking and behaviour.
Dementia is not a specific disease itself.
It’s estimated that more than 55 million people worldwide live with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
And that number continues to grow.
Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center director Dr Ronald Petersen says Alzheimer’s disease, like many other conditions, can be passed down through families.
There are two main types of Alzheimer’s disease in terms of family traits.
According to him, there is a single form that is genuinely inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.
In this kind, there is a 50% chance that a child of an Alzheimer’s patient will inherit the mutated gene that causes early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
However, just 1% of cases of Alzheimer’s disease are of this kind.
However, the great majority continues to be influenced by their ancestry.
Alzheimer’s disease can run in families, just like many other illnesses.
According to Dr. Petersen, “your risk may be up three or four times over the general population if you have first-degree relatives with Alzheimer’s disease.”
Even though the risk rises, this does not guarantee that you will get the illness.
He suggests continuing to engage in cerebral pursuits like chess and reading.
Engage with society. Don’t back down. Don’t hesitate to go out. Remain engaged, he advises.
Maintain a nutritious diet, get lots of sleep, and learn stress-reduction techniques.
“The amalgamation of all these elements could potentially enhance your standard of living and delay any cognitive decline,” he states.
