Alzheimer's: Symptoms Of This Neurodegenerative Health Issue May Present 18 Years Before Diagnosis
Estimates show that close to 44 million people are living with Alzheimer's or a related form of dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Disease International. The neurodegenerative illness typically affects 1-in-9 Americans over 65. But could certain signs of the disease present themselves even decades before an actual diagnosis?
New findings published in the journal Neurology reveal that symptoms of the problem could show up even 18 years before a visible diagnosis is given.
"The changes in thinking and memory that precede obvious symptoms of Alzheimer's disease begin decades before," said Kumar B. Rajan, Ph.D., an assistant professor at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, in a news release.
An 18-year study consisted of 2,215 Chicago residents with an average age of 73. None of the participants had the disease at the beginning of the study. Tests on both memory and thinking were given every 3 years during the 18-year-period to better gauge potential early symptoms. During the study, 23 percent of African-Americans and 17 percent of European-Americans developed Alzheimer's.
Findings revealed that participants who tested lower on the first year of the study were about 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with the health issue later. In fact, the odds increased by 10 for each unit involving lower scores. Furthermore, the study results showed that scoring lower on a test by just one unit 13 to 18 years before the participants' final assessment was linked to an 85 percent increased risk of developing the health issue.
"The changes in thinking and memory that precede obvious symptoms of Alzheimer's disease begin decades before," concluded Rajan. "While we cannot currently detect such changes in individuals at risk, we were able to observe them among a group of individuals who eventually developed dementia due to Alzheimer's."
Symptoms for Alzheimer's may not present the same in everyone. For instance, typical problems may involve memory loss, difficulties in planning and solving problems, difficulty completing familiar tasks, etc. However, some cases may also deal with confusion of time and place, difficulties understanding visual images and spatial relationships or even difficulties writing and/or speaking, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
If you know someone who may be showing the early signs of Alzheimer's or a related form of dementia, talk with your doctor. Taking care of emotional needs can be difficult during the intial diagnosis, but certain treatments and care can help many individuals live a fulfilling life.
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