Which ones do you think are true?
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Many people don’t know much about Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia. Here are the myths and facts of the disease.
From Physician David Gill, chief of the division of cognitive and behavioral neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center:
Myth: Memory loss and decline in function are a normal part of aging.
Fact: “While it is true that some decline in cognition — a term for ‘thinking’ — as we age, such as the tip of the tongue phenomenon, none of these changes should affect our ability to function. If you or someone you know has had changes in thinking that limit their ability to function such as forgetting to pay bills or missing appointments, it is important for this person to be evaluated for memory loss.”
Myth: There is no reason to get diagnosed because there are no treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
Fact: “There have been tremendous advances in the science of diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease over the past several years and we now have very accurate tests and we have treatments that can improve memory and, more importantly, slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, but only if it is diagnosed early enough, so delaying evaluation can mean it is too late to use the treatments that we currently have to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
“There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. While we do have exciting new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease that can slow progression, we do not have a medication that stops the disease entirely.”
Myth: There is nothing I can do to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Fact: “From many ongoing research studies, we know that a number of lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. If a person wants to reduce their risk, they should stop smoking, treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, avoid alcohol use, follow a heart healthy diet and attempt to increase their physical, mental and social activity.
Myth: A person with Alzheimer’s disease is never aware of their own memory problems.
Fact: “We now realize that the Alzheimer’s disease process starts many years prior to diagnosis and many patients are aware of changes in their thinking in the years prior to diagnosis. Therefore, if you are concerned about your memory, you should mention this to your medical provider.”
Myth: Drinking alcohol reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Fact: “There is still some controversy regarding whether any amount of alcohol intake is safe. We no longer feel that one or two drinks per day reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and overall the goal should be to limit alcohol intake as much as possible.”
From Cathy Wilde, director of marketing and public relations at Upstate New York chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association:
Myth: The risk from Alzheimer’s is the same for everyone.
Fact: “While the main risk factor for Alzheimer’s is aging, some population groups are at greater risk. Black Americans are twice as likely as whites to develop the disease and Hispanic Americans are 50% more likely than whites. And as a group, two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease are women.”
Myth: I can ignore the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and get by.
Facts: “Some people are able to temporarily work around the memory loss and other symptoms of Alzheimer’s, compensating in other ways, but delaying diagnosis is detrimental because it also delays access to medications, supportive services, planning and other resources that help both the person with Alzheimer’s as well as caregivers and loved ones. Delaying the diagnosis does not delay the progression of the disease.”
Myth: Any type of dementia means someone has Alzheimer’s.
Facts: “Although Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, there are several others. This is important to know because many of the new treatments for people in the early stage of Alzheimer’s will not be appropriate or effective for people with other types of dementia.”