Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. According to Alzheimer’s Society, there are currently around 982,000 people living with dementia in the UK – and this figure is projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.
Alzheimer’s disease can be difficult to manage and take time to come to terms with – both for people diagnosed with the condition and their families.
Here, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Alzheimer’s disease – including causes, treatment, and early warning signs.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that damages brain cells and causes dementia. Dementia is the name for a group of symptoms linked with a decline in brain function – including memory, thinking skills, and other mental abilities.
What are the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition. This means symptoms develop gradually, often over several years, eventually becoming more obvious and problematic. The rate at which symptoms progress varies from person to person.
The disease can affect multiple brain functions, but the first sign is usually small memory lapses – for example, forgetting about recent conversations or the names of places and objects.
As Alzheimer’s progresses, people may begin to struggle more with their memory, with other symptoms developing too. According to the NHS, this can include…
- Feeling confused, disorientated, or getting lost in familiar places
- Struggling to plan or make decisions
- Problems with speech and vocabulary
- Having difficulty moving around without assistance
- Personality changes, such as becoming demanding, aggressive, or suspicious of other people
- Feeling anxious, depressed, or generally low in mood
- Experiencing hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there) or delusions (believing things that aren’t true)
What causes Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is believed to result from an abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells. One of these proteins, called amyloid, causes plaques to form around brain cells. The other protein, tau, causes tangles to form within brain cells.
While experts are currently unsure what causes this process, it’s known that changes start appearing many years before people show symptoms.
As brain cells are progressively impacted, the number of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) involved in sending signals between brain cells also begins declining. Levels of one neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, have been found to be particularly low in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Over time, different areas of the brain begin to shrink, with areas responsible for memory often being the first affected.
While it’s still unknown what causes Alzheimer’s to develop, experts have identified several risk factors. We’ll cover these below.
Age
The greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is age. Most people with the disease are 65 and above. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, after age 65, the risk of Alzheimer’s doubles every five years and, after 85, reaches nearly one-third.
However, it’s important to note that dementia isn’t a normal or inevitable part of ageing. While age increases the risk, it’s not a direct cause.
Family history
Scientists have found that genetics play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease – so having a family history of the condition can increase your risk.
According to research, those who have a parent, brother, or sister with Alzheimer’s disease are more likely to develop it. This risk increases further if more than one family member has the disease.
A family history of other modifiable risk factors such as smoking, poor sleep, diabetes, and high blood pressure may further increase risk.
Certain medical conditions
There’s evidence that certain medical conditions can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Examples include diabetes, depression, and heart disease. The link between heart health and brain health may be particularly strong because the heart is responsible for pumping blood to the brain.
According to the NHS, in some cases, certain conditions and medications, including infections, can cause Alzheimer’s symptoms to worsen.
People with learning disabilities may also be at higher risk. For example, research suggests that around one in 50 people with Down’s syndrome will develop dementia. Experts believe this is due to the extra copy of chromosome 21 that most people with Down’s syndrome have, which is thought to play a role in Alzheimer’s disease.
Lifestyle factors
Certain lifestyle factors, including a lack of exercise, poor diet, social isolation, smoking, and excess alcohol intake, may increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Head injuries
Research has identified a link between head injuries and a future risk of dementia. For example, in this study, people over 50 were found to have an increased risk of dementia for 10 years after a head injury.
What can I do to reduce my risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease?
Because researchers are still investigating exactly how and why dementia develops, there’s no certain way to prevent the condition.
That said, there are certain risk factors that we can influence by making lifestyle changes to help reduce our risk. In fact, the NHS estimates that around four in 10 cases of dementia could be prevented by modifying risk factors we are able to change.
We’ll cover some of these below.
For more information, you might like to check out our guide to maintaining your brain health.
Practise a healthy lifestyle
Making healthy lifestyle changes is one of the best things you can do when it comes to reducing your risk of dementia.
This includes everything from exercising regularly, quitting smoking, and eating a healthy, balanced diet to reducing your intake of alcohol and ultra-processed foods.
Regular exercise has been consistently linked with better brain health. For example, studies show that just 30-45 minutes of brisk walking, three times a week, can help delay the onset of dementia.
When it comes to diet, this study linked a 10% increase in ultra-processed food consumption with a 14% increase in Alzheimer’s disease risk; while increased intake of certain other foods is associated with a reduced risk of dementia.
For example, the MIND diet (short for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurogenerative Delay) is designed to help reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. Our article, 10 foods that may help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, also explores the impact of specific ingredients.
Take steps to manage other health conditions
Certain health conditions, including diabetes, depression, and heart disease, can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease – so taking steps to manage these conditions is key.
In particular, experts agree that what’s good for your heart is also good for your brain. With this in mind, you might like to read our articles: 11 healthy heart tips and 10 delicious foods that can boost heart health.
Challenge your mind and learn new skills
Exercising your brain is just as important as exercising your body – and research has found that people who engage in more mentally stimulating activities have better critical thinking skills later in life.
Check out our articles, 9 hobbies to keep your mind active and 20 ways to keep your mind sharp as you age, for ideas.
Get enough good quality sleep
Getting enough good quality sleep is important for overall wellbeing – and is particularly linked with brain health.
If you’ve been struggling to sleep well recently, head over to the sleep and fatigue section of our website. Here, you’ll find information on everything from tackling insomnia to ways to wind down before bed.
Protect yourself against head injuries
Because of the link between head injuries and the future risk of dementia, it’s important to take steps to protect your brain from injury. For example, by wearing your seat belt, fall-proofing your home, and wearing a helmet when necessary.
How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed?
If you’re worried about your memory or suspect you may have dementia, it’s important to speak to your GP. Equally, if you’re concerned about someone else, it can be helpful to encourage them to make a GP appointment – perhaps offering to go along with them.
Getting an accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can help with understanding your symptoms – offering you time to adjust, prepare, and plan for the future, as well as access treatments and support.
Remember, struggling with memory doesn’t necessarily mean you have dementia (you can read more about common causes of memory loss on the NHS website), but it’s still worth getting checked out.
Your GP will be able to carry out some simple checks to try and determine the cause. This may include discussing your personal concerns, as well as any symptoms that your loved ones have noticed. You’ll usually be asked to carry out some memory and thinking tasks to check how different areas of your brain are functioning. Your GP may also take a blood test to help rule out other potential causes.
If your GP is unsure whether or not you have Alzheimer’s disease, they may refer you to a specialist for further tests. You can read more about how Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed on the NHS website.
It’s worth noting that it can take multiple appointments and tests over several months before a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be confirmed – though it can be much quicker than this.
Note: Being diagnosed with dementia can come as a shock for both you and your family, and it’s normal to feel overwhelmed or worried about the future. But, there’s support out there to help you. You might like to have a read the NHS’ guide to what to do if you’ve just been diagnosed with dementia.
How is Alzheimer’s disease treated?
There’s currently no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but there are medications that can help to temporarily reduce symptoms.
For example, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors work by increasing levels of acetylcholine – a substance in the brain that helps nerve cells communicate. The right medication for you will largely depend on the stage of the disease and the impact it’s having.
There are also medications available to help treat challenging behaviour, known as behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), which many people develop in the later stages of Alzheimer’s.
You can read more about treatment for Alzheimer’s disease on the NHS website. Support is also available to help people living with the condition and their family members cope with everyday life.
Coping with Alzheimer’s disease
Being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease can come as a shock and it’s normal to feel frustrated, low in self-confidence, or worried about the future.
However, while everyone’s experience of Alzheimer’s will be different, there are several things, such as building a support network, planning ahead, and simplifying the layout of your home, that can help to make things a little bit easier.
Alzheimer’s Society has a guide to living well after your dementia diagnosis available to download on their website, which is full of tips and advice to help you live well with dementia and continue doing the activities you enjoy. On the NHS website, you’ll also find a list of charities and organisations for people living with dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease can also be challenging for the loved ones and family members of those with the condition – but it’s important to remember that there’s support available. Head over to the NHS website for guidance on looking after someone with dementia.
Final thoughts…
Being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease can come as a shock, and it’s normal to worry about what life with the condition might look like. However, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone and there’s support to help you along the way.
For further reading, head over to the general health section of our website. Here, you’ll find information on everything from lung and heart health to important health checks over 50.
Do you have any experience of Alzheimer’s disease that you’d like to share? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.
