Alzheimer’s disease can strike as early as 30 years old

Recently, doctors around the world have recorded a trend of “rejuvenation” of Alzheimer’s disease, previously considered the fate of exclusively elderly people. According to the WHO, there are about 4 million AD patients in the world between the ages of 34 and 65.

Doctors have also found that its symptoms differ between older and younger patients. Thus, if the elderly at the beginning of the disease feel “fog” in the head, memory impairment and anxiety, young people face deterioration of attention, gradual loss of skills in imitation of hand gestures and deterioration of spatial perception. Some also experience increased feelings of anxiety.

Unfortunately, the disease progresses more aggressively in younger patients, which subsequently has the effect of shortening life expectancy – by about two years compared to the elderly. In addition, changes in brain activity due to Alzheimer’s disease at a young age can trigger depression.

Among the reasons for the “rejuvenation” of AD, doctors emphasize the problems of the cardiovascular system and genetic predisposition. To counteract the dangerous disease in the UK, drugs that reduce symptoms are prescribed. In the USA, two methods have been approved to slow down the progression of AD symptoms.

People with a family history of dementia are offered a genetic test to identify defective genes. But even after they are identified, there is no need to despair. As the results of the study have shown, exercising more than 2.5 hours a week and a well-chosen diet have a beneficial effect on cognitive ability and memory.

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