Alzheimer’s dementia
Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease and the most common cause of dementia worldwide, accounting for approximately 60–70% of all dementia cases. It causes a gradual decline in memory, thinking, and everyday functioning, affecting both patients and their loved ones.
How common is Alzheimer's dementia?
- More than 30 million people live in the world with Alzheimer’s disease, and numbers are rising because of an ageing population.
- The exact data are not known in Latvia, but there is a similar tendency of disease distribution.
- The disease is most common in people over the age of 65.
Why it occurs – pathogenesis and risk factors
During Alzheimer’s, beta-amyloid plaques and tau protein deposits accumulate in the brain, damaging nerve cells and their connections. As a result, brain function gradually deteriorates.
Risk factors:
- age (main risk factor);
- family history (dementia in parents, grandparents or other close relatives), certain gene variants (e.g. APOE4);
- uncontrolled arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, or other chronic diseases;
- a history of brain injury;
- sedentary lifestyle, smoking;
- excessive alcohol consumption.
Symptoms - How do I recognize Alzheimer's disease?
The onset of the disease is gradual, and over time, without treatment, the symptoms become more pronounced.
Early symptoms:
- difficulty in remembering recent conversations or events;
- forgetfulness affecting everyday life (e.g. repeated issues, lost belongings, getting lost, etc.);
- difficulty planning or organizing jobs.
During disease progression, the following are usually observed:
- language disorders (difficulty finding words);
- confusion in place and time;
- personality changes, depression, anxiety;
- difficulties in recognising loved ones;
- at the end stage – not being able to look after yourself requires full care.
The diagnosis is determined by combining clinical assessment and exams, which usually result from the following:
- neurological examination and conversation with the patient and the patient’s relatives;
- cognitive tests (such as MOCA) to evaluate memory and thinking;
- brain magnetic resonance (MR) or computed tomography (CT) to exclude other causes of dementia (e.g. circulatory disorders, tumours, etc.);
- laboratory tests (full blood, B12, thyroid function, blood iron, infections, etc.);
- in some cases, neuropsychological evaluation, etc. additional examinations as necessary.
Treatment and support
Alzheimer’s is incurable, but treatment can slow down the progression of symptoms and improve quality of life for the patient and his loved ones.
Medication treatment:
- cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine) – improve memory and daily activity;
- memantine – used to slow down the development of the disease;
- medicines for anxiety, sleep or behavioural disorders, etc., if necessary.
Non-pharmacological therapy:
- cognitive training programs;
- physiotherapy, ergotherapy, social support;
- dietary and sleep adjustment;
- work with relatives – education on illness and care.
What help can you get at the NeiroMed ASTRA clinic?
- Timely diagnosis and exclusion of other memory problems.
- Tailored treatment plan – medicines, rehabilitation, lifestyle recommendations.
- Support for the patient’s family and individual recommendations for care planning.
- Monitoring and control visits for assessing and supporting disease progression.
