World Alzheimer's Month aims to raise awareness, challenge stigma

September is recognized as World Alzheimer's Month.

World Alzheimer's Month is an annual international event, always held in September and run by Alzheimer's Disease International, (ADI). The aim of the month is to raise awareness and challenge stigma surrounding Alzheimer's and dementia.

ADI estimates that worldwide, at least 55 million people are believed to be living with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. According to the Alzheimer’s Association an estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older are affected with Alzheimer's in 2023.

Dementia, a general term for loss of memory and other thinking abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life, is most commonly caused by Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative brain disease. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease afflicting 6 million people.

Alzheimer’s disease involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. It can seriously affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. It begins with mild memory loss and can lead to loss of the ability to carry a conversation and respond to the environment.

There are many other diseases, disorders and conditions that can cause dementia symptoms. These include traumatic brain injury, midlife hypertension, midlife obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity, smoking, poor sleep quality and sleep disorders, poor diet quality, depression and hearing loss.

The variety of symptoms along with the age of onset, order, intensity and other characteristics of symptoms experienced depend on the underlying causes, the lived experience of each individual and access to appropriate clinical and non-clinical support.

Preventing, remedying or managing conditions that increase risk improves quality of life for individuals who develop cognitive impairment. Addressing these risk factors is also relevant for caregivers to maintain their own health as they care for others.

Mild cognitive impairment

Subtle cognitive changes in memory and thinking are often a feature of “normal aging.” For some individuals, however, these changes are serious enough to be considered Mild Cognitive Impairment. Individuals with MCI may have a higher risk of developing dementia. While not everyone with MCI will develop dementia, an estimated 15% of individuals with MCI develop dementia after two years, and about one-third of people with MCI develop dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease within five years.

A note on some recent promising diet research

Primarily plant-based, the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) and Mediterranean diets are rich in nutrients important for brain health. The MIND diet features vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables such as spinach, romaine lettuce and kale; berries over other fruit; and beans, nuts, and one or more weekly servings of fish.

The Mediterranean diet consists of vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, and at least three servings of fish each week. Both diets also include olive oil, whole grains, and small amounts of wine; and limit red meat.

Previous research has shown these diets may slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s. In this recent study, (published in the May 30, 2023 edition of Neurology) researchers at Rush University Medical Center examined the association of these diets with brain changes linked with Alzheimer’s.

The findings from this study suggest that diet is an important lifestyle factor that needs further research as an Alzheimer’s prevention strategy.

Check out a summary on this research carried out by Rush University at rush.edu.

Thanks to the CDC, Alzheimer’s International and the Alzheimer’s Association for much of the content provided.

Additional information/resources

Florida’s Alzheimer’s statistics for 2023 are available at alz.org.

The Alzheimer’s Project provides comfort, support, and assistance to persons with memory disorders and their caregivers across the Big Bend area. Access their site as well as Volunteer Leon for details on available services.

Research is still evolving, but evidence is strong that people can reduce their risk of cognitive decline by making key lifestyle changes, including participating in regular physical activity, staying socially engaged, and maintaining good heart health. Check alz.org for resources available through the Alzheimer’s Association.

A guide (Healthy Brain Initiative, 2023-2027) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Alzheimer’s Association focusing on A State and Local Road Map to address action steps to address this issue is at:cdc.gov.

Mark A. Mahoney, Ph.D. has been a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist for over 35 years and completed graduate studies in Nutrition & Public Health at Columbia University. He can be reached at marqos69@hotmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: World Alzheimer's Month raising awareness of memory disease