MOST COMMON DEMENTIA IN OLDER ADULTS

There are risk factors such as genetic inheritance, low level of education, unresolved depression, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, social isolation and obesity.

Dementia is a syndrome that causes impairment of memory, thinking, behavior and the ability to carry out daily activities. The main risk for this disease is age, and the most common type of disease among people over 65 years of age is Alzheimer’s disease. It is estimated that approximately one million 300 thousand people suffer from this disease in Mexico.

This is clearly a public health issue, as life expectancy is projected to rise at an accelerated rate in the coming decades.

Although it is not known what causes the disease, documented risk factors include low education, uncontrolled depression, smoking, sedentary lifestyle and obesity.

First signs

If a person consistently experiences short-term memory loss, difficulty remembering names, recent events, disorientation in familiar places, and sudden changes in personality or mood, it is advisable to get tested at appropriate medical centers to rule out Alzheimer’s disease or begin treatment. it’s timely.

Dr. Maximo Leon Vazquez, epileptological neurologist working at the Epilepsy Clinic of the Specialized Hospital of the National Medical Center (KMN) La Raza notes that the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) first sees a doctor for an initial evaluation, and if the condition is suspected, patients are referred to a neurology or geriatrics specialist for more advanced tests, such as cognitive tests and neuroimaging tests.

“Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that primarily affects memory and other cognitive functions. It is characterized by cognitive and functional impairments that significantly affect the patient’s daily life,” he points out.

The specialist clarifies that this disease is more common in people over 65 years of age, although there is also an early form that can appear between the ages of 40 and 50; However, most cases are diagnosed in older adults and it is the leading cause of dementia in this age group.

He emphasizes that although it is impossible to completely prevent the disease, research shows that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of developing the disease. “He IMSS “recommends controlling risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity, and promoting healthy habits such as a balanced diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking and maintaining mental alertness through memory games, reading and various cognitive activities,” he notes. .

Social Security offers a comprehensive approach that includes medication to treat symptoms that affect the behavior and mood of diagnosed patients.

In addition, it offers rehabilitation therapy, psychological and psychiatric support, and palliative care services.

“It is important to raise awareness of this disease, promote research and support patients and their families. Also, make clear the need for public policies and resources to improve the care and services available to those suffering from this disease and their caregivers,” says Leon Vazquez.

Changes in brain proteins

The main risk factors for developing this condition are age, genetic inheritance, social isolation and sleep problems, as those who suffer from it experience changes at the molecular and cellular level that cause changes in the brain that end in the death of neurons associated with memory .

In Mexico, 7.8% of people over 60 live with Alzheimer’s disease, a disease characterized by memory loss that can be prevented or delayed through a healthy lifestyle, says Francisco Martínez Carillo, a specialist at Manuel’s Subdirectorate of Psychiatry. National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery Velasco Suarez (Velasco Suarez)INNNMVS).

He explains that Alzheimer’s disease develops from the fusion of pathways that produce changes in brain proteins such as so-called beta-amyloid and tau, which initially accumulate in the temporal lobe, causing inflammation, dysfunction and progressive cell death. neurons.

This causes people to gradually lose their memory until they forget the names of their loved ones, walking, eating and other self-care activities, so in the later stages they become completely dependent on their caregivers.

As the disease progresses, people with Alzheimer’s disease experience language problems, confusion, changes in mood and behavior, changes in abstract thinking, and loss of psychomotor skills.

Specialist assigned to the Department of Psychiatry INNNMVS reports that approximately two-thirds of dementia cases worldwide are due to Alzheimer’s disease, which is considered the main type of dementia in older people, followed by vascular dementia, which occurs due to strokes and brain hemorrhages, and frontotemporal dementia, which affects behavior earlier .

It also encourages the public to take charge of their health from childhood through a healthy diet, physical activity, smoking cessation and alcohol cessation, in order to reach an older age with the highest possible quality of life and a lower risk of serious illnesses and complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Women primary caregivers

Dulce Tovar, Director of the Alzheimer’s Foundation and Day Center in Mexico IAPhighlights the importance of taking action in the face of this public health problem.

“It is important to have policies that protect both patients and caregivers, the majority of whom are women,” he stresses.

It also highlights the urgency of investing in programs to support and train family caregivers, as “the well-being of caregivers is essential to providing dignified patient care.”

The annual cost of caring for people with dementia in Mexico exceeds 23 billion pesos, a figure that includes medical expenses and economic losses caused by reduced income for caregivers. Faced with this challenge, experts are calling on society and government to join forces to confront this growing crisis.

The prevalence of dementia among people over 60 years of age is 7.9%, with women and people living in rural areas particularly affected. Given this picture, experts insist on the need to strengthen public policies that guarantee comprehensive access to diagnosis, treatment and care.

“It is time for us as a society to recognize the seriousness of this disease and build a future in which Alzheimer’s is cared for with the dignity that people deserve,” concludes Tovar.