Over eight million Indians are suffering from Alzheimer’s: Healthcare experts

The number of people suffering from Alzheimerrsquos in India is estimated to be between 53 million and 82 million healthcare experts said World Alzheimerrsquos Day was observed on Thursday to raise awareness and educate people around the globe about Alzheimerrsquos and dementia It is a chronic disease where brain and memory cells slowly start to lose thinking and the ability to carry out simplest tasks The brain cells themselves degenerate and die destroying memory and other important functionsThis yearrsquos theme for Alzheimerrsquos Day is lsquoNever too early Never too latersquo which focuses on identifying the factors that cause this disease and taking steps to reduce and prevent dementia Organizations gather on this day so that they can better understand about this condition and generate more funds for researchAccording to Ch Vijay Consultant Neurologist KIMS Icon Vizag Alzheimerrsquos disease usually occurs for people who are in their mid 60s where their brain gets the most effected resulting in such as memory loss inability to be independent poor judgment loss of spontaneity etc Patients with dementia and Alzheimerrsquos experience pain but with the help of a proper care system the pain can be manageableldquoLife expectancy for Alzheimerrsquos patients is around 810 years which can be lesser when diagnosed in the 80s or 90s It can extend till 1520 years in some patients Purple is the colour to raise awareness for Alzheimerrsquos Oftentimes Alzheimerrsquos is the most common cause of dementiaIn India people with Alzheimerrsquos are possibly between 53 million to 82 million Because of the usage of curcumin a powerful antioxidant that possess antiinflammatory properties which helps fight the disease Indians have substantially managed the increase of Alzheimerrsquos but since 2005 it has grown more than dementiardquo he saidP Sravanthi Consultant Neurologist SLG Hospitals said ldquoThere are many myths surrounding Alzheimerrsquos disease It does not always happen to older people most people get this disease in their 60rsquos but it is a chronic disease where there is a decline in thinking and the ability to carry out simplest tasksAbout 5 per cent of people in their 30s 40s and 50s get this disease as an early sign Another myth about this disease is that it is not always an inevitable part of aging it can take away someonersquos ability to eat talk and more The medications that help with Alzheimerrsquos disease do not help with permanent cure of the disease as there is no current way to stop or slow the ailment Medications might help with thinking language memory skills and some behavioural problemsrdquoTalking about the tools that help doctors diagnose this disease Subhangi Thakur Hameer Consultant Neurologist Amor Hospital said that there are no specific blood tests available in India to determine Alzheimerrsquos diseasePerforming clinical assessment and a PET scan CT or an MRI can help diagnose Alzheimerrsquos Administrative psychological evaluation to determine whether the person is going through any symptoms such as depression or other related conditions that contribute to the personrsquos symptoms People with these memory problems should return to the doctor every 612 monthsAccording to Shraddha Sanghani Consultant Internal Medicine Century Hospital Alzheimerrsquos can be caused due to the abnormal buildup of proteins in and around brain cells Deposits of protein such as amyloid form plaques around the brain cells Another protein is called tau which forms tangles within brain cellsldquoSeeking support when needed taking regular breaks eating healthy foods joining a caregivers support group are methods which can help aging Alzheimerrsquos patients It is really important to have selfcare practices in place which can be suggested by the doctor Sanghani saidLifestyle factors also account for Alzheimerrsquos disease People with low social engagement sleep physical activity and nutritious diet have the possibility of getting Alzheimerrsquos disease If people stay healthy the factors might reduce but not permanently cureThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever