Early diagnosis is of great importance in Alzheimer's disease, which is one of the most feared diseases of our age. Stating that people over the age of 50 with a family history of Alzheimer's should have a brain check-up once a year, experts draw attention to the importance of social relations. They recommend solving sudoku instead of crossword puzzles.
Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ, Head of the Department of Neuroscience at Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences and Neurology Specialist at NPISTANBUL Hospital, emphasized the importance of early diagnosis in Alzheimer's.
Risk increases 2-3 times if it runs in the family
Stating that genetic link is one of the most important risk factors in Alzheimer's, Prof. Dr. Tanrıdağ said, "The risk increases 2-3 times for people with Alzheimer's in their family. From the moment a family member is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, relatives, especially in the first degree, over the age of 50, should definitely consult a specialist, even if there are no observable symptoms. However, this application should not be made to a neurologist or psychiatrist, but to centers and specialists working specifically on Alzheimer's disease."
A brain check-up should be done once a year
Stating that various research methods are used in centers working on Alzheimer's to take measures to prevent the disease, Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ said, "When a person who has Alzheimer's in a first-degree family member applies to a center specialized in Alzheimer's and asks 'Do I have this risk? With a brain check-up, examinations can be performed that can show the weakening of the brain even though there are no symptoms. In the brain check-up, MRI, brain mapping, neuropsychological tests are performed and if there is weakening according to the age group, this can be detected."
Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ said that it is important for people over the age of 50 with a family history of Alzheimer's to have a brain check-up once a year for early diagnosis of the disease.
Chronic diseases increase the risk of Alzheimer's
Noting that there are some risk factors for Alzheimer's, Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ said, "If there is a previous cerebrovascular disease or cerebrovascular disease in the family, stroke, blood pressure, diabetes, these increase the risk of Alzheimer's. Apart from that, the risk of people who have had recurrent head trauma and head injuries in the past increases. If we have such a history, it is necessary to apply to investigate the risk before any symptoms appear," he warned.
The rate of progression of the disease can be affected
Emphasizing that there is no question of stopping the disease when Alzheimer's predisposition is detected, Prof. Dr. Tanrıdağ said, "There are many mechanisms in the brain that we do not know. There is no such claim and when such a claim is encountered, it should not be taken into consideration. As soon as Alzheimer's susceptibility and weakening is detected with the examinations performed even though there is no Alzheimer's symptom, it is possible to start the existing drugs early and early and the lifestyle of the person should be reviewed. When we do these as early as possible, it may be possible to have an effect on the rate of progression of the disease. Claims other than this are not realistic."
Lifestyle changes are important
Stating that changes in lifestyle are also important in the fight against Alzheimer's, Prof. Dr. Tanrıdağ said, "For example, if the person has diagnoses such as introversion, withdrawal from social life, early retirement, withdrawal from hobbies and depression, we advise the person not to do these in terms of lifestyle as well as treatment, but to do the opposite in terms of lifestyle, to develop hobbies and skills, to read books, listen to music, to go out, to improve social relations. When these are applied together with the medication, it strengthens the effect of the medication."
Sudoku should be solved instead of crossword puzzles
Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ said that contrary to common knowledge, solving crossword puzzles is not useful in preventing Alzheimer's disease, and that it would be more beneficial to solve sudoku instead of crossword puzzles.
Stating that old knowledge is usually tested during puzzle solving, Prof. Dr. Tanrıdağ said, "In other words, not what people have just learned, but what they have already learned is tested. The main problem in Alzheimer's disease is not related to old memory and in most patients this memory is already preserved. What is important is that recent learning is affected. It is expected and natural for an Alzheimer's patient to remember the name of a movie artist whose name he or she has known for 40 years and seen many of his or her movies, or to remember the name of an item in his or her home that he or she has used all his or her life. On the other hand, most patients wait for hours in front of crossword puzzles about newly learned facts to find the answer. For these reasons, the idea that solving puzzles is beneficial has not gone beyond a well-intentioned expectation. On the other hand, if we ask the question "What can we do if we still want to do something of this kind?", the answer may be to solve sudoku. Because sudoku is more useful than crossword puzzles. During sudoku people have to make logical deductions from the possibilities given to them. In other words, sudoku requires the brain to process other possibilities and the inference changes at each stage. It is not memory that comes into play during Sudoku, but attention and decision-making."