Methods for treating Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment How to treat Alzheimer's disease at home

For many years now, scientists have been trying to find a reliable cure for Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, at the moment this disease cannot be treated; we have only been able to find ways to slow down the development of senile dementia in older people.

Already when the first symptoms of the disease appear, it is worth preparing for the progression of the pathology.

For some time, the development of the disease can be stopped with the help of drug therapy.

Symptoms of the disease

Different stages of the disease have their own symptoms.

At an early stage

First, memory begins to suffer.

Reference! Violations can be short-term or long-term:

Short-term failures in memory develop gradually, over time a person is forced to write down his plans in a notebook so as not to forget to do something again.

Some patients try to hide their emerging memory lapses.

Typically, relatives begin to notice the emerging disease at a time when a person often forgets significant moments in life or events.

Later, progressive loss of long-term memory occurs:

A person now forgets not only about his plans and promises, he begins to forget the names of objects, names of people, etc.
Thinking abilities gradually weaken.
It becomes difficult for a person to concentrate.
The person begins to suffer from depression. This is often due to the appearance of memory lapses and suspiciousness of the patient.
There is also increased anxiety.
This condition leads to psychosis, which is replaced by apathy and loss of interest in everything around.

What are the first symptoms and signs of Alzheimer's disease are described in the video:

Pathology progression

At this stage the person is already finds it difficult to navigate modern times. He is unable to remember the date or even the year in which he is.

A person can get lost when going outside. Such patients become overly suspicious, leading to paranoia. They find it difficult to control their emotions.

Late stage

At this stage of the disease a person already has difficulty controlling physiological processes in the body. The patient does not make contact with others.

Many patients have difficulty moving and are often confined to a wheelchair.

Causes

At present, the exact cause of Alzheimer's disease has not been established. There is an opinion that the disease develops due to prussic plaques, which form in the vessels of the brain, leading to the death of neurons.

Other possible reasons development of the disease:

Statistics have shown that this pathology more often affects people with a low level of intelligence. It is believed that people engaged in mental work have more developed connections between the nerve cells of the brain. And even if there are dead cells, their functions will be performed by others that were not previously involved.
The risk of developing Alzheimer's increases in people over 65 years of age. In more at a young age Patients with Down syndrome are more likely to get sick.
More often this disease is recorded in women than in men, perhaps due to the fact that the weaker sex lives longer.

In the video, the doctor talks about the causes of Alzheimer's disease:

What happens in the body?

As the disease progresses, beta-amyloid protein is deposited in the brain, causing plaque to form in the blood vessels

As a result, neurons are damaged, forming neurofibrillary tangles. All this disrupts the functioning of the connections between neurons, which means it leads to a malfunction of the brain functions (see photo).

The causes of beta-amyloid protein deposition are not fully established.

IN last years Various hypotheses have been developed regarding the development of Alzheimer's disease:

One of them suggests the presence of a special gene that promotes the formation of plaques from amyloid beta protein.
According to other opinions, the causes of the development of the disease include inflammatory processes and cytokines.

Can it be cured?

Alzheimer's disease is an incurable disease, but there are therapeutic measures that can stop the development of the pathology.

Reference! Treatment is aimed mainly at reducing the manifestations of the disease, for example, it helps to cope with insomnia, disorientation in space, depression, anxiety, etc.

Stages of the disease

There are several stages of this disease.

Initial

This stage is in turn divided into three substages:

The preliminary stage of dementia, at this time signs of the disease do not manifest themselves. Memory and cognitive abilities are normal. Diagnostic measures do not reveal any deviations.
The period of mild Alzheimer's - disturbances are observed in minimum quantity and are perceived as acceptable age-related changes. Especially if the patient is over 65 years old. Everyday forgetfulness prevails.
Moderate Alzheimer's – the onset of mild cognitive impairment. This period can last from 2 to 7 years. Exactly on at this stage Doctors diagnose the early stage of the pathology. Often the patient tries to hide his problems.

Stage of focal disorders

At this stage, mild dementia becomes a focal form, in which Certain brain functions are impaired:

The inability to form one whole from several parts, for example, the inability to construct geometric figures.
The skill of performing daily automated tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, and going to the store, is lost.
The skill of writing and recording coherent speech is lost, and later words are completely replaced by waves and lines.
The patient cannot even do simple counting.
As the disease progresses, the person is unable to dress himself or light a match.
Movement reflexes are impaired.
Speech is impaired. At first, a person forgets words, and later his speech becomes completely incoherent.
The patient ceases to recognize loved ones and relatives.

Terminal

All disorders that were listed above reach their maximum stage

Additionally, the following symptoms appear:

Loss of the ability to stand up, sit and move independently.
More often than not, a person is in the fetal position.
Automatically, a person begins to put everything in his mouth, tries to grab something and try it.
Speaking skills are lost, the person makes sounds, screams, cries or moos.
The body gradually becomes completely exhausted and the patient dies in a senile state.

The three stages of Alzheimer's disease are described in the video:

How to treat?

The disease cannot be completely cured, but its symptoms can be alleviated.

New in treatment

Currently, new methods for treating this disease continue to be developed. Here are some new drugs that have appeared relatively recently.

Vaccination against dementia

This drug was developed by specialists from the USA. The basis of the substance is components aimed at restoring human immunity.

As a result of taking the drug, the death of pathological protein cells occurs. This drug is at the development stage; during this period, scientists from the States were joined by specialists from Europe and Asia.

A tablet a day and no pathologies

This medicine was developed in England.

It involves taking a pill daily that blocks and reduces beta-amyloid levels in the brain by 95%.

A preliminary study was conducted on 200 volunteers. The result exceeded all expectations; there were clear indicators of improvement.

Aerosol for memory loss

Another medical innovation through the respiratory tract medicinal substance reaches the brain and promotes the growth of young cells.

Even if there are plaques of amyloid proteins, the substance is able to penetrate through them and improve brain activity.

Stem cells guard thinking

As the disease progresses, cell death occurs. Therefore, the stem cell method involves replacing them with new and healthy ones.

If the therapy is carried out correctly, the symptoms of psychological disorders will completely disappear. Israeli specialists developed this method for replacing mutated genes.

New patch

There are a lot of medications side effects, contraindications and often cause allergic reactions. To replenish the missing substances in the body, scientists suggest using a special patch.

It contains a certain dose of the desired medicine, and it is safer than its tablet counterparts.

Trazodone

A Cambridge scientist was able to develop unique drug to combat this disease.

Trazodone eliminates signs of depression and psychosis, while causing a minimum of adverse reactions.

The main substance acts directly on brain cells, which eliminates the root cause of Alzheimer's disease and other manifestations of dementia.

Using folk remedies at home

This disease is also fought with the help of folk remedies.

Diet

A specific diet has not been developed specifically for this disease. Medical nutrition aimed at maintaining the overall health of the body.

In order to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, improve their patency and regulate metabolic processes, the diet The following products need to be included:

Boiled, steamed or stewed plant foods. As well as fresh fruits and vegetables.
White meat in the form of rabbit, chicken, turkey.
Various nuts.

Attention! You need to exclude baked goods, dairy products and sweets. In addition, it leads to dysfunction of many internal organs consumption of spices, fatty, fried foods. Alcoholic drinks and smoking are prohibited.

What diet should you follow for Alzheimer's disease is described in the video:

Massage

Massage is aimed at eliminating pain in certain parts of the body, as well as for better blood circulation.

Initially, all actions must be shown by a specialist, after which this responsibility can pass to one of the family members, and massage will need to be done daily:

First, stroking and warming movements are made throughout the body.
Then they move on to more intense actions.
Finally, you can make stroking, rubbing, pinching and tapping movements.
As an additional means, take any essential oil. It is better if it is lavender, olive or tea.

Prevention

Although there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, You can try to prevent the development of this disease in the following ways:

Raise your intellectual level.
Use proper nutrition based on plant foods.
Timely treatment of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension.
Rejection of bad habits.

This video explains how to avoid Alzheimer's disease:

Which doctor should I contact?

This problem is mainly dealt with by neurologists, but you may also need help from other specialized specialists - a cardiologist, a psychiatrist, etc.

In Moscow

There are many clinics in Moscow specializing in these diseases. One of them - clinic of psychotherapist I. G. Gernet.

In Rostov

Clinical Diagnostic Center "Medicine" in Rostov-on-Don is located on Strelkovaya Divizii Street and also deals with the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

In Novokuznetsk

The following doctors treat this disease in Novokuznetsk: Ziborova Svetlana Stanislavovna, Sharapova Irina Nikolaevna in City Clinical Hospital No. 1.

In Israel

There are many clinics in this country specializing in mental disorders person, the largest of them:

Medical complex "Assuta" in Tel Aviv.
Medical Center named after. Souraski (Ichilov) in Tel Aviv.
Hadassah Central Clinic in Jerusalem.
Medical Center named after. I. Rabin in Petah Tikva.

Like any disease, Alzheimer's disease is better prevented than cured.

To do this, you should conduct healthy image life, increase your intellectual potential, eat the right foods and be physically active.

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, one of the manifestations of senile dementia. In rare cases, the disease can be detected at a young age, but the majority of patients (more than 92%) are elderly people over 60 years of age. The disease was named after the scientist physician Alois Alzheimer, who was the first to describe its symptoms in detail and identify the peculiarities of the clinical course in various age groups in 1907. The mechanism of development of the pathology has not been fully studied, but it has been established that most irreversible processes occur against the background of neuronal degeneration.

It is impossible to completely cure Alzheimer's disease. Treatment is aimed at maintaining and preserving basic brain functions, improving cerebral circulation and reducing the manifestations of diseases. Most drugs help improve memory, eliminate emotional lability (frequent mood swings) and facilitate social adaptation in patients with sharply progressive forms of the disease.

The main group of drugs used to treat various forms of Alzheimer's disease are cholinesterase inhibitors. Cholinesterase is an enzyme from the group of carboxylic acids necessary for the breakdown of choline (a vitamin-like substance that is the most important building material tissues and brain cells). Drugs in this group have serious contraindications and can cause side effects, so they should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor, strictly in the dosage prescribed by the doctor.

Below are the main medicines, used for the complex treatment of Alzheimer's disease, as well as given a brief description of and instructions for use.

"Exelon"

One of the most effective and frequently prescribed drugs from the group of blockers of enzymes that break down choline. The product is available in three dosage forms:

capsules for oral administration (1600-2300 rubles);
solution for internal use (1500-2200 rubles);
transdermal therapeutic system (3400-3900 rubles) - patches and films with dosed application of the active substance for its absorption through the skin.

Exelon's active ingredient, rivastigmine, is used to treat dementia due to Alzheimer's disease, as well as Parkinson's disease (a slowly progressive neurological disorder accompanied by the so-called "shaking palsy"). "Exelon" can be prescribed to patients in any form, but in the absence of round-the-clock care for the patient from relatives or loved ones, preference is given to transdermal forms, because such patients usually forget to take oral medications.

The dosage regimen depends on the severity of the disease, the age of the patient, existing symptoms and other factors. If it is impossible to constantly monitor the patient, he is placed in a neuropsychiatric hospital, since the effectiveness of therapy and the patient’s condition must be constantly monitored. It is recommended to start treatment with a dosage of 4.6 mg/day with a gradual increase to 9.5 mg/day. The interval between changes in dosage regimen should not be less than weeks.

Important! For severe and progressive dementia, the dosage may be increased to 13.3 mg/day.

"Aricept"

"Aricept" based on donepezil hydrochloride is considered the only medicine, which is suitable for the treatment of all forms of Alzheimer's disease, as well as dementia syndrome, which is a clinical manifestation of certain neurological disorders.

The product is available in the form of tablets and solution for internal use, has few contraindications and is suitable for treating patients of any age with the exception of children and pregnant women. The dosage is selected individually, and its adjustment depends on the effectiveness of therapy and the general condition of the patient. You need to start therapy with 5 mg 1 time per day (in the evening before bedtime). If it is necessary to increase the daily dosage to the maximum possible dose (10 mg), the interval between adjustments to the dosage regimen should be at least 1 month.

Despite the fact that Aricept is considered one of the safest drugs in this group, its use may cause unwanted side effects, for example:

nausea and vomiting;
sleep disturbance;
convulsive syndrome;
slow heart rate;
headache and dizziness (the possibility of fainting cannot be ruled out);
bowel and digestive disorders;
increased weakness and fatigue.

Analogs of the drug and their cost are shown in the table.

Name of medicine	Image	What is the price?
		1800 rubles
		1300 rubles
		750 rubles
		900 rubles

Important! It is possible to stop treatment, change the dosage and dosage regimen only under the supervision of a doctor due to the high risk of deterioration in health and the occurrence of side effects from the central nervous system. nervous system.

"Reminyl"

The drug is suitable for the treatment of mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. The active ingredient, galantamine, inhibits the activity of enzymes that destroy choline, so the drug can also be used to treat chronic cerebrovascular accidents. If necessary, the drug can be prescribed to pregnant women. During breastfeeding It is better not to take the medicine or to stop lactation, since there is no data on the penetration of galantamine into breast milk and its effects on the baby’s body.

The drug should be taken once a day during meals. The minimum duration of therapy is 4 weeks.

Analogues of the drug "Reminil" and their prices

Name of medicine	Image	What is the price?
		900 rubles
		400 rubles
		380-2230 rubles

How to treat severe and advanced forms?

For the complex treatment of severe neurological disorders in Alzheimer's disease, the drug of choice is a drug based on memantine hydrochloride - antiparkinsonian tablets "Namenda". The drug has a complex effect and allows you to achieve the following therapeutic effect (even in patients with rapidly progressing forms of dementia):

eliminating the tendency to depression and symptoms of depressive disorders;
increasing concentration and improving memory;
reduction of fatigue;
stabilization of psycho-emotional state;
correction of movement disorders, normalization of coordination.

The active ingredient of the drug, memantine, is quickly absorbed by the mucous membranes and reaches its maximum concentration 2-6 hours after use. The tablets must be taken once a day with meals. Due to the large list of side effects on the nervous system, it is better to do this in the evening or before bed. The therapeutic dose of the drug is 5 mg.

Important!"Namenda" is contraindicated in case of any impairment of consciousness, severe pathologies of the renal system with a decrease in creatinine clearance to 30 ml per minute or lower, heart failure, as well as myocardial infarction and epilepsy. If necessary, the drug can be taken by pregnant women, but subject to regular supervision by the attending physician. During treatment it is necessary to give up control vehicles and work requiring increased concentration.

Video - Alzheimer's disease: what it is, symptoms and treatment

Symptomatic therapy

The use of cholinesterase blockers is the basis of therapy, but treatment of the pathology must be comprehensive, since degenerative changes in the structure of neurons lead to the appearance of a whole complex of symptoms that require timely drug correction. If the patient does not receive symptomatic treatment, his quality of life will noticeably decrease, which will negatively affect the effectiveness of the therapy. An approximate scheme for complex treatment of any form of Alzheimer's disease is given below.

Drugs	Image	What are they used for?
"Glycine", "Cerebrolysin"		Improving cerebral circulation and normalizing emotional background
		Increased mood, return of interest in life and events happening around
"Haloperidol", "Droperidol"		Neuroleptics and tranquilizers are prescribed to relieve hallucinations and when signs of delirium appear. Only a doctor should prescribe drugs from this group, as they have a large list of contraindications and side effects.

In most cases, treatment is supplemented with various antidepressants. Their use is indicated for anxiety, unreasonable feelings of fear, panic attacks and other severe symptoms of depressive disorder. Drugs in this group can also be used to reduce aggressive mood towards others, but the dosage should be determined by the attending physician, taking into account the general condition of the patient and the degree of danger to himself and others.

Important! An overdose of antidepressants can lead to increased excitability, acute intoxication, poisoning and even death of the patient, therefore these drugs (like any others) must be kept in places closed to free access by children and people with mental disorders.

What should you not forget?

Alzheimer's disease is a systemic disorder, and treatment of the pathology should include not only medication, but also correction of the patient's lifestyle. To improve blood circulation, saturate the blood with oxygen and stimulate brain activity, regular walks are useful, as well as physical activity appropriate to the patient’s age and abilities. The caregiver must understand that long walks This group of patients is contraindicated due to rapid fatigue, so it is better to go outside 2-4 times a day for 30-40 minutes.

Other components proper care Patients with Alzheimer's disease should:

varied and nutritious diet with high content vitamins, protein and minerals;
sanatorium-resort treatment (according to indications);
rehabilitation measures aimed at improving social adaptation.

Alzheimer's disease is a severe neurological pathology that leads to irreversible changes in the body of the sick person. It is impossible to cure it completely, but with proper treatment and good care you can stop degenerative processes and slow down the progression of the disease. Relatives of such patients should receive detailed instructions on the specifics of care and living together with this group of patients.

If a person feels that he is unable to cope with such a task, it is necessary to consult with a doctor about the possibility of placing the patient in a hospital. A way out of the situation may also be to find a person for round-the-clock care, but he must have a medical education and experience in managing such patients. read on our website.

Shoshina Vera Nikolaevna

Therapist, education: Northern Medical University. Work experience 10 years.

Articles written

Alzheimer's disease is a severe disease that affects the human body in old age. Scientists have not yet come to a clear conclusion: what are the reasons for the development of pathology. Currently, therapy for the disease makes it possible only to stop the destructive processes occurring in brain cells; it includes a course of treatment and the use of methods traditional medicine. How to treat Alzheimer's disease at home, what folk remedies will help significantly improve the quality of life of an elderly person?

Healing herbal decoctions are auxiliary agents that can enhance the effect of medications prescribed for the disease. Physical exercise, correct mode nutrition and techniques that increase the activity of brain cells - these are methods to help the patient at home.

Features of treatment at home

Features of the treatment of Alzheimer's disease include strict adherence to the daily routine. You should take prescribed medications every day, support your body with folk remedies, and engage in physical exercise and brain training.

Physical activity depends on the patient's age. The attending doctor prescribes a set of physical exercises for each age group.

An elderly person with this diagnosis should spend more time outdoors, and exercise can be replaced with a leisurely walk that lasts at least an hour.

To train your brain, you need to memorize small passages of poetry or prose every day, collect puzzles, and solve scanwords and crosswords.

Treatment and folk remedies includes taking decoctions of medicinal plants, which are natural antidepressants that increase blood flow and stimulate brain function.

Decoctions and infusions that are used for the disease:

Infusion of lemongrass fruit and ginseng root.

Grind the dried ginseng root, crush the lemongrass fruits with the blunt side of a knife, take equal proportions of the raw materials, mix. Place a teaspoon of the mixture in a wide-necked thermos, pour one liter of boiling water, leave for a couple of hours. Take the infusion in small quantities several times a day. The infusion has a positive effect on the activity of brain cells.

A decoction of motherwort.

Place a tablespoon of dried raw materials in a glass container, pour two glasses hot water, cook in a steam bath for 9-12 minutes, cool, strain, add another 2 cups of boiled water. Drink half a glass of the decoction 2-3 times a day. The product will help normalize blood pressure, relieve aggression and increased excitability.

Healing tea from St. John's wort and heather.

Add dried plant leaves to tea leaves and drink healing tea throughout the day. Plants are strong antidepressants.

Infusion of ginkgo biloba leaves.

Dried leaves of the plant, in the amount of fifty grams, are placed in a dark glass bottle and filled with two glasses of vodka, allowed to brew for two weeks. The infusion is filtered and taken in small quantities daily. The exact dosage and duration of use should be prescribed by your doctor.

Infusion of Dioscorea Caucasica.

The roots of the plant are thoroughly washed, crushed, placed in a dark bottle, and filled with vodka at the rate of 4 glasses of vodka per 100 grams of raw material. Infuse in a dark room for at least two weeks, filter, drink one teaspoon 3 times a day, before meals. The product will help stimulate brain function.

Home treatment for Alzheimer's disease includes a course of decoctions of calamus, wormwood, chicory, elecampane, echinacea, eleutherococcus and aralia. These plants increase protective properties immune system, give tone, improve brain function.

Bee products

Treatment of Alzheimer's disease with folk remedies includes daily consumption of bee products. Natural honey, beebread, royal jelly and pollen are natural antioxidants that can significantly reduce sclerotic phenomena and tone the walls of blood vessels. A patient with this disease is recommended to eat 2-3 tablespoons of sweet medicine daily. Honey can be used to replace sugar, which negatively affects the patient's body.

Food

The patient's diet should contain the following products:

Oil (vegetable), lean meat, low-fat fish. Butter and fatty meat are not recommended for feeding the patient.
Fresh vegetables and fruits. The most healthy vegetables: legumes, spinach, cauliflower, green onions, carrots, fresh garlic. These vegetables contain a large number of beneficial substances that are natural antioxidants. Fresh berries, dried fruits and citrus fruits will help stimulate metabolic processes in the cerebral cortex.
Fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir, sour cream, yogurt).

Drinking regime

Drinking regime is extremely important for a patient with such a diagnosis. Lack of fluid in the body can lead to worsening of the condition. You need to drink at least 1.5 liters of liquid per day (water, juices, compotes of fresh berries and dried fruits). Many doctors agree that it is the systematic lack of fluid in the body and bad habits(alcohol, nicotine) are factors that provoke the development of the disease.

One way to stimulate your work is to drink several cups of freshly brewed tea (black or green) every day.

Other means

To treat the disease at home, doctors often recommend:

yoga classes;
breathing exercises;
hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches);
relaxing massage courses with oils (coconut, peach).

Science does not stand still; new tools appear every day that can improve the condition of a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Therapeutic patch. When taking medications, the patient often experiences side effects; the use of a medicinal patch, despite the high price, does not cause allergic or other reactions in the body.
Use of stem cells. The latest techniques developed in Israel help replace dead brain cells with healthy ones, stop the further development of the disease, and significantly improve the patient’s condition.

It is a consequence of serious disorders in the human brain. It develops quite slowly, but inevitably leads to death. Unfortunately, today there is no effective ways It is possible to cure this disease, but it is quite possible to stop its development.

Treatment of Alzheimer's disease

The choice of treatment method should be preceded by a detailed assessment of the patient’s condition, identifying the causes of the development of mental disorders. Therapy is carried out in close cooperation with the patient's loved ones.

In addition to treating the general condition, it is necessary to eliminate psychiatric problems that may cause the disease to progress.

Regular monitoring and assessment of symptoms, as well as analysis of the effectiveness of the chosen treatment, are of no small importance.

It is very important to correctly assess all aspects of the patient’s life - the threat of developing suicide attempts, the danger to others, the aggressiveness of his behavior. Determining the adequacy of care and living conditions is of great importance.

Medications are prescribed with caution, since the absorption of many substances and metabolic processes may be impaired with age.

As a result, people become more sensitive to drug components, which greatly increases the risk of side effects. Therefore, when using drugs, a small dosage is initially prescribed and then gradually increased.

Only a specialist can decide how and how to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

Drug treatment

Is there a cure for Alzheimer's disease? More likely no than yes. It is impossible to completely eliminate the pathology. However, there are medications that can slow down its development.

1. Drugs with cholinesterase inhibitors. These drugs are used at an early stage of the development of the disease. The use of these medications allows you to smooth out the symptoms of the pathology.

Such means include:

donepezil;
galantamine;
rivastigmine;
tacrine.

2. The drug memantine.

This remedy is used at a moderate or severe stage. Thanks to this drug, it is possible to slow down the progression of the main ones. Due to this, a person has the opportunity to carry out his daily activities much longer.

Also sometimes used donepezil. It is combined with tablets against depression, increased excitability.

New treatments

New methods of treating the disease include the use of stem cells.

This is a fairly popular method, which allows stem cells to replace damaged ones. Thanks to this, it is possible to restore impaired brain functions.

Healthy cells produce substances that activate recovery processes. As a result, blood vessels appear and regenerate nerve cells. The brain resumes functioning and the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease disappear.

Another method is to use statins. The fact is that there is a relationship between an increase in cholesterol in the blood and the appearance of Alzheimer's disease.

Statins are precisely prescribed to lower cholesterol. Scientists suggest that this will reduce the risk of dementia. However, the technique is still under development.

Folk remedies

Usage folk recipes allows you to slow down the progression of the pathology, but it is impossible to completely cure it.

Enough effective means the following are considered:

You should drink one cup of tea every day. Green or black tea is perfect.
You need to mix ginseng root and lemongrass berries in equal proportions. Add 1 liter of boiling water to 10 g of the mixture. Cook for 10 minutes. Take the decoction throughout the day in small portions.
Take 1 tsp. withania root, add a cup of water and boil for 10 minutes. Drink a cup twice a day.

Exercises to improve brain function

To prevent or stop the progression of the disease, you must always keep your brain active.

Mental stress

There is evidence that connections between brain cells can form in old age. To do this, you need to constantly engage in mental activity: read, solve puzzles, study the computer, etc.

Walks

You should go for a walk several times a week. This will increase the number of useful connections in the brain, which will help maintain a normal emotional state. This is very important for people with this disease, because depressive states lead to memory impairment.

Breathing exercises, stretching

Thanks to such exercises, you can improve attention and all other brain functions. You need to straighten your back, inhale slowly, bending back slightly. Then exhale slowly, gradually bending your back.

Psychotherapy

This treatment method is aimed at correcting psychological problems person and includes:

supportive psychotherapy;
reminiscence therapy;
validation therapy;
sensory integration;
simulation of presence.

To improve the patient’s life, doctors suggest using the following methods:

cognitive retraining;
orientation in space;
music therapy;
art therapy;
animal-assisted therapy.

What are parasomnias, how do they manifest in children and whether they need to be treated.

Where is Alzheimer's disease treated?

In Moscow, for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, you can contact the following centers:

Family doctor.
OAO "Medicine".
Spectra.
Euromedprestige.
"Family Health Center"

These clinics employ qualified neurologists who can make an accurate diagnosis and select treatment. An appointment with a neurologist will cost approximately 1300-2000 rubles.

Unfortunately, Alzheimer's disease is classified as an incurable disease. However, timely diagnosis and adequate treatment can significantly slow down the development of pathology, which will significantly improve the patient’s quality of life.

Is there a cure for Alzheimer's disease?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqkVtOzUavs

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease, one of the common forms of dementia, “senile dementia.” Most often, Alzheimer's disease develops after 50 years, although there are cases of diagnosis at earlier ages. age periods. Named after the German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer's disease, this moment diagnosed in 46 million people in the world and, according to scientists, this figure may triple in the next 30 years. The causes of Alzheimer's disease have not yet been established, just as no effective drug has been created to treat this disease. Symptomatic therapy for Alzheimer's disease can mitigate symptoms, but it is impossible to stop the progression of an incurable disease.

Alzheimer's disease: causes of the disease

It is stated with a high degree of certainty that the main cause of Alzheimer's disease is amyloid deposits in brain tissue, causing disruption of neural connections and cell death, which leads to degeneration of the brain matter.

Amyloid deposits are formed in two variants. Amyloid plaques, which form first in the tissues of the hippocampus and then spread throughout the brain, prevent the organ from performing its functions. Amyloid increases the concentration of calcium in brain cells, which causes their death.
The second type of deposits is neurofibrillary tangles, one of the discoveries of Alois Alzheimer. The tangles he discovered while studying the brain of a deceased patient consist of insoluble tau protein, which also disrupts normal brain functions.

The causes of deposits that lead to the development of Alzheimer's disease have not been precisely established. Neurodegenerative diseases of the brain have been known for a long time, but Alzheimer's disease was distinguished from a number of dementias in 1906 thanks to A. Alzheimer, who observed a patient with progressive symptoms for several years. In 1977, at a conference dedicated to the issues of degenerative diseases of the brain and cognitive disorders, Alzheimer's disease was singled out as an independent diagnosis due to the prevalence of the disease and the need to search for the causes of its development and methods of treatment. At the moment, there are a number of hypotheses and assumptions about the mechanism of occurrence of brain dysfunctions characteristic of this disease, and the principles of maintenance therapy for patients have been developed.

Cholinergic hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease

The first studies conducted to study the causes of the disease revealed a deficiency of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in patients. Acetylcholine is the main neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system and takes part in the transmission of nerve impulses between cells.
This hypothesis led to the creation of medications that restore the level of acetylcholine in the body. However, the drugs were ineffective in treating Alzheimer's disease; although they reduced the severity of symptoms, they did not slow down the progression of the disease. Currently, drugs in this group are used in the course of maintenance therapy for patients.

Amyloid hypothesis

The amyloid hypothesis, based on the destructive effect of beta-amyloid deposits on brain cells, is currently the main one. Despite the reliability of data on the action of beta-amyloid, the reason for its accumulation in brain tissue is unknown. Also, no drug has been created that prevents its accumulation or promotes the resorption of amyloid (senile) plaques. The created experimental vaccines and drugs aimed at cleansing brain tissue of excess beta-amyloid have not passed clinical trials.

Tau hypothesis

The tau hypothesis is based on the identification of neurofibrillary tangles in brain tissue that arise due to disturbances in the structure of the tau protein. This assumption about the causes of the development of Alzheimer's disease is recognized as relevant along with the hypothesis about amyloid deposits. The reasons for the violations have also not been identified.

Hereditary hypothesis

Thanks to many years of research, a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's disease has been identified: the frequency of its development is much higher in people whose relatives suffered from this disease. The development of Alzheimer's disease is blamed on abnormalities on chromosomes 1, 14, 19 and 21. Mutations on chromosome 21 also lead to Down's disease, which has similar degenerative phenomena in the structures of the brain.

The most commonly genetically inherited type is “late” Alzheimer’s disease, which develops at the age of 65 years and older, but the “early” form also has genetic disorders in its etiology. Chromosomal abnormalities and inheritance of genome defects do not necessarily lead to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Genetic predisposition increases the risk of the disease, but does not cause it.

If there is a hereditary risk group, preventive measures are recommended, mainly related to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and active intellectual activity: mental work helps to create more neural connections, which helps the brain redistribute functions to other areas when some cells die, which reduces the likelihood of developing symptoms senile dementia.

Alzheimer's disease: symptoms at different stages

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease in which brain cells die. This process At first, it is accompanied by impaired cognitive functions, and in later stages – by suppression of the functions of the entire organism.
Despite the variability of symptoms depending on the patient’s personality, the general manifestations of the pathology are the same for everyone.

The first signs of the disease

First of all, short-term memory suffers while long-term memory is preserved. Complaints from older people about forgetfulness and requests for the same information several times are quite typical both for age-related characteristics of brain functioning and for the first stages of Alzheimer's disease. In the presence of the disease, forgetfulness increases, it becomes difficult to process new information, to remember not only the location of familiar things, but also the names of relatives, your age, and basic information.

The second symptom of the early stage of the disease is apathy. Interest in usual forms of pastime decreases, it becomes more difficult to engage in your favorite hobby, leave the house for a walk, or meet with friends. Apathy reaches the point of loss of hygiene skills: patients stop brushing their teeth, washing, and changing clothes.
Common symptoms also include speech disorders, starting with an attempt to remember a familiar word and ending with a complete inability to understand what was heard, read and the speech itself, isolation, distance from loved ones, disturbances in spatial orientation: difficulty recognizing places, losing the way home, etc. .

In men, the state of apathy is often replaced or alternates with increased aggression, provocative behavior, and sexual behavior disorders.
Often, early diagnosis of the disease is impossible, since the patients themselves are not aware of the symptoms of the onset of the pathological process or attribute them to manifestations of fatigue and stress. One of the common mistakes at this stage is trying to “relieve tension and relax” with alcohol: alcohol-containing drinks significantly accelerate the death of brain cells and cause increased symptoms.

Stages of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease attacks brain tissue, leading to progressive cell death. The process begins in the hippocampus, which is responsible for remembering and using accumulated information, and spreads to other departments. Damage to the cerebral cortex causes cognitive impairment: logical thinking and the ability to plan suffer.

Massive cell death leads to “shrinkage” of the brain, reducing its size. With the progress of Alzheimer's disease, the disease leads to complete degradation of brain functions: the patient is not capable of self-care, cannot walk, sit, eat independently, and in later stages - chew and swallow food. There are several classifications of the stages of development of Alzheimer's disease. The most common stage of the disease is divided into four stages.

Early stage: pre-dementia

This stage precedes the pronounced clinical picture of the disease. When making a diagnosis based on obvious symptoms, the patients themselves and their relatives recall that the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease had already appeared for several years (8 on average), but they were attributed to the consequences of fatigue, stress, age-related decline in memory processes, etc.
The main symptom of this stage is short-term memory impairment: inability to remember short list products to buy in the store, a list of activities for the day, etc. The ever-increasing need for entries in a diary, smartphone, progressive everyday forgetfulness, as well as a decrease in the number of interests, an increase in apathy, and a desire for isolation should be alarming.

Early dementia

It is at this stage that a clinical diagnosis most often occurs. The destruction of brain cells and neural connections spreads from the hippocampus to other parts of the brain, symptoms increase, it becomes impossible to attribute them to the influence of fatigue or overexertion, patients themselves or with the assistance of relatives consult a doctor.
Memory impairment and apathy are accompanied by new symptoms, most often at the first stage associated with speech: the patient forgets the names of objects and/or confuses words that sound similar but have different meanings. Motor impairments are added: handwriting deteriorates, it becomes difficult to put things on a shelf, in a bag, or prepare food. The general impression of slowness and clumsiness is due to degeneration and death of cells in the brain cell responsible for fine motor skills.
As a rule, at this stage, most people cope with most household tasks and do not lose self-care skills, but from time to time they may need help in performing usual tasks.

Stage of moderate dementia

The stage of moderate dementia in Alzheimer's disease is characterized by an increase in symptoms of the disease. There are pronounced signs of senile dementia and disturbances in mental processes: difficulties in building logical connections, planning (for example, inability to dress in accordance with the weather). Spatial orientation is disrupted, patients, once outside the house, cannot understand where they are, which, together with short-term and long-term memory impairments characteristic of this stage, leads to the inability to remember how a person got to this place and where he lives, how the names of his family and himself.
Impaired long-term memory leads to forgetting the names and faces of relatives and one’s own passport details. Short-term memory is reduced so much that patients do not remember eating a few minutes ago, and forget to turn off the lights, water, and gas.
Speech skills are lost, patients have difficulty remembering and choosing words for everyday speech, and reading and writing abilities decrease or disappear.
There are pronounced fluctuations in mood: apathy is replaced by irritation and aggression.
Patients at this stage require constant supervision, although some self-care abilities are still retained.

Severe dementia

Alzheimer's disease in the stage of severe dementia is characterized by a complete loss of the ability to self-care, independent nutrition, the inability to control physiological processes (urinary and fecal incontinence), almost complete loss of speech, progressing to a complete loss of the ability to move and swallow.

Patients require constant care; at the final stage, nutrition is supplied through a gastric tube.

Alzheimer's disease itself is not fatal. Most often, the cause of death is pneumonia, septic, necrotic processes due to the appearance of bedsores, and the addition of diseases of a different etiology to Alzheimer's disease, depending on the individual characteristics of the person.

Methods for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease

Early diagnostic measures help compensate for existing disorders and slow down the development of the neurodegenerative process. If characteristic neurological signs are detected, consultation with a specialist is necessary to identify the causes of their occurrence and correct the condition.

Problems of early diagnosis of the disease

The main reason why the diagnosis of the disease is not carried out at an early stage of pre-dementia is a careless attitude towards the manifestation of primary symptoms, as well as a decrease in the patient’s ability to adequately self-assess his condition, which also manifests itself at the onset of the disease.
Forgetfulness, absent-mindedness, motor clumsiness, decreased performance, which are not compensated by rest, should be the reason for a full examination by a specialist. Despite the fact that the average age of onset of Alzheimer's disease is 50-65 years, the early form begins at the age of 40, and medicine knows cases of the onset of pathology at the age of 28 years.

Characteristic clinical manifestations of the disease

When collecting an anamnesis and analyzing the patient’s complaints, the specialist differentiates them in accordance with the clinical picture of the disease: progressive impairment of memory functions, from short-term to long-term, apathy, loss of interests, decreased performance, activity, mood swings. Often, these signs are accompanied by symptoms of depression, caused by awareness of a decrease in brain function, dissatisfaction with one’s abilities, condition, and the attitude of others.

Alzheimer's disease test

Alzheimer's disease is a disease that, in its external manifestations, can be similar to both temporary conditions caused by transient disorders and some other pathologies. To initially confirm the diagnosis, a specialist cannot rely solely on the results of collecting information from the patient and his relatives; therefore, tests and questionnaires from various sources are used to clarify.
During testing, the patient is asked to memorize and repeat several words, read and retell unfamiliar text, perform simple mathematical calculations, reproduce patterns, find a common feature, navigate in time, space, and so on. All actions are easily performed with intact neurological functions of the brain, but cause difficulties in the pathological process in the brain tissue.
These questionnaires are recommended for interpretation by specialists, but can also be used independently at home. Some tests with interpretation of the results are available on the Internet.

Neuroimaging methods

The clinical picture and neurological symptoms of different neurodiseases are similar, for example, Alzheimer's disease requires differentiation of the diagnosis from vascular disorders of the brain, the development of cystic inclusions, neoplasms, and consequences.
For accurate diagnosis, instrumental examination methods are used: MRI and CT.

Magnetic resonance imaging method

Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain is the preferred test for suspected Alzheimer's disease. This neuroimaging technique allows us to identify characteristic signs of the disease, such as:

decrease in the amount of brain matter;
presence of inclusions;
metabolic disorders in brain tissue;
expansion of the ventricles of the brain.

MRI is performed at least twice at monthly intervals to assess the presence and dynamics of the degenerative process.

Computed tomography of the brain

Computed tomography is another neuroimaging method used in diagnosis. However, the lower sensitivity of the device compared to MRI allows it to be recommended for diagnosing the state of brain tissue in the later stages of the disease, when brain damage is quite significant.

Additional diagnostic methods

Positron emission tomography is considered the most modern method diagnostics, allowing to determine the disease even at the most early stages. This technique has limitations for patients with elevated blood sugar concentrations, since in order to accurately determine the presence of disorders in the intracellular metabolism of brain tissue, a pharmacological drug is administered to the patient before the examination. No other contraindications to PET have been identified.
For additional diagnostics if Alzheimer's disease is suspected, differentiation from other diseases and assessment of the patient's condition, an EEG can be performed, laboratory research blood, plasma (NuroPro test), cerebrospinal fluid analysis.

Treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is an incurable disease, so therapy is aimed at combating the symptoms and manifestations of the pathological process and, if possible, slowing it down.

Drug therapy

In accordance with the studies conducted, groups of medications have been identified that reduce the activity of the formation of deposits that destroy brain cells, as well as drugs that help improve the quality of life of patients. These include:

anticholinesterase group: Rivastimin, Galantamine, Donesipin in various release forms;
Akatinol memantine and analogs that counteract the effects of glutamate on brain cells;
symptomatic medications: amino acids, medications that improve cerebral circulation, reduce increased psycho-emotional stress, manifestations of mental disorders in the later stages of dementia, etc.

Alzheimer's disease: prevention methods

Alzheimer's disease is a disease in which the brain loses its functions due to cell death and disruption of neural connections. However, it has been proven that the human brain is quite plastic; cells and parts of the brain can partially replace the affected areas, performing additional functions.

In order to provide the brain with the opportunity for such self-compensation, the number of neural connections must be high enough, which happens in people with mental activities, intellectual hobbies, and a variety of interests. Research shows that Alzheimer's disease directly correlates with IQ level: the higher the intelligence, and therefore the number of stable neural connections in the brain, the less often the disease manifests itself.

It is also known about the relationship between studying foreign languages and the development of senile dementia: the more knowledge, the lower the risks of getting sick. Even at the initial stage of the disease, you can slow down the development of symptoms if you actively begin to train your memory, read and retell information, and solve crossword puzzles. Alzheimer's disease is a disease that destroys neural connections, and its effects can be countered by creating new ones.

Prevention methods also include a healthy lifestyle, physical activity, balanced diet, giving up alcohol. It is not yet known what mechanisms trigger Alzheimer's disease, but there is evidence that head injuries can also cause the onset of the disease. Prevention of injuries also serves as a prevention of Alzheimer's disease, a disease that disrupts the quality of life not only of the patients themselves, but also of their relatives and friends.