Alzheimer's disease More and more people are suffering from dementia

The fatal diagnosis Alzheimer's: More and more suffer from dementia

01.02.2012

In Germany, around 700,000 people live with the diagnosis „Alzheimer's disease“. Experts believe that the number could double by 2050. The brain disease begins with easy forgetfulness and develops to pronounced dementia. At this stage, sufferers no longer recognize even their closest relatives. As announced yesterday, Rudi Assauer also suffers from the neurodegenerative disease, which is considered incurable. The cause of Alzheimer's is still unknown, but scientists worldwide are researching drugs that alleviate the symptoms or prevent the onset of the disease. The US is playing a pioneering role by legislating early this year to develop a strategy to fight Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's is a creeping disease
First of all, patients come up with slight forgetfulness, asking the same question over and over again or telling the same story, forgetting how to perform everyday tasks, misplacing objects and neglecting their appearance. At an advanced stage, they no longer recognize even close family members.

But the disease begins many years before the onset of clinical symptoms with the deposition of so-called senile plaques and neurofibrils in the brain. Essentially, the protein deposits of the plaques consist of the beta-amyloid peptide. Neurofibrillary tangles are intracellular and consist of the tau protein, which aggregates into fibrils through increased occupation with phosphoric acid residues (hyperphosphorylation). It is not yet known if the tau phosphorylation is the cause of the disease or only through it. Deposits cause the death of neurons, resulting in decreased brain mass. In addition, the messenger acetylcholine is produced in an insufficient amount, which leads to a general decrease in brain power.

Around 1.3 million people with dementia live in Germany
Experts assume that there are around 1.3 million people with dementia in Germany. This is not always an Alzheimer's disease. This is then diagnosed when the corresponding deposits are detected in the brain. The suspicion „Alzheimer's disease“ has been confirmed at about 700,000 citizens. Ronald Peterson, Chairman of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Disease in the United States, states: „The biggest risk factor is age.“ By 2050, the number of Alzheimer's cases could double. „Now the baby boomer generation reaches this age.“ The disease occurs in most cases over the age of 65 years. But there are also rarer sub-forms that affect much younger people.

The US is setting a good example on the subject of Alzheimer's disease
The US Congress was the first to legally mandate a government to launch a strategic plan to fight Alzheimer's. Ambitious targets have been set so that, for example, it should be possible to slow down the progression of the disease by medication, to delay the outbreak or even to prevent it. But there are still many unknown questions. Neither the causes of Alzheimer's, nor the reasons for the degradation of nerve cells are known. The disease seems to be partly genetic. Inflammation could also contribute. In addition, the use of drugs and their effectiveness among medical professionals is partially controversial. So far, only symptoms can be reduced by drug therapies and the progression of the disease can be slowed down a bit.

In particular, researchers are looking for diagnostic techniques that can be used earlier and that provide clear results. Last year, chemists at the Technical University of Darmstadt and pathologists at Darmstadt Hospital developed a promising diagnostic method that can detect the tau proteins early in the nasal mucosa.

The timetable set by the US government requires immediate action. Petersen reports: „We have to remain scientifically credible. Will there be a cure for Alzheimer's by 2020? Definitely not. But will we have progressed by then? Will we be able to shorten the process of drug development, evaluation and approval? All of this I think is realistic.“

Help for those affected and relatives
Relatives are often overwhelmed with the care and support of dementia patients. Support for these families has been low for a long time or not at all. Meanwhile, however, many initiatives, associations and self-help groups have been founded, where relatives and victims receive help. The German Alzheimer Society, for example, provides appropriate contacts.
Sabine Schwarz from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) explains: „The training of relatives can lead to dementia patients being cared for longer in their familiar environment rather than having to be in an institution.“

Dementia is not the same as Alzheimer's
Although Alzheimer's patients suffer from dementia, not every dementia sufferer in turn also suffers from Alzheimer's disease (dementia and Alzheimer's disease). In addition to neuropsychological tests, to find out which type of dementia an affected person is suffering from, there are imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which can be used to detect deposits of Alzheimer's in the brain.

For therapy and care, it is imperative that Alzheimer's be differentiated from other diseases with overlapping symptoms. These include age-related forgetfulness, depression in the elderly, brain tumors and injuries, autism, disorders of the metabolism (low blood sugar) in diabetics, psychosis and simple aphasia.

Celebrities bring the topic „Alzheimer“ in public
As it became known yesterday, Rudi Assauer, known as a former football player and former Schalke manager, suffers from Alzheimer's disease. He told the ZDF very personally about his illness: „Have played football at a high level for years. It's all over now.“ The insidious disease had completely changed his life. „I have such anger in my stomach that I can not keep up anymore.“

Through celebrities like Assauer brings the disease in the light of the public, for a long time no one wanted to speak, because who likes to admit that he is slowly but surely losing his mind, his personality, maybe even himself? When it became known in 1994 that former US President Ronald Reagan was also suffering from Alzheimer's, he said in a moving speech: „I am now beginning the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life“. In June 2004 he died as a result of the disease. (Ag)

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Picture: Slydgo