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Warning signs of dementia When forgetfulness is no longer harmless
In Germany, around 1.5 million people suffer from dementia, most of them with Alzheimer's disease. The disease is not curable so far, but can be delayed in the initial stage with medication. Therefore important is an early diagnosis. For this, warning signals must be recognized correctly.
Delay the progression of the disease
There are already around 1.5 million people with dementia in Germany, most of whom have Alzheimer's disease. There are almost 47 million dementia patients worldwide. And there are more and more. According to the World Alzheimer's Report, another dementia diagnosis is made every 3.2 seconds. Alzheimer's is not yet curable, but there are drugs that can delay the progression of the disease in the early stages by about a year. Experts therefore recommend an early diagnosis. "The one year in which the disease is slowed down, I would not let me take," said Prof. Alexander Kurz, Head of the Center for Cognitive Disorders at the Klinikum rechts der Isar in Munich to the news agency dpa. In an early diagnosis, sufferers could also plan the future in good time with their family and have what they want to be cared for when they are no longer capable of judgment.
Take initial evidence of dementia seriously. Picture: Easterland - fotolia Exact causes so far unknown
The exact cause of the disease are not yet clear. However, a number of factors involved in the development and development of Alzheimer's disease have been identified. In addition to high age, these include a genetic predisposition, diseases such as diabetes mellitus type 2, metabolic syndrome, oxidative stress or inflammation. In addition, a recent study by US scientists at the State Institute for Age Research (NIA) in Washington showed that overweight increases Alzheimer's risk.
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Dementia is often not easy to recognize
But despite such known or assumed factors, dementia is often recognized too late. This also has to do with the fact that the disease is not easy to recognize at the beginning and the seemingly typical symptoms can be something else. For example, memory disorders may also be caused by treatable mental or physical conditions, such as depression. "Depressive episodes also temporarily lead to memory problems as well as to problems of orientation and orientation," explained the director of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the University Hospital Bonn, Prof. Wolfgang Maier. It is often not easy to distinguish a dementia from a depression: "Memory problems are often experienced as personal failure and lead to self-doubt, since self-esteem problems are also a hallmark of depression, both diseases are often difficult to differentiate," Maier told the dpa.
No hasty diagnoses
Prof. Kurz also warned against premature diagnoses of memory problems. One must be alarmed only when the symptoms increase, in addition to forgetfulness further problems occur, such as language difficulties or uncertainty of temporal orientation. Or even if everyday activities such as shopping, cooking or bank transfers no longer work as well as before. Although there are several tests or studies that can provide information about a disease, but many experts are critical and believe that an early Alzheimer's test bring little medical benefit.
Affected initially refuse to go to the doctor
Especially in the early stages of the disease, many sufferers refuse to go to the doctor. "If relatives address the person concerned to his or her memory deficits, this understandably causes shame," explained Maier. Particularly problematic is that families often reacted critically and reproachfully at first. "As a result, the willingness to go to the doctor drops, then affected rather try to find strategies to hide their shortcomings." The on the telephone directory of the German Alzheimer Society in Berlin working diploma social pedagogue Saskia White advises relatives to pay attention when affected people themselves address problems. "At the very beginning, people sometimes make remarks like" I'm so nervous again today "or" Something's wrong with my head ". This can be used as a hanger to name your own concern and to suggest a doctor visit, "said the expert. Stimulus words such as "dementia", "Alzheimer's" and "memory disorders" should first be avoided. Counseling and psychosocial support can be provided to affected families at regional Alzheimer's or dementia counseling centers of charities and free-lancers. Mostly, you will also get easily understandable information brochures and further addresses. (Ad)