Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a lifetime regressive disorder in the brain that deliberately develops and worsens as time goes by. Alzheimer’s is called to most common terms such as memory loss and other intellectual disabilities sabotaging a person’s daily life and is the most common form of dementia. It is then very important to know Alzheimer’s early warning signs.
A Common Memory Disorder
Remembering recently acquired data is the most common early symptom of Alzheimer’s. It’s cause has never been accurately identified but AD is currently dependent on a person’s medical history, genetics, and assessments on different tests that quantify memory, language, and reasoning impairments. Other risk factors include accidents and other medical risk factors that contribute to the damage to the function of the brain such as head injuries, depression, and hypertension.
Alzheimer’s IS NOT ABOUT the Age
If everybody thought Alzheimer’s is normal for aging, it’s NOT. As a matter of fact, the youngest person ever diagnosed with Alzheimer’s was 27 years of age — Leytonstone mum Jayde Greene. Records have shown that not only people of over 65 are diagnosed with AD and these symptoms hardly develop at 40, but are typically evident starting at the age of 50. Increasing age may be a known risk factor as the majority of people with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older, accounting for 50-75% of over 160,000 Australians with dementia. But more key risk factors have proven AD is not just a disease of the old age.
Alzheimer’s One of the Earliest Signs
In a recent study published in the journal ‘Neuron’, experts suggest that navigational confusion and low sense of location and following directions are among Alzheimer’s early warning signs that could be taken to an early analysis.
Unfortunately, it would be challenging for medical experts to compare assessments in navigation and memory in both healthy individuals and those with dementia with only aging as a factor.
A Very Thoughtful Initiative
Dr. Thomas Wolbers, a neuroscientist from Aging & Cognition Research Group of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), conducts studies research of the resilience and effectiveness in old age treatment programs. His insight revealed that the navigational network in the brain are very sensitive to both health and wellness. Together with Professor Jan Wiener of Bournemouth University, behind a mobile app called Sea Hero Quest, a game dedicated to helping global research into dementia, have initiated navigational testing.
The Results
However this navigational testing is currently held back by a couple of hindrances – first is the lack of standard navigational tasks and population medians and second is the variation if each person’s navigational cognitive ability. They are looking at portable virtual reality technology and an effective testing tool that can track an individual’s navigational skills at different points in time and siting for signs of early or accelerated downturn as resolutions to complete the tests.
Once these hitches have been overcome, the researchers reckons that a series of navigational tests for memory and other neuro-learning strategy can possibly be effectively executed and analyzed.
Video Credit to Wikimedia
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