Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, a syndrome characterized by brain function loss that can affect memory, thinking, and communication. Dementia affects approximately 47 million people worldwide. June marks Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and gives us a chance to start a global conversation about the importance of brain health.
A 2017 study used magnetic resonance imaging to compare Alzheimer’s disease and late-onset bipolar disorder, a mental illness with similar cognitive and behavioural symptoms. Researchers found that Alzheimer’s was associated with more disruption in brain areas related to social and emotional processing and object recognition than bipolar disorder. This disruption was thought to be due to nerve cell degradation resulting in greater behavioural and emotional impairments.
In terms of treatment, a recent study trained Alzheimer’s patients in ‘chunking,’ a memory technique that involves recognizing and then compressing patterns of information. On average, trained patients remembered sequences containing 6.3 numbers while untrained patients remembered sequences containing 5.8 numbers. Additionally, the training was associated with decreased functional activity in brain areas related to working memory. This indicated that less effort was required to remember the sequences.
Clinical trials into treatment and cures for Alzheimer’s disease are ongoing. Alzheimer’s disease is increasingly prevalent and is costly to society and individuals. It affects brain function, meaning it attacks the organ which is fundamental to our sense of self and our perception of the world. Our brains embody everything that makes us who we are; our thoughts, our memories, and our emotions. Essentially, we are our brains.
Brain research has led to great strides in our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease, which is, in turn, bringing us closer toward treatments and a potential cure. However, the number of clinical trials with negative results make it clear that our understanding is not yet complete.
During this Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, why not take a moment to appreciate not just what a miraculous organ your brain is, but also the people who are working daily to ensure that your brain functions well for as long as possible.
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