By 2030, more than 76 million people worldwide will struggle with Alzheimer's Disease, and many more will experience some type of brain health issues. National Alzheimer's Month 2021 is an opportunity to learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and to start conversations with those you love about brain health.
Alzheimer’s is a disease that harms nerve cells and tissue in the brain, affecting a person’s ability to remember, think, and plan. As of now, there is no cure.
The cause of Alzheimer's disease is thought to be an abnormal build-up of proteins called amyloid plaques in and around brain cells that makes it difficult for neurons to "talk" to one another. Another type of protein that leads to Alzheimer’s disease causes “tangles” in the brain cells.
Communication between neurons in the brain is important for almost every biological function our bodies need to carry out. This includes everything from talking to sleeping to remembering where we placed the remote, or what our address is.
When Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain, a person’s quality of life is directly impacted. They may start with mild memory loss. Over time, the plaques and tangles in the brain take over, making it difficult for the people we love to function as they were once able to.
National Alzheimer's Month is a perfect time to learn more about what you can do to help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
While it’s true that Alzheimer’s primarily affects those over 60, there are lifestyle choices we can begin to make earlier in life to minimize the risk of developing it.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the following actions can help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. :
National Alzheimer's Month reminds us to focus on brain health and to put practices in place that can reduce our risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
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