Timely check can help cut brain disease

Hyderabad: Tackling Alzheimer’s and dementia symptoms early is more important as it helps to initiate supportive treatment.

The incidence of dementia increases with age. Dementia affects five per cent of the population older than 65 years of age and 20 to 40 per cent of those older than 85. In India, there are about four lakh new cases diagnosed every year and there are about four million patients suffering from the brain diseases.

Dr K Chandrashekar, a senior neurologist said: “The early stages are often overlooked. Timely detection can help. The person may have problems with memory and may show a lack of pace while making decisions. If these signs are spotted, doctors must be consulted.”

This stage is missed in 90 per cent of the new cases which walk into clinics, experts in the city said.

Mushrooms can fight Alzheimer’s, Dementia
Mushrooms can enhance  nerve growth in the brain and can cut or delay development of age-related illnesses such as dementia or Alzheimer’s.

In a new study, experts claim both diseases will affect close to 42 million by 2020, worldwide.

Instances of Alzhe-imer’s and dementia in the south of India has been found to be 14 per cent, according to a 10-year-study that was carried out in the region.

Neurologists say the study has revealed that certain edible and medicinal mushrooms have bioactive compounds that offer neuro-protective and cognitive benefits, to protect against brain inflammation, which is a major contributor of neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr Rama Krishna, a senior neurologist said: “The degeneration due to ageing is seen in those above 65. India has 7.4% of senior citizens with dementia and Alzheimer’s. The diseases are on the rise and food sources play an important role in controlling the degeneration.”

Current medication is only having a symptomatic effect on the diseases. “We have to look at dementia and Alzheimer’s on a wider spectrum as patients come with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and cardiac diseases. In this condition, there is an overdose of medicines and those which are given by neurologists also have side-effects. So the treatment requires a medication regime which should ensure that healthy body parts are not damaged,” a senior doctor said.