Misconceptions about Alzheimer\u2019s risk factors and ways to prevent Alzheimer\u2019s can stand in the way of your health.<\/p>\n
“Alzheimer\u2019s disease is NOT a normal part of aging,” says Dr. Krystal L. Culler, DBH.<\/p>\n Understanding Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/strong><\/p>\n Alzheimer\u2019s disease is a progressive brain disorder that typically causes memory loss and problems with thinking and behavior<\/a>. Many people think it\u2019s a natural part of aging and only affects older people, but that\u2019s not the case. It\u2019s not a normal part of aging, according to the Alzheimer\u2019s Association. In fact, even though it does get more common with age, about 200,000 people in the U.S. under age 65 have the disease. In younger people, it\u2019s known as early onset Alzheimer\u2019s disease. More than 5 million Americans<\/a> live with Alzheimer\u2019s, but many people don\u2019t know much about it or how to lower their risk of this memory-robbing condition. Here are some common myths about Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia are two separate things<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Although some people might not use the terms interchangeably, Alzheimer\u2019s disease and dementia are basically the same. (Alzheimer\u2019s is a type of dementia.) \u201cYou may hear people explaining that their loved one has both Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia, when in fact, Alzheimer\u2019s is under the \u2018umbrella\u2019 of dementia,\u201d explains Phoebe James, the director of resident engagement at Wentworth Senior Living<\/a>. \u201cThey are not two separate things. There are over 100 different forms of dementia, each type comes with a variety of different symptoms.\u201d This is the real difference between dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a>.<\/p>\n You can\u2019t prevent or treat Alzheimer\u2019s<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n Contrary to what many people believe, there are things you can do to lower your risk of these diseases. There are also lifestyle changes you can make once you get them. \u201cOne of the enduring myths surrounding Alzheimer\u2019s disease and related dementias is that there is nothing any of us can do to reduce our risk of these diseases, that they are an inevitability,\u201d says Nick Bott, chief science officer at Neurotrack<\/a>. <\/em>\u201cIn fact, our brain affects and is affected by every other system in our body. This is incredibly important because it means that lifestyle changes around physical activity, diet, cognitive engagement and social engagement have direct and indirect effects on our brain health and can significantly improve our lifespan, health span, and brain span.<\/span>\u201d<\/p>\n All people who have Alzheimer\u2019s disease become violent and irritable<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Alzheimer\u2019s disease can cause personality changes and mood swings, but they aren\u2019t always violent. \u201cAs an in-home care company specializing in memory care, we tend to work with a lot of clients who are already pretty far along on their journey with this disease. More than anything, we see clients who are simply frustrated with their own memory loss and confusion,\u201d says Scott Knoll, owner of By Your Side Home Care<\/a>, an elderly in-home caregiving agency specializing in Alzheimer\u2019s services. \u201cSome of the best practices for helping a loved one experiencing Alzheimer\u2019s personality changes is to remain calm and engage in good listening.\u201d (These everyday habits may reduce your risk of Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a>.)<\/p>\n I don\u2019t need to worry about Alzheimer\u2019s because no one in my family has it<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n You may think that Alzheimer\u2019s disease doesn\u2019t have a genetic component. \u201cThis is wrong at two levels,\u201d says Hermona Soreq<\/a>, PhD, a neuroscientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem\u2019s Edmund and Lily Safra Center for Brain Science. \u201cFirst, some people do inherit single mutations that cause this disease, although those are rare; and second, others develop it due to many small inherited risks, which work together with an unhealthy lifestyle to induce this disease.\u201d<\/p>\n However, you can also develop the disease even if no other family member you know has it. \u201cWe\u2019re all at risk for Alzheimer\u2019s, says Kenneth S. Kosik, MD, and author of Outsmarting Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a><\/em>. \u201cWe all have a 50 percent chance of developing Alzheimer\u2019s disease after age 85. Most people diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimer\u2019s disease do not test positive as carriers for any of the known Alzheimer\u2019s genes.\u201d (These are 16 things people with Alzheimer\u2019s wish you knew<\/a>.)<\/p>\n There are supplements that can help prevent Alzheimer\u2019s<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n There have yet to be any studies proving the ability of vitamins, herbal products, or medications to prevent the development of Alzheimer\u2019s disease, says Dr. Kumar Dharmarajan, chief scientific officer at Clover Health<\/a>. \u201c<\/em>However, a healthy lifestyle including frequent physical activity, heart-healthy diets, and control of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes could help reduce the likelihood<\/a>,\u201d he says. \u201cWhile there is no conclusive evidence directly linking these lifestyle changes to preventing Alzheimer\u2019s, they have been shown in some studies to promote increased brain health, which could ultimately play a key role in thwarting the disease.\u201d<\/p>\n Alzheimer\u2019s disease is a normal part of aging<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Just because you get older doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll get Alzheimer\u2019s \u201cAlthough changes in the brain occur with age starting in our mid-twenties, Alzheimer\u2019s disease is not a normal part of aging,\u201d says Dr. Krystal L. Culler, DBH, Oscar Family Director of Menorah Park Center 4 Brain Health<\/a>, Senior Atlantic Fellow- Global Brain Health Institute. Alzheimer\u2019s disease is the most common type of dementia in the United States and age is the greatest known risk factor to developing Alzheimer\u2019s disease, especially after the age of eighty.\u201d (This is what neurologists do to prevent Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Alzheimer\u2019s doesn\u2019t just affect the elderly. \u201cOne myth that I commonly hear about Alzheimer\u2019s is that the condition solely affects the elderly population,\u201d says Nesochi Okeke-Igbokwe<\/a>, MD, physician and health and wellness expert. \u201cThough we typically hear about the disease occurring more often in older people, there is a small subset of those affected by early-onset Alzheimer\u2019s who may manifest symptoms as early as their 30s and 40s. It is important to note that early-onset Alzheimer\u2019s is less common and genetics may sometimes play a role in increasing the risk for the condition.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Alzheimer\u2019s disease medications will stop disease progression<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n Medications can help with symptoms, but not disease progression \u201cDespite the current advances in our medical field and understanding of Alzheimer\u2019s disease, there is currently no known medication or supplement that will stop the progression of Alzheimer\u2019s disease,\u201d says Dr. Culler. \u201cCurrent medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u201d (Here\u2019s how to predict whether your memory loss will be Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Visiting someone with Alzheimer\u2019s is pointless<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n You might think there\u2019s no point in visiting someone who won\u2019t remember you, but that isn\u2019t the case. \u201cAlzheimer\u2019s affects people differently, and relationships are deep and complex,\u201d says Caleb Backe, Health and Wellness Expert for Maple Holistics<\/a>. \u201cThat is to say, just because someone consciously doesn\u2019t remember you, that doesn\u2019t mean there isn\u2019t any subconscious or emotional recognition. It is crucial to maintaining your relationship with the person both for their sake, and your own.\u201dBrain mapping tests have shown that the brain regions responsible for memorizing music are last to be damaged in people with dementia, says Soreq. \u201cIt reminds me of a neighbor we had many years ago, who immigrated to Israel from Europe where he\u2019d been a famous opera singer; he had dementia and could not speak one full sentence, but he was singing complete opera solos beautifully!\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n