{"id":14088,"date":"2022-01-17T10:50:18","date_gmt":"2022-01-17T15:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/?p=14088"},"modified":"2022-12-09T10:54:11","modified_gmt":"2022-12-09T15:54:11","slug":"update-on-alzheimers-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legroupemaurice.com\/en\/articles\/update-on-alzheimers-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on Alzheimer\u2019s disease"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Mich\u00e8le Sirois, animator at \u00c8re Libre, MAtv and collaborator at the University Institute of Geriatrics of Montreal.<\/em><\/p>\n

Although scientists are working harder than ever, they have yet to find a drug to cure Alzheimer\u2019s disease. But there is still hope! We now have a better understanding of the mechanisms of this neurocognitive disorder\u2014but what if prevention turned out to be our ultimate weapon?<\/strong><\/p>\n

As we age, brain health becomes a major source of concern\u2014and for good reason. More than 50\u00a0million people worldwide suffer from some kind of dementia, including Alzheimer\u2019s disease, it\u2019s most common form. If scientists are unable to discover all of the disease\u2019s mechanisms and no treatments are found, that disturbing statistic is likely to double every 20 years.<\/p>\n

Seeking a ray of hope, many people attended a talk by Dr. Fadi Massoud* on January 30, during which he gave an update on Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Invited as part of the Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al\u2019s series of lectures and workshops (Les belles soir\u00e9es)<\/em> and by Centre Avant\u00c2ge, Dr. Massoud struck a tone that was both caring and realistic.<\/p>\n

What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s disease?<\/h2>\n

Dementia is a catch-all term that is divided into various categories, as are certain other diseases (e.g. pneumonia includes bacterial pneumonia, viral pneumonia and fungal pneumonia). In the same way, dementia includes Alzheimer\u2019s disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), mixed dementia and frontal dementia.<\/p>\n

The term dementia<\/em> is actually outdated. It has a pejorative connotation that is all too often linked to insanity. Several years ago, the scientific and medical communities began using the term neurocognitive disorders<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Understanding Alzheimer\u2019s<\/h2>\n

If we wish to learn how to treat or even prevent Alzheimer\u2019s, we need a better understanding of how the disease develops. In this regard, science has made significant progress in the past three decades.<\/p>\n

We now know that as beta-amyloid protein accumulates in the brain and tau protein is modified, inflammation increases, leading to a neurotransmitter deficit. Neurotransmitters convey messages between neurons. In the event of a shortage, communication between neurons is interrupted, ultimately leading to serious brain damage.<\/p>\n

Scientists also know that the symptoms of Alzheimer\u2019s (e.g. memory loss, impaired judgment, language problems) develop several years after onset. Thanks among other things to the \u201cplasticity\u201d of our brain and our \u201ccognitive reserve\u201d, Alzheimer\u2019s can go unnoticed for as long as 15 or even 20 years.<\/p>\n