American scientists from the University of Washington have discovered a significant connection between small changes in a person’s daily mental activity and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society (JINS).
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disease that primarily affects older people. It is characterized by a gradual decrease in cognitive abilities, including memory, thinking and communication skills. This decline is due to degeneration and death of brain cells. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.
Data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, which included 320 participants, were used in the study. Volunteers, along with their informants (people who knew them well, such as family members), completed a questionnaire to assess changes in daily cognitive functions. Biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease were also measured; specifically, proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid and the volume of the hippocampus (an area of the brain critical for memory formation).
Researchers found that self- and self-reported decline in memory, attention, and spatial navigation abilities over time could be predicted by certain brain changes and biomarker levels. In particular, the high rate of some proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid and the low hippocampal volume were associated with these decreases. This suggests that changes in biomarkers are closely associated with subtle changes in cognitive status.
Previous scientists discovered There are five subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease.