Halting dementia’s progression becomes increasingly challenging in the later stages,” said Dr Ramshekhar N Menon, professor of the neurology department at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST).
“Hypertension, a major dementia risk factor, increases the risk of microbleeds and micro-strokes over time. They highlight the challenge of early lifestyle disease intervention, as people often neglect this aspect of their well-being. However, experts say incidence of Alzheimer’s is likely underestimated, given the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the state. Recent findings reveal that 15 out of 100 individuals experience mild cognitive impairment, with 20% of them progressing to Alzheimer’s within six years. While factors including age and genetics remain immutable, these measures offer hope in halting progression of the disease, which is marked by memory loss and behavioral changes.
They assert that 30-40% of Alzheimer’s risk can be mitigated through lifestyle modifications involving dietary control and exercise. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Early intervention in controlling lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, etc, can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, say health experts.
