Alzheimer’s disease: The long, gradual goodbye

Dr Juzar Hooker, a consulting neurologist at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, says Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60-70 percent of all dementia cases worldwide.  Its symptoms include forgetfulness, getting lost even in familiar surroundings, financial and judgement errors, behavioural and personality change, difficulties looking for words and with language, and challenges with navigating visual information and space. “In Alzheimer’s disease, for reasons that are not entirely clear, affects certain proteins in the brain cells. These cells then slowly die off and their connections disappear, resulting in brain dysfunction and dementia. Chemicals that help brain cells talk to each other are thereby reduced in the brain,” Dr Hooker explains. Dr Hooker emphasises the importance of routine and physical exercise as well as a social and mental activity regime as they are very useful adjuncts in the day to day management of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease.