Did you know?
1 in 10 people aged 60 and above have dementia[1]. Dementia is the 7th cause of death and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally[2].
Dementia results from a variety of diseases and injuries that affect the brain[2]. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease, an irreversible and progressive brain disorder that destroys neurons in the brain causing impairment in memory and thinking ability[3].
Medicines can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease but there is currently no cure[4]. Research has shown that the brain starts showing signs of declination as early as 20 years before the onset of Alzheimer’s disease[5]. Thus, it is important to start screening for cognitive changes as early as possible to initiate early intervention.
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is the stage between normal cognition and dementia. MCI is not part of normal ageing; in fact, MCI is an abnormal brain disease resulting in faster brain decline which is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors.
People with MCI can still carry out their normal daily activities but will experience problems in cognition such as memory, language or judgement[6]. MCI increases the risk of developing dementia but it is possible for people with MCI to never progress to dementia[7].
Detecting MCI early will allow for timely intervention, such as modifying lifestyle factors, which will slow down the progression to dementia. Modifiable lifestyle factors are factors in your life that can be changed to reduce the risk of dementia.
Examples of modifiable lifestyle factors are cardiovascular diseases (e.g. high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension), physical activity, nutrition, smoking, mood, hearing, sleep and socialization[8].
There are new emerging technologies to help doctors and patients detect impairments in cognitive function much earlier, so that the above preventive steps can be taken.
For example, the Digital Brain Function Screen (DBFS) is a validated medical device to measure cognitive performance over time and potentially signal to your doctor if there is a risk of MCI. It takes 25 minutes to complete and can be self-administered from the comfort of your own home. All you require is a tablet or smart phone with internet connection, and a quiet environment to complete the test.
The DBFS consists of 10 cognitive games and 1 lifestyle questionnaire. After completion of the test, a report will be generated to indicate the brain’s performance in specific cognitive domains. The report also provides lifestyle recommendations as a reminder of proactive measures which can be taken for your brain health. It is a good idea to monitor your brain health with such tools, especially if you have risk factors for dementia.
Stay tuned to find out more about AvantHealth’s products for neuroprotection and our upcoming campaign for dementia awareness and brain health screening.
References
- Subramaniam, Mythily et al. ‘Prevalence of Dementia in People Aged 60 Years and Above: Results from the WiSE Study’. 1 Jan. 2015 : 1127 – 1138.
- World Health Organisation. 2023. Dementia: Key Facts. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia
- National Institute on Aging. 2023. Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-and-dementia/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet
- National Institute on Aging. 2023. How is Alzheimer’s Disease Treated? https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-treatment/how-alzheimers-disease-treated
- Caselli RJ, Langlais BT, Dueck AC, Chen Y, Su Y, Locke DEC, Woodruff BK, Reiman EM. Neuropsychological decline up to 20 years before incident mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimers Dement. 2020 Mar;16(3):512-523. doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2019.09.085. Epub 2020 Jan 6. PMID: 31787561; PMCID: PMC7067658.
- Petersen RC, Caracciolo B, Brayne C, Gauthier S, Jelic V, Fratiglioni L. Mild cognitive impairment: a concept in evolution. J Intern Med. 2014 Mar;275(3):214-28. doi: 10.1111/joim.12190. PMID: 24605806; PMCID: PMC3967548.
- Farias ST, Mungas D, Reed BR, Harvey D, DeCarli C. Progression of mild cognitive impairment to dementia in clinic- vs community-based cohorts. Arch Neurol. 2009 Sep;66(9):1151-7. doi: 10.1001/archneurol.2009.106. PMID: 19752306; PMCID: PMC2863139.
- Jones A, Ali MU, Kenny M, Mayhew A, Mokashi V, He H, Lin S, Yavari E, Paik K, Subramanian D, Dydynsky R, Aryal K, Correia RH, Dash D, Manis DR, O’Connell M, Liu-Ambrose T, Taler V, McMillan JM, Hogan DB, Kirkland S, Costa AP, Wolfson C, Raina P, Griffith L. Potentially Modifiable Risk Factors for Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: An Umbrella Review and Meta-Analysis. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2024;53(2):91-106. doi: 10.1159/000536643. Epub 2024 Feb 26. PMID: 38346414.
