Alzheimer

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Context

• The Food and Drug Administration approved a new Alzheimer’s drug called Lecanemab.

What is Alzheimer’s?

• Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior.
• The disease process is largely associated with amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and loss of neuronal connectionsin the brain.
• As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems with language, disorientation(including easily getting lost), mood swings, loss of motivation, self-neglect, and behavioral issues.

Note: Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of disorders that lead to impaired memory, decision-making and social skills – Alzheimer’s is one of the most common types of dementia.

• The disease usually occurs in people over the age of 65 years with a very small proportion getting early-onset.
• The Dementia in India report 2020 estimates that there are 5.3 million people over the age of 60 years living with dementia, with the prevalence projected to increase to 14 million by 2050.

Prevention

• Just like physical exercise, exercising the brain every day is also important.
• “Learning new languages, developing hobbies like music, and solving puzzles like Sudoku keep the brain active and cognitively fit. It is also important for the elderly to go out, make new friends and socialize.
• The disease can also be kept at bay by mitigating risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity through a good diet, exercise, enough sleep, and doing away with smoking.

No treatments stop or reverse its progression, though some may temporarily improve symptoms.

Way Ahead

• Lecanemab modestly slows the pace of cognitive decline early in the disease. This might well pave the way for much-needed treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-health/alzheimers-new-treatment-fda-approved-explained-8367678/