Stunned audience gasps could be heard earlier this month when a group of Rye people were told that every alcoholic drink they consume leads to brain shrinkage.
The shock news was delivered by Dr Elena Mucci, a gerontological consultant at the Conquest Hospital, during a hard-hitting presentation on dementia given at the hub on Monday, November 11. The talk contained a number of other fascinating facts about the disease’s causes, progression and treatment.
It was clear from the large number of people attending the talk — more than 70 — that the subject is of huge interest to many Ryers.
The brain ailment comes in a number of forms, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), vascular dementia, mixed dementia and Lewy body disease. AD, which involves 60%-80% of cases, is very often present to some degree in the other types.
A little-known fact is that depression is common in elderly people and it can sometimes be mistaken for Alzheimer’s, which is caused by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and abnormal tau proteins in the brain — both of which impede neuron function.
An example was given of a woman in her 90s who was thought to have dementia, but after successful treatment for depression her symptoms eased and she was able to return home for two years.
The Alzheimer’s Association says that memory problems can also be caused by medication side-effects, thyroid problems, vitamin deficiencies and excessive consumption of alcohol.
Dr Mucci supports a holistic approach to dementia assessment and treatment. While new monoclonal antibody treatments such as lecanemab and donanemab exist, the NHS will not be making these available for a number of reasons, including cost. Dr Mucci pointed out that using lecanumab would only alleviate symptoms by about seven months over the course of the disease.
Maintaining a sensible weight, eating healthy food — including at least 50g of protein a day — and exercising regularly were among the tips the hospital specialist recommended to help keep your brain firing on all cylinders.
Research has also shown that learning a new skill — such as a foreign language or a musical instrument — can make the brain more resilient and potentially delay the onset of degenerative conditions like dementia.
I shall be buying a clarinet for Christmas.
Image Credits: PXhere CC https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/.