Changes that can occur decades before dementia-related memory loss kicks in
Dementia is a group of illnesses that affects at least two or more brain functions including memory, thinking and/or judgment. It is not a specific disease rather can be an outcome of several diseases.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 55 million people have dementia worldwide, with over 60% living in low- and middle-income countries. It is currently the seventh leading cause of death among all diseases and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people around the world, reports the global health agency.
However, an illness so concerning does not have a cure so far. The only way it can be prevented is through early detection and that can be done by understanding the changes that take place in the brain and the body.
Also read: Dementia: Know about various risk factors linked to dementia
Brain changes can signal cognitive decline
As it is known, dementia is a general term to refer to a group of disorders caused by abnormal brain changes and activities. These then lead to a decline in one's thinking abilities and also affect a person's memory, impairing their day to day functions.
Doctor Sara Imarisio, Head of Research at Alzheimer’s Research UK believes "brain changes linked to the diseases that cause dementia can start in the brain up to 20 years before symptoms like memory loss appear," reports express.co.uk.
“A key early brain change in Alzheimer’s disease is a build-up of the amyloid protein.
"While we can detect levels of this protein with expensive brain scans and other biological tests, not everyone with high levels of amyloid will go on to develop the symptoms of Alzheimer’s," she adds.
Also Read: Dementia: Know about various risk factors linked to dementia
What is amyloid protein?
Amyloid is a group of abnormal proteins, usually produced in the bone marrow and can be deposited in any tissue or organ. It can affect different organs in the body including the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system and digestive tract. Amyloids are also associated with disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive neurologic disorder that affects thinking and memory.
Other changes that can appear years before dementia onset
Apart from certain brain changes, Doctor Imarisio shares that research has also highlighted other changes that precedes classic dementia symptoms.
"People can experience subtle changes in things like sleep, speech, movement, mood and brain activity," the doctor explains.
"These changes might not be noticeable to the human eye, but smart devices could be sensitive enough to detect patterns in them," she adds.
According to her, chronic pain is one such change that can act as an early predictor of dementia.
Study finds chronic pain may be associated with dementia
As per the study, partly funded by National Institute on Aging and published in Journal Pain, those with dementia may experience rising pain 16 years before their diagnosis.
The researchers claimed that both dementia and chronic pain could cause changes to the brain and affect cognitive functions.
Another study conducted by researchers at Université de Paris, which has been collecting data on participants for as many as 27 years, found that those who were diagnosed with dementia complained of slightly more pain as early as 16 years before their diagnosis, driven mostly by differences in pain interference.