Still, the biggest difference ...

Still, the biggest differences between men and women, manifested in the social sphere, but that's another story. Irina Fomenko Psyterra - Psychology for Everyone!

Is it possible to prevent dementia?

LJ. Valley, MD, member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists has attracted public attention the recent presentation of new drugs against dementia. However, the current treatment with drugs the previous generation, close to the action on the new, provides only limited relief of symptoms, sometimes within a year to slow the progression of dementia. So it is as yet unknown drug that can halt the progression of dementia or prevent cognitive decline in old age. This, however, does not interfere with patients to seek new information on how to prevent dementia. Many are aware that advances in medicine are rare, and good health in old age is often attributed to right living. Patients are asked whether you can reduce your risk of dementia with a certain lifestyle. The purpose of this brief review is to examine biological evidence of some useful recommendations. In the absence of well-controlled randomized trials do not have a proper basis for accurate conclusions. Epidemiological studies suggest that, as with heart disease, procedures are easily achievable in the home, which reduce the risk of dementia in old age by itself or in combination with other diseases. The main risk factors for developing dementia in old age are: age over 75 years, female sex, diabetes, stroke, head injury, dementia, family history and / or Down syndrome, and possibly depressive disorders in the past. Usually, dementia in old age develops gradually, and from its first manifestations to the patient's death is about six years. The duration of any dosimptomnoy stage is difficult to ascertain, but according to some neurophysiological research [1], changes characteristic of Alzheimer's disease begin in the fourth decade of life. These symptoms gradually accumulates, causing the death of brain cells in areas responsible for memory function. Over time, a hypothetical threshold of symptoms is exceeded, and there are signs of dementia. On the contrary, neuroradiologic studies indicate that brain volumes in old age are well preserved, until you get the threat of dementia, which is presumably associated with a catastrophic decrease in the areas of the brain neurons responsible for memory. Preventive measures seem to fail if the process of dementia has already begun. If the data neuropathological studies that senile dementia begin in middle age, are correct, then the prevention of dementia makes sense for patients ages 40-50 years. However, if properly installed neuroradiologic start deteriorating brain function in old age, then preventive measures can be successful even in very elderly people without dementia.