Mr. Wang, 55 years old, had a decline in memory and calculation for no obvious reason in the past 1 year, accompanied by unresponsiveness, and his condition was progressively worsening, so his family accompanied him to the hospital for treatment.
In the process of communicating with Mr. Wang and his family, the doctor learned that Mr. Wang had suffered from Hashimoto's thyroiditis for many years and his condition was always relatively stable, but in the past one year, his family members found that his forgetfulness gradually worsened, such as forgetting what he had eaten in the morning, forgetting to bring his keys and mobile phone when going out, not being able to find clothes, and not counting money when buying groceries.
At first, the family thought that the above symptoms were age-related and normal, but later found that the symptoms were progressively worsening, so they came to the hospital for treatment.
The doctor performed a cognitive function evaluation examination, which showed mild-moderate cognitive impairment, and the initial diagnosis of dementia and hypothyroidism in the outpatient clinic was recommended, and it was recommended to be hospitalized for further treatment.
After Mr. Wang was admitted to the hospital, he completed blood tests, including blood routine, liver and kidney function, blood lipids, blood glucose, cardiac enzymes, glycosylated hemoglobin, thyroid function, etc., as well as cerebrospinal fluid lumbar puncture examination, cranial magnetic resonance examination (cranial MR), cranial magnetic resonance angiography, electroencephalogram, etc., the results of which showed hypothyroidism and elevated antibodies, cerebrospinal fluid test results showed that the patient's protein was mildly elevated, and cranial magnetic resonance showed multiple lacunar infarct foci, Ischemic foci, no other obvious abnormalities, combined with Mr. Wang's medical history, the diagnosis was considered dementia, Hashimoto encephalopathy, and hypothyroidism.
Doctors give high-dose hormone pulse therapy, including levothyroxine sodium tablets, prednisone acetate tablets, etc., while actively improving cognitive function and controlling hypothyroidism.
After 1 week of treatment, Mr. Wang's cognitive function symptoms improved compared with before, his memory and calculation ability improved, and his condition was stable.
One month after he was discharged from the hospital, the doctor made a follow-up call and learned that Mr. Wang's cognitive dysfunction had improved and that he was currently in a stable state and his condition was not worsening.
The doctor reminds that dementia can be seen in a variety of diseases, among which dementia caused by thyroid disease is a rare disease, the onset of the disease is related to autoimmune thyroid disease, often can cause neurological symptoms in the brain, patients often present with dementia, epilepsy, cerebral infarction and other symptoms, which need to be differentiated from other encephalopathies.
Alzheimer's disease, also known as Alzheimer's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with insidious onset, which is clinically characterized by memory decline, decreased ability of daily living, behavioral changes, executive dysfunction, etc., and patients will become completely unfamiliar with the work they were familiar with, mainly manifested as a decline in acquired cognitive function.
In the first 34 years of a person's dementia, there are actually changes in the brain!
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in the United States followed up 290 volunteers over the age of 40 and found that there were signs of cognitive impairment in the first 11~15 years before the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms.
Imaging examination also found that 3~9 years before the onset of symptoms, the medial temporal lobe was changed, and the medial temporal lobe was related to memory.
According to statistics, there are currently about 35 million Alzheimer's disease patients in the world, and the mainland has the largest number of patients in the world, with more than 10 million people, and an average of 500,000 new cases every year.
Regrettably, the cause is still unknown, and there is no medicine to cure it, only to alleviate the condition.
What's even more terrifying than this is that scientific research has found that some so-called good habits may actually be the "culprits" of Alzheimer's disease, so you must pay attention!
The 4 good habits you think are actually the culprits of dementia
01 Long-term vegetarian diet
Nowadays, vegetarianism has become a health trend, and many people feel that vegetarianism has many benefits, which can not only promote intestinal peristalsis, maintain figure, but also help reduce the three highs, but long-term vegetarianism is not a good thing.
Studies have found that long-term vegetarianism increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Because if you eat a vegan diet for a long time, it will cause malnutrition, which will lead to a lack of vitamin B12 in the body.
The deficiency of this vitamin will make red blood cells brittle, and the damage to nerve cells is great, which will eventually lead to dementia.
Therefore, middle-aged and elderly people should pay attention to the diversity of their diet, the combination of meat and vegetables, and ensure that they consume enough nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B12, folic acid and Omega-3 fatty acids.
02 I love cleanliness too much
A study involving 192 countries found that countries with better sanitation and facilities and higher urbanization had higher rates of dementia or dementia.
Among them, countries with good sanitation facilities have a 33% higher incidence of dementia.
If the long-term living environment is particularly clean, the room is spotless, and there is almost no contact with bacteria and germs, it is easy to cause the body's immune system to begin to deteriorate, which will induce cognitive impairment, which are the prominent characteristics of Alzheimer's disease.
03 Sleeping too much
According to the American "Science Daily", researchers in Spain and the United States found that for 60~70-year-olds, if they sleep more than 9 hours a day on average, the cognitive function of the brain is easy to decline rapidly within 3 years, and the decline of cognitive function is greater than that of people who sleep 6~8 hours a day.
Cognitive function includes memory, thinking ability, etc., and once cognitive function deteriorates, the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease will be greatly increased.
Reminder, if you usually have to sleep more than 9 hours a day to be comfortable, there is no need to deliberately change your schedule, if you suddenly and inexplicably sleep for more than 9 hours a day, it is recommended to go to the hospital for a check-up, because lethargy is one of the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
04 Spend a lot of time alone
Social and psychological factors also play an important role in the onset of Alzheimer's disease, and long-term psychological states such as loneliness, depression, and anxiety, as well as lack of social activities, will increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Empty nesters who are often alone are more likely to feel lonely and depressed, which are risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, and older people who have a partner or live with children will have more opportunities to socialize, which is also one of the important factors in promoting health and reducing the risk of dementia.
How to prevent Alzheimer's disease?
1. Mediterranean diet
A Mediterranean diet of "green leafy vegetables + olive oil + a small amount of wine" can reduce the incidence of Alzheimer's by half.
Current research suggests that the Mediterranean diet is healthier, including whole-grain cereals, nuts, olive oil or tea seed oil, eating more fish, eating more white meat, etc., which is a healthier model, and that the rich antioxidants contained in the Mediterranean diet are the key to anti-aging.
2. Mental exercise
As the saying goes, to live to old age, to learn old, the elderly should pay special attention to daily brain training, people who often use the brain will have a much lower chance of Alzheimer's disease.
The elderly can do some jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, or engage in brain-using activities such as singing and drawing at home, which can help prevent the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease.
In addition, you can also learn new skills and new knowledge, such as learning computers, reading more books and newspapers, etc., and by receiving more information stimulation, so that brain cells can remain developed and vigorous.
3. Participate in social activities
Reducing social isolation, engaging in more social activities, and actively participating in sports and outdoor sports, such as walking, tai chi, yoga, chess, square dancing, etc., can prevent Alzheimer's disease to a certain extent.
Moreover, walking helps calm the mood and improve short-term memory, and if walking in a densely vegetated area, attention and short-term memory can be improved by 20%.
4. Meditate daily
Regular meditation helps increase the amount of gray matter in the brain, which aids in brain repair.
Contemplation for a few minutes a day can help protect brain acuity and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Contemplative meditation can also help lower high blood pressure levels, reduce levels of stress, depression and inflammation, improve blood sugar and insulin levels, and boost blood flow to the brain.
5. Physical exercise
Maintaining proper physical activity, especially hand muscle exercises (such as finger exercises), and maintaining a strong body can help prevent the onset of dementia.
Bibliography:
[1] Sun Xianghu.Beware!8 symptoms of Alzheimer's disease[J].Modern Health,2016,1:30.
[2] Ana Sandoiu, Isabel Godfrey. Alzheimer's: Brain changes may occur 34years before symptoms. Medical News Today，21May 2019.
[3] Zheng Shufeng.Prevention of Alzheimer's disease[J].Open Book Beneficial (Seeking Medical Advice),2023,3:84.
[4] 11 ways to prevent Alzheimer's disease[J].Science Grand View Garden,2011,23:12.
[5] Song Mingjin, Jiang Xiaojing, Zhang Juwei et al., eds., Geriatric Diagnosis and Nursing, Ocean University of China Press, 2015.12.
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