So there’s an increased urgency to understand fully what causes dementia, to find better ways to diagnose it earlier, to develop effective treatments, and to ensure better quality of life.
Organizations in Canada and around the world have poured untold millions into research to find effective treatments, and they come up short year after year. The challenge is that dementia is not just one disease. Researchers are now starting to realize that it exists on a spectrum, which includes Alzheimer’s, a neurodegeneration of brain cells, on one end, and vascular dementia, which is stroke-related, on the other, and everything in between — a mixture of Alzheimer’s and stroke.
“So you’re not just targeting Alzheimer’s disease, you have to target the vascular dementia as well,” Cooke says. “The complexity of the brain and the complexity of the disease is such a challenge for researchers. It’s probably going to be a multi-pronged approach to attack it on all fronts: with medications that target the plaques in the brain, medications that target the tangles, medications that target the inflammation.”
Prevention, quality of life and managing Alzheimer’s symptoms
While the wait for better diagnostics and treatments continues, there are some lifestyle modifications that can possibly ward off dementia. Health professionals advise a healthy weight and diet, exercise, adequate sleep, reduced stress, and to not smoke. Weaver says learning another language is also protective.
For those living with dementia, quality of life is key. The Alzheimer Society continues its focus on
projects, where people living with dementia, their families and care partners feel included and supported. Other researchers are studying music and the arts as calming tools and to increase socialization, improve mood, and even slow the rate of decline.