The human brain is a complex organ and essential to everything we do in day-to-day life. Growing research and exciting advancements in Medicine and Neuroscience the past 30 years have enabled us to better understand how our brain is affected by genes, our environment and lifestyle choices. Brain Awareness Week is all about reducing stigma and educate the public about how we currently understand the interaction between a healthy brain and the impact of brain diseases.
What is Brain Health and Why is it Important?
Despite how essential our brain is in assisting with basic functions like breathing to higher-order tasks, most of us are unaware of what it means to care of our brain!
A common brain health concern includes the rapid and widespread growth of dementia, worldwide. Although dementia carries a large disease-burden for society and their caregivers and families, being proactive will foster a better understanding of how to support the affected person.
In this yearly Brain Awareness Week, we at ORS will introduce you to Alzheimer’s Disease as one of the most well-researched brain-related disorders and explain some of the proactive steps you can take today to mitigate the risk factors.
Alzheimer’s Disease
The leading cause of dementia today points to Alzheimer’s Disease (50-75% of cases). It’s a life-threatening condition, where abnormal and toxic proteins start to ball-up in the brain. Over time, the brain will shrink in volume, which causes gradual impairment for the person.
Early on, they may notice mild difficulties with more sophisticated tasks such as organisation and finances, like paying bills. Other examples include misplacing things, getting lost or forgetting where you were going, or came from.
The person with these symptoms may still understand their problems. However, apathy and clear personality changes worry caregivers the most. These issues become more noticeable in the later stages.
A common misconception is that the onset of Alzheimer’s start when symptoms first appear, but these brain changes happen several years and sometimes decades before the symptoms become visible to yourself and others.
The initial step towards an early intervention does not necessarily involve any comprehensive testing. But, since some of the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other dementias can mimic normal aging, it is important to not jump to any conclusions about the observable changes but rather discuss any genetic links to family history and to be honest about why you may have any suspicions that a dementia-syndrome could potentially develop.
While minor cognitive decline happens over time as one ages, early signs to look out for include rapid changes over a shorter time frame. Unfortunately, family members may often presume responsibility for the affected persons’ actions without recognising and acknowledge that their brain health is changing. Examples include instances where the person is frequently forgetting to frequently pay bills, missing traffic lights, and struggling to multi-task.
At the same time, health professionals may be initially unable or hesitant to make any diagnosis as the symptoms can mimic normal aging. As a result, ongoing stigma about dementia and aging causes early detection to reduce.
Preventive Measures
Research have found that you can delay signs of a brain disease with up to 15-20 years if you stay active and keep stimulating your brain! Examples could include learning new things like a language, try a new hobby, read, stay social, and create new experiences. Increasing research have especially highlighted the benefits of going to the gym and staying consistent with weight-resistance/exercise training (lifting weights and cardio), as a preventative measure (a pro-inflammatory mediator) in maintaining one’s cognitive reserve (e.g., focus, memory, attention) [1, 2].
As an example, in a recent documentary, it became known that Chris Hemsworth (Australian Hollywood-Actor) has come forward to the public about his genetic predisposition towards Alzheimer’s Disease. For that reason, his TV series on “Limitless with Chris Hemsworth” was intended to raise awareness about brain health and to demonstrate how pushing personal boundaries through a variety of physical challenges can mitigate the onset of dementia and instead increase human longevity.
Why Early Detection and Intervention Matters
Here at ORS, we have experienced Clinical Psychologists and Neuropsychologists to assist with assessment of your brain health. While a Neuropsychology assessment is a pragmatic starting point to assess for early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, below are some other brain-related disorders:
- Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) – often caused by stroke, head trauma and other damage.
- Traumatic Brain injury (TBI) – common from head injuries
- Neurodegenerative diseases – Alzheimer’s disease of Frontotemporal dementia.
- Developmental Disabilities – Down Syndrome and Huntington’s Disease
- Schizophrenia –
What next?
If you have noticed any of these signs or are concerned about someone who might show these symptoms, reach out to ORS’ experienced Clinical Psychologists and Neuropsychologists today. Alternatively, you can visit our dedicated Psychological Assessments and Psychological Therapy service pages to learn more. Alternatively feel free to give us a call 1800 000 677 to schedule an appointment. Let’s take proactive steps together for better brain health!
