Читать книгу The Small Guide to Alzheimer's Disease - Gary Small - Страница 12

Because of fear and anxiety about the possibility of a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, many people play down their memory symptoms and deny that they have a problem. It is easy to rationalize since so many people experience forgetfulness as they age. Memory-loss deniers tell themselves that everyone their age has the same forgetfulness they do, so there’s probably nothing really wrong.

The danger of waiting while symptoms worsen is that the longer a person waits to seek out help, the further the degree of neurodegeneration, which means that symptomatic treatments may be less effective. The research and common sense indicate that it is easier to protect a healthy brain than to try to repair damage once it becomes extensive.

My advice to people who are concerned about their memory is to have it checked out sooner rather than later. At best, the doctor can reassure the patient that their memory decline is normal for their age. If a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s dementia is made, then the patient can get started early on a treatment. Such treatments will not cure the disease, but they can mitigate the symptoms, delay future cognitive decline, and help the patient live a longer and more fulfilling life despite any cognitive losses.