Early Detection of Alzheimers Disease
Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease with memory checks
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that begins slowly and worsens over time. It is the most common form of dementia. According to the World Health Organization, there are currently approximately 55 million people with dementia worldwide, with 60-70% of cases classified as Alzheimer’s. The number of people affected by dementia is projected to increase to 78 million by 2030 and to 139 million by 2050.
Alzheimer’s primarily affects memory, but also other cognitive abilities and behaviour, interfering with daily activities. It is a disease that not only harms the person suffering from it, but also caregivers and family members, leading to a gradual decline in the quality of life for the entire household.
Alzheimer’s disease is usually detected after age 65, although the brain changes associated with the disease begin years before the first symptoms appear. This is why early detection is so important.
The risk factors are:
- Age
- It is usually more common in women
- Cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, obesity)
- Sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol abuse
- Lower level of education
- Family history (very rare)
The most common symptoms are:
- Subjective complaints of memory loss
- Difficulty remembering newly learnt things
- Temporal-spatial disorientation (e.g., they don’t remember the date)
- Difficulty recalling object names
- Behavioural changes (apathy, irritability, anxiety, depression)
- Difficulty performing activities of daily living.
Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s; however, a comprehensive therapeutic approach, with pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, helps to slow the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life for both the user and their family members and caregivers.
MEMORY CHECK PROGRAM:
Activity objective and content: The main objective of this program is to offer a FREE Memory Loss Screening service that allows for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s/Parkinson’s or other types of dementia, in their early stages. The primary goal is the early detection of the disease.
Target group: This programme is for people aged 45 and over who experience attention deficit, memory loss (even if occasional), decreased mental agility, forgetfulness, mind wandering, motor impairments, and/or neuropsychiatric disorders. It is also suitable for people with a family history of Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia.
Time spent: The check-ups last approximately 30 minutes per person. Check-up sessions will be held in the morning or afternoon, which our Clinical Neuropsychology team will schedule for you.
An initial semi-structured interview will be conducted to gather personal and family history, personal habits, and clinical syndromes of neurobehavioral interest. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) or the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) will be administered if movement impairment is present, along with the abbreviated Yesavage Depression Scale and the Picture Drawing Test. Following this, the results and recommendations for keeping memory active and basic health tips to prevent cognitive decline will be provided.
Memory checks can be carried out free of charge at PSYCOLab, located at Paseo del Generalife, 8, corner of Calle Albaicín s/n, in Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmádena. Appointments can be made by calling us, where our neuropsychology and neuropsychiatry specialists will assist you.
668 541 309 – 651 60 16 45 – 678 263 983 – 951 259 341
info@psycolab.com
Data processing:
In compliance with Organic Law 15/1999 on the Protection of Personal Data and its implementing regulations, Nieves López-Brea Serrat informs you that your data will be incorporated into a file for the purpose of customer management. The data collected is stored under th e legally established confidentiality and security measures and will not be transferred or shared with companies or entities outside of Nieves López-Brea Serrat, except where legally required, and will be kept for 5 years unless you request its deletion. We also wish to inform you that you may exercise your rights of access, rectification, erasure, objection, data portability, restriction of processing, and objection to automated decision-making at Calle Albaicín, s/n, 29630, Arroyo de la Miel, (Málaga), attaching a photocopy of your national identity document or equivalent identification.
Paloma Marí-Beffa
Doctora en Neuropsicóloga Clínica. | Especialista en Memoria, Atención y Funciones Ejecutivas
Desirée Castellano Olivera.
Psicóloga Sanitaria y Neuropsicóloga Clínica
