Are Alzheimer's and dementia the same thing? Can I catch Alzheimer's from someone else? And is Alzheimer's even a disease? There is still a lot of uncertainty about Alzheimer's disease. That's why the non-profit Alzheimer Research Initiative eV (AFI) is clearing up seven misconceptions that are circulating about Alzheimer's disease.
Myth 1: Alzheimer’s and dementia are the same thing.
It is often assumed that Alzheimer's and dementia are the same thing. The term “dementia” comes from Latin and means “without mind”. It covers over 50 different disorders that affect mental performance. Dementia is also a collective term and is not the same as Alzheimer's disease. However, Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and accounts for around two-thirds of all cases. Other forms of the disease include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia or dementia in Parkinson's disease.
Myth 2: Only old people get Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia can also affect people at a younger age. “Early dementia” is when people under 65 become ill. Genetic factors play a greater role here than in later-onset dementias. It is estimated that around five percent of all people with Alzheimer's are younger than 65.
Myth 3: Alzheimer’s cannot be cured and nothing can be done.
It is true that Alzheimer's cannot yet be cured. But Alzheimer's is treatable. Alzheimer's medication can slow the progression of the disease and accompanying symptoms such as depression or aggression can also be treated with medication. Non-medicinal therapies such as mental, physical and emotional mobilization can maintain independence for longer and promote well-being.
Myth 4: Alzheimer’s is contagious.
Alzheimer's disease is not contagious. It cannot be transmitted from person to person through normal contact or care. Although recent studies suggest that in very rare cases transmission may have occurred during certain medical treatments in the past, this does not apply to everyday situations. Alzheimer's remains a disease that is not transmitted through contagion.
Myth 5: Alzheimer’s is not a disease, but a normal sign of aging.
This claim persists, but is not scientifically sound. Alzheimer's is a serious neurodegenerative disease that is associated with characteristic changes in the brain, such as the deposition of beta-amyloid and tau proteins. These changes can now be made visible using modern imaging techniques.
While it is normal for mental performance to decline somewhat as we age, Alzheimer's is by no means an inevitable consequence of aging. It is a disease in its own right that needs to be discovered, treated and further researched.
Myth 6: If one parent has Alzheimer's, their children will get it too.
If a parent is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, it does not automatically mean that their children will also develop the disease. In most cases, the disease is not genetic and only appears after the age of 65, with the risk of developing the disease increasing with age. Some genetic variants can increase the risk, but they do not necessarily lead to the onset of the disease.
Myth 7: People with Alzheimer’s die because they forget to breathe.
People with Alzheimer's do not forget to breathe. They do not die directly from Alzheimer's disease, but from concurrent illnesses. In the last stages of the disease, patients also deteriorate physically and ultimately require round-the-clock care. Because the immune system is significantly weakened as a result, susceptibility to infectious diseases increases. Many Alzheimer's patients die from respiratory infections.
Free brochure available
Our brochure “What is Alzheimer’s?” provides a compact overview of Alzheimer’s disease. “What is Alzheimer’s?” can be ordered free of charge from the Alzheimer Research Initiative eV, Kreuzstr. 34, 40210 Düsseldorf; telephone number 0211 – 86 20 66 0; website: www.alzheimer-forschung.de/was-ist-alzheimer
About the Alzheimer Research Initiative eV
The non-profit Alzheimer Research Initiative eV (AFI) has been supporting Alzheimer's and dementia research since 1995. The AFI provides information about dementia with free brochures and comprehensive information on the website www.alzheimer-forschung.de. To date, the association has supported 390 research activities with 16.2 million euros and distributed over 925,000 guides and brochures. The AFI is financed primarily from private expenditure and does not cooperate with the pharmaceutical industry. As a holder of the donation certificate from the German Donation Council, the association is committed to the transparent use of donations. The AFI is a member of the National Dementia Strategy network. The ambassador is the journalist and sports presenter Okka Gundel.
Source: Alzheimer Research Initiative e. V. (ots)
