Is Alzheimer's scary? Here are the symptoms and lifestyle tips to prevent it

Approximately 600,000 people in Italy suffer from it, only 20 per cent of patients receive an early diagnosis, and around 3 million family members care for their loved ones. These are the numbers of Alzheimer's in Italy, whose World Alzheimer's Day is celebrated on 21 September. With neurologists predicting that cases of dementia could triple by 2050 also due to the ageing population. So much so that 1 in 2 Italians fear they may suffer from Alzheimer's in the future, but just 1 in 10 claim to be well informed about the disease. But how can one recognise the symptoms and above all reduce the risk of cognitive decline or even the development of a serious disease such as Alzheimer's?

Almost half (49%) of Italians are concerned that Alzheimer's may affect them personally or one of their loved ones in the future, only 1 in 10 Italians say they are 'very well informed' about this disease, according to a survey carried out on behalf of Airalzh onlus (Italian Alzheimer's Research Association), which is also launching an awareness campaign to urge people to be more aware of the benefits of a correct lifestyle, and to adopt them also as a prevention against dementia. In general, cognitive decline and dementia worry 9 out of 10 Italians and affect 2 million patients and 4 million caregivers, according to another survey by the 'Emg Different' institute. What is most worrying is the relative loss of autonomy, isolation and the emotional and economic burden on the family, also due to the lack of social welfare services.

But how is Alzheimer's recognised? The disease can progress slowly over 10 to 20 years, moving from the preclinical, non-symptomatic phase to severe dementia, with increasing effects on people's daily lives. And the first to notice the often insidious and underestimated symptoms are often the relatives of the sufferers on whom the caregivers rely. "It often starts with small signs, which sometimes are not easy to notice," explains Alessandro Padovani, director of the Neurological Clinic at the University of Brescia and president of the Italian Society of Neurology. "Sometimes, especially in people who are advanced in years, these small deficits are not recognised: forgetting where you parked your car, giving different names to people you know, or even just changing habits. It is important not to dismiss or assume that all this is normally related to ageing'.

But can we reduce the risk of cognitive decline as we age, or even of developing a serious disease such as Alzheimer's? One way is to follow the 12 recommendations listed by the World Health Organisation on lifestyles that we should all follow. For Sandro Sorbi, past president of the Italian Alzheimer's Research Association and director of Neurology I at the Aou Careggi hospital in Florence, 'first of all we must pay attention to our diet and the WHO refers to our Mediterranean diet. If you cannot follow the Mediterranean diet, there is an alternative diet that is nonetheless balanced. Another very important aspect is daily moderate physical activity, which improves responses to memory tests and reduces the risk of cognitive decline. About half an hour a day of brisk walking or an activity in the garden and twice a week an hour of more intense physical activity are not impossible, we can all do these things'. Other recommendations: 'Blood pressure and blood sugar control, because it is well documented that if not well treated, diabetes carries a higher risk of developing cognitive problems' or even developing Alzheimer's.