2024-08-03 19:34:29
Episode 4 of ‘Myung-ui’ titled ‘Slow Down Cognitive Aging’ will be aired.
The era of living to be 100 has opened up thanks to the advancement of modern medicine! However, along with longevity, people are also suffering from various diseases.
In this article, we present six health tips on what to do and how to do it to stay healthy until you are 100 years old.
In the fourth story, “Slow Down Cognitive Aging,” we explore ways to maintain healthy cognitive function over a long period of time.
Dementia is the disease that Koreans fear the most. Especially now that we are entering a super-aged society, the fear of dementia is growing as the elderly population increases.
According to the National Dementia Center, the number of dementia patients in Korea will exceed 1 million in 2024, and the number of patients with mild cognitive impairment, which can be considered a pre-dementia stage, will also exceed 2 million. One in four elderly people over 65 years old may have mild cognitive impairment. So how can we maintain healthy cognitive function for a long time? Is it possible to delay or prevent cognitive decline?
Learn how to maintain healthy cognitive function and prepare for dementia with neurologist Professor Ji-Hyang Jeong.
If you are confused about whether it is dementia or not, suspect ‘mild cognitive impairment’
A 70-year-old female patient who has been unable to do any activities since undergoing retinal detachment surgery a year ago, has had a noticeable decline in cognitive function. She gets confused about dates and repeats the same questions. She almost started a fire by putting things that shouldn’t be put in the microwave. She even had difficulty cooking because she got salt and sugar mixed up. She took her mother, who insisted that “there’s nothing wrong with me,” to get treatment, but the result was mild cognitive impairment of Alzheimer’s disease. She was diagnosed with “mild cognitive impairment,” which can be considered a pre-dementia stage, and began cognitive treatment.
Many people worry about dementia, but ‘mild cognitive impairment’, which is on the path to dementia, is often overlooked. If mild cognitive impairment is left untreated, it can quickly progress to dementia in 2-3 years, so careful observation of the person and those around them is essential. Patients with mild cognitive impairment may not be recognized unless observed closely for a long time, so caution is required. So, what is the biggest difference between dementia and mild cognitive impairment, and how is mild cognitive impairment diagnosed? Let’s take a closer look at mild cognitive impairment.
‘I’m different from the me I knew before’, what tests should I take when dementia is suspected?
A 70-year-old female patient visited the hospital after her daughter’s long persuasion. She was suspected of dementia due to her personality and cognitive function that had changed violently over the past few years, so she was tested. When dementia is suspected, what kind of tests are performed? First, she underwent a neurocognitive test to find out which brain functions had declined. After that, she underwent an additional brain MRI to check for brain damage.
There are about 70 causes of dementia. The most common cause is Alzheimer’s disease. One of the causative substances of Alzheimer’s disease is amyloid beta protein. He received an amyloid PET-CT test to examine how much amyloid beta protein was accumulated in brain cells. However, the test result was negative. So what is the cause of this patient’s dementia?
Dementia, what kind of examination process is used to diagnose it? What can each examination confirm? Let’s learn about the dementia diagnosis process.
Dementia is an old person’s disease? ‘Young dementia’, early-onset dementia
“I’m 30 years old.” A person who has forgotten his age. He has even forgotten how to cut kimbap. A female patient in her 50s who was diagnosed with dementia 3 years ago. The patient, who was in her mid-50s, is now in her late 50s. She was devastated by being diagnosed with dementia while she was actively working, but she is focusing on ‘what she can do now’ with her family. She is currently working at a cafe at a dementia care center and spending her days.
Dementia that occurs before the age of 65 is called ‘early-onset dementia’ or ‘early-onset dementia’. Early-onset dementia is characterized by a faster progression of the disease compared to dementia that occurs in old age. Also, in the case of early-onset dementia, it is said that it requires more attention because it can be accompanied by other diseases. ‘Early-onset dementia’, which is more fearful in the young, what is the difference from senile dementia? Let’s learn about early-onset dementia.
How to slow the progression to dementia? What is the best way to prevent cognitive decline?
A female patient in her 60s who was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease two years ago. At first, she had a hard time accepting her illness, but with the help of those around her, she worked hard to overcome mild cognitive impairment. Did her earnestness get through?
MRI scans showed brain atrophy, and amyloid PET-CT scans showed amyloid beta protein, the cause of Alzheimer’s disease, accumulated in the brain, but his cognitive function scores have improved since he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease two years ago. And he is currently maintaining his daily life in better health. What is his secret?
Mild cognitive impairment is the pre-stage of dementia, so paradoxically it is the most important period. Depending on how mild cognitive impairment is managed, the progression to dementia can be accelerated or delayed. Is there a way to maximize the period of mild cognitive impairment? We cannot prevent cognitive function from declining during the aging process, but if we can slow it down as much as possible, we can enjoy a healthier old age. Professor Jeong Ji-hyang says that the best time to prevent cognitive decline is in the ’50s’. The biggest preparation we can make at age 50 is to manage blood vessels and get a puncture. How do we do this?
In the EBS episode, we learn how to maintain healthy cognitive function until the age of 100 with Professor Ji-Hyang Jeong, a neurologist.
Reporter Park Yu-mi Photo EBS
.
2024-08-03 19:34:29