*Carry out a specific Alzheimer's study in the Latino community.
Yesterday you may have forgotten your car keys in the fridge, or even not picked up a food order placed a couple of hours ago, but is that worrisome? When is it a rare oversight or repetitive behavior that wreaks havoc in daily life? Knowing this and giving a name and surname to a possible neurodegenerative disease as soon as possible is crucial for a better quality of life.
This was stated by Doctor Carla Abdelnour, in an interview during the Peninsula 360 radio program, broadcast every Tuesday through 1010 AM that is heard in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she specified that, despite fears and taboos The correct diagnosis is of the utmost importance.
Of Venezuelan origin, Abdelnour is in a postdoctoral at Stanford, and is specializing in neurodegenerative diseases emphasizing learning more about neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Lewy bodies.
What are neurodegenerative diseases?
Doctor Abdelnour specified that neurodegenerative diseases are a series of pathologies or diseases that cause degeneration of the central nervous system.
To make it clearer, she explained that in the brain there are cells called neurons, which communicate with each other to make us speak, walk, interact, think and many other things. Everything we do is coordinated in the central nervous system.
However, there are a number of diseases that are associated with aging, and as we get older the risk of these diseases increases, which, she said, are believed to be associated with abnormal deposits of certain proteins, which cause neurons to start to die and when that happens, the functions that they were doing begin to be affected.
And it is that, she said, normally, at first a number of neurons die and those that remain alive assume the tasks of those that have died, but as the process continues, there is currently no therapeutic strategy to stop this. Neurons continue to die, and that is when symptoms appear, including cognitive impairment such as: memory failure, speech difficulties, tremor, stiffness, or walking difficulties, among others.
Frontiers to investigate
Doctor Abdelnou is part of a team at Stanford University that is conducting a specific study for Alzheimer's, but focused on the Latino community, since there is little information on how this neurodegenerative disease affects this group of people.
The study not only analyzes genetic factors, but adds social factors and how they can influence a person's vulnerability to developing Alzheimer's disease or not and whether or not the progression of the disease is faster.
Among these factors are: educational level, access to health systems, control of cardiovascular factors such as high blood pressure or diabetes, among others.
"The truth is that this is a fairly complex disease and apart from the genetic part, which surely can form important factors of development and vulnerability, there are also social factors that can influence this," Abdelnour stressed.
Stigmas, taboos and fears
Mental illnesses, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, have great stigmas among society, because the individual loses mental abilities to live in societies, as well as the quality of life, highlighted the specialist.
“I have had patients who think that they do not want to be a burden on their family and that is very scary. I believe that we must understand and accept that, obviously, it can be very scary to know that there is a possibility of suffering from any of these diseases, but on the other hand, I have seen the benefit of giving a diagnosis to patients and families, and Put a name and surname to the symptoms.
Abdelnour explained that, over time, memory lapses were associated with age. People have always thought that it is normal that when we get older we forget things, and although it is true that with age we have more difficulty finding a word, or maybe we are not so fast in a conversation, which is not It is normal, it is to have cognitive failures, for example: memory failures that progress over time and become more, which are mild at first but then become moderate over time, and because of these cognitive failures people are not able to do the activities of daily living.
Given this, she said, "it is recommended that when any person begins to notice cognitive failures that are different from their basal state and that these failures progress, it is recommended that they go to the neurologist for a neurological medical visit and a neuropsychological examination and diagnosis can be reached.
«You have to respect the decision of people not to know, but I have also seen the benefit that having a diagnosis has for patients and families because you put a name and surname to the symptoms and you understand what is happening. We have data on how the progression of the disease can be and how to treat the symptoms not only cognitive but also behavioral, so we can begin to adapt to the situations. It has been seen that having a diagnosis can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients. In the end what we want ».
one step in favor
At the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Stanford University there is currently a study on healthy aging of the brain, and it seeks to include participants from the Latin American community.
"We believe that it is very important to know what are the characteristics of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or Lewy body disease in our community."
In this sense, she explained that the Latino community has particular characteristics, since it is a population that is little studied.
“I think that if we want to have treatments in the future and see how they can be effective in our community, we have to understand the disease in our community. Not because there are great biological differences with Caucasian whites, but because there may be genetic, and even social, differences that are not negligible in terms of the profession of neurodegenerative diseases."
Do you want to participate?
People who may participate include people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body disease, Parkinson's disease, or mild cognitive impairment. Healthy volunteers older than 70 years of age who in principle do not have any disease are also included.
The study also includes healthy people who have a first-degree relative such as: father or mother, who have suffered from a neurodegenerative disease or who are suffering from it and who are between 40 and 70 years of age.
People who are interested can contact Verónica RamÃrez at 650 721 2409 and also by email adrcstanford@stanford.edu.
People who wish to participate may have help with their transportation, as well as accommodation for those who come from outside the area.
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