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Alzheimer's disease or dementia Alzheimer's is a disease that haunts the elderly. Decreased memory and thinking ability is the most common symptom of Alzheimer's. In addition, recent research suggests that decreased speaking ability or slower speaking can be a symptom of Alzheimer's. Is it true? Here's the explanation.
Decreased ability to speak can be a symptom of Alzheimer's
A study from University of Wisconsin-Madison reports that if you take a long time to talk or stutter while talking, you could be showing symptoms of Alzheimer's.
Changes in fluency in speech can be a sign of very mild memory loss and thinking disorders, such as those associated with Alzheimer's dementia. The study also revealed that people with a family history of Alzheimer's are at risk for having difficulty expressing ideas or words while speaking.
This study was conducted on 400 people who do not have cognitive impairment by doing image tests. Participants are asked to see several pictures and answer multiple choice questions about the pictures.
Meanwhile, researchers also conducted the same test on 264 people aged 50 and 60 years, most of whom have a family history of Alzheimer's and are considered at risk for this condition.
The research team noted small changes in the speech patterns of people with decreased thinking abilities. For example, they tend to use shorter sentences, pause and then say, "Hmm…" or, "Ah…", and other words seem to be thinking. They also use pronouns like "he" and "that one" more often than not mentioning names. They also tend to take a long time to say something.
Speech and memory problems are normal signs of increasing age. The study reports that only about 15-20 percent of people who experience mild cognitive impairment can eventually become at risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is a specific form of dementia that can cause memory problems, impede thinking skills, and cause behavioral changes. Not everyone with a speech disorder has Alzheimer's, so it is not yet certain whether speech patterns can be used as a benchmark in ensuring an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's.
Prevent Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is difficult to treat, but can be prevented from a young age by doing regular exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep.
Regular exercise is the most effective way to ward off decreased thinking skills due to dementia, especially reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Regular exercise can also slow further nerve damage to the brain in people who are already developing cognitive problems. Exercise protects against Alzheimer's by stimulating the brain's ability to maintain old neural connections and also make new ones.
If you have a history of Alzheimer's in your family, you and other family members should do early detection to a doctor. The sooner you detect the progression of this disease, the more effective and easier treatment will be.
