The doctor advised him how to help his brain and delay age-related diseases.

Brain disease is a major issue, with around 165 million Europeans living with a brain disorder, one of the biggest health problems. One in three people are believed to suffer from a neurological or mental disorder at some point in their lives, according to a press release.

According to Agnė Gaižauskienė, director of the Innovative Pharmaceutical Industry Association (IFPA), the annual cost of treating brain diseases in Europe already reaches 800,000 million. euros.

“The increasing survival of people presupposes that the cost of their treatment will increase even more, so it is important to focus and find solutions. Better financing of the health system needs to be ensured from a multi-year perspective, and not just by planning the budget for another year. In the welfare state, which is now being created in Lithuania, all citizens must trust the health system and receive not only effective help in case of illness, but also achievable prevention. Effective prevention cannot be achieved without adequate funding. However, with state funding resources available for healthcare in Lithuania, they are among the smallest and amount to only 4.29 percent. It is not yet worth talking about the financing of effective prevention, ”says A. Gaižauskienė.

Dementia is a WHO priority

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes dementia as a public health priority and, in 2017, the World Health Assembly adopted a Global Plan of Action on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017-2025. It focuses on the following areas: dementia awareness, development of pro-dementia initiatives, dementia risk reduction, diagnosis, treatment and care, support for people with dementia, research and innovation.

“The WHO guidelines for reducing the risk of dementia provide evidence-based recommendations for interventions to reduce modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity, unhealthy eating and the management of dementia-related health problems such as hypertension. or diabetes. In order not only to implement the WHO recommendations, but also to provide opportunities for people to constantly monitor their state of health, periodically carry out the necessary tests, thereby diagnosing certain brain disorders in a timely manner, as well as fluid financing of the health system, ”Remember A. Gaižauskienė.

Effective prevention can take 10 or even 15 years to last longer in sober minds and familiarity with senile dementia, so investments in later stages are focused on better understanding brain function and dysfunction and developing diagnostic and diagnostic methods. follow-up, prevention, treatment, supportive care. This not only helps to control chronic brain diseases, to better understand what causes them, but also to fight those diseases that are still incurable.

Not all brain diseases are treated

Brain disorders include neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and other disorders such as epilepsy, depression, stroke, migraine, sleep disorders, brain injury, pain or addiction syndromes.

However, one of the most common brain disorders that affects nearly 50 million people worldwide. people with dementia. Up to 10 million are determined annually. new cases of it. Neuropsychology Dr. According to Ramunė Dirvanskienė, although dementia is not curable, it is highly influenced by prevention, which can help delay this syndrome.

“This is especially important now that people’s life expectancy is increasing rapidly as more and more people reach a particularly respectable age, often accompanied by dementia. As the elderly population grows, so does the need for continuous care services. However, according to various theoretical calculations by scientists, if a person takes prevention on time, it is possible to delay the onset of dementia up to ten or fifteen years; this is a very significant number for both the person and for their relatives. Besides becoming a severe psychological and financial burden on the patient’s family, dementia also causes a series of social and economic consequences for the entire state, “says Dr. R. Dirvanskienė.

According to her, more and more researchers are investigating brain diseases, but close interdisciplinary collaboration is needed to achieve better results. Sometimes certain brain disorders can be related to comorbidities or lifestyle habits, which requires the involvement of all professionals and sufficient resources in the health system. However, part of the responsibility for prevention falls not only on the health system, but also on each one of us.

Don’t look for a magic product

To improve brain function, many mistakenly think that it will be enough to take a dose of vitamins or a little more free time to assign puzzles. Dr. According to R. Dirvanskienė, research so far does not show a direct correlation between solving crossword puzzles and better brain function.

According to her, in order to substantially improve brain function and achieve good results, we must first realize that this is a set of things that everyone should pay attention to.

“It just came to our attention then. Just as we want to improve our overall health, we can find a better miracle vitamin for better brain function. It is very important to participate in active physical and mental activities, to follow the principles of a complete diet, but not forget that there is no miracle product that improves memory, ”says Dr. R. Dirvanskienė.

He also points out that each age group is accompanied by certain risk factors that can increase the risk of dementia in the future. Some of them even cover the childhood stage. For example, if a student does not receive a basic education, they are more likely not to work in a mental activity or live in an unsafe environment, which can affect certain brain diseases in the future.

“In middle age, uncorrected hearing loss is identified as one of the most important factors that increases the risk of dementia. In the long term, people who refuse to wear a hearing aid for any reason become less involved in conversations with other people isolate themselves and their interpersonal relationships and social activities suffer as a result, ”says Dr. R. Dirvanskienė.

How to gain extra years for your brain?

Dr. R. Dirvanskienė warns that people are more afraid of diseases that limit mental activity, but for this reason, interest in brain diseases and their prevention is also increasing. In terms of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, genetics play a relatively small role here and may account for as little as 10 percent. diseases, so participation and willingness to take care of one’s health remains crucial.

Numerous studies to date have revealed what external factors affect brain function, what treatments are effective for certain diseases, or what can help prevent or delay those diseases.

“The brain benefits from the same things as the entire human body: a balanced and healthy diet and lifestyle. In general, what is good for other human organs also benefits the brain. For example, sports improve the blood circulation and brain cells receive better oxygen and nutrients, while performing their functions better, ”says Dr. R. Dirvanskienė.

According to her, it is not enough to do physical activity, a person must also follow an adequate sleep regimen and pay enough attention to its quality, since sleep is essential for the proper functioning of the brain. Efforts must also be made to reduce the level of stress that often leads to various brain diseases.

Dr. R. Dirvanskienė also points out that disorders of the digestive system caused by malnutrition are increasingly associated with brain diseases, so it is important to ensure that the body receives all the necessary substances.