Gulf News | Interview with Dr. Miia Kivipelto and Dr. Jaakko Tuomilehto

They therefore urged residents to adopt healthy lifestyles, including regular physical activity and balanced diets, as these act as protectors against both diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

“Currently, the proportion of the UAE population that is 65 years or older stands at below one per cent, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. This proportion is expected to increase to 30 per cent by 2050, and we expect that the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease too will increase proportionately,” Dr Miia Kivipelto, professor at the Ageing Research Centre in Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, told Gulf News.

And because many people from other countries leave the UAE upon retirement, it means that most elderly persons in the UAE are Emirati. Thus, the future increase in Alzheimer’s prevalence here will pertain mostly to elderly Emiratis, she added.

Dr Kivipelto was speaking ahead of a forum in the capital that discussed the link between Alzheimer’s and diabetes.

Alzheimer’s leads to a gradual degeneration of brain cells, and this makes affected individuals dependent on the care of others. The disease often develops very slowly. Initial symptoms include loss of short-term memory, speech problems, difficulty in concentration and frequent mood changes and depression.

The disease was initially thought to occur purely due to ageing and other genetic factors. However, it is now known that lifestyle factors also contribute to the disease.

“For example, some studies have shown that a high level of blood glucose or insulin could lead to the accumulation of a protein, beta-amyloid, that is closely linked to Alzheimer’s. In addition, vascular conditions affect the blood vessels, thus hindering blood flow to the brain and possibly causing damage and degeneration of brain cells,” Dr Kivipelto said.

There are however no available figures on the current prevalence of the disease among the UAE population.

Because diabetes affects nearly 20 per cent of the UAE population however, the risk of Alzheimer’s prevalence increasing is even greater, said Dr Jaako Tuomilehto, professor emeritus of public health at the University of Helsinki in Finland, and scientific adviser for diabetic research at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“The Gulf region is one of the hotspots for diabetes, and unless concerted efforts are undertaken to reduce obesity and unhealthy lifestyles among younger people, Alzheimer’s prevalence will continue to rise,” Dr Tuomilehto said.

Dr Kivipelto pointed out that physical activity among middle-aged people at least three times a week, for at least 30 minutes each, can lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s 20 years later by 60 to 70 per cent.

“In addition, social activities are also protective against the disease. For example, playing games with grandchildren or learning a new skill help in keeping nerve cells healthy,” she said.

According to the expert, the rate of Alzheimer’s incidence is currently underdiagnosed in the UAE, especially as many of its symptoms are simply thought to be natural processes of ageing.

“However, if people report these symptoms early to physicians, it can help in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. This, in turn, can aid in better treatment. Doctors can prescribe drugs to slow the deterioration of patients’ health, and also prescribe physical activity regimens,” she said.

Dr Tuomilehto also called upon regional governments and the scientific community to conduct studies about Alzheimer’s incidence.

“We have a lot of studies at present about diabetes. But further research needs to be undertaken to show its link with Alzheimer’s in the region, and to look into better ways to manage the condition among patients,” he added.