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The human brain can handle the manifestations of Alzheimer's disease on its own
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
The human brain has the ability to independently launch a mechanism that compensates for early changes caused by Alzheimer's disease. This is the conclusion reached by specialists from the University of California. As it turns out, the brain can use auxiliary sources to preserve thinking function. However, such a mechanism cannot be launched in everyone.
A group of researchers studied 71 people who showed no signs of mental dementia. Brain scans showed that 16 of the subjects had amyloid deposits in their brains, which are the first signs of Alzheimer's disease. During the experiment, the specialists asked the volunteers to carefully remember several pictures while scientists scanned their brains.
When people were asked to recall the pictures shown to them, almost everyone showed a fairly good result. But people with amyloid deposits showed higher brain activity, i.e. their brain spent more resources to remember the series of pictures, which is an adaptation mechanism.
At present, scientists cannot yet explain whether the brain can maintain its ability to function by repairing the damage caused by the disease. Specialists also plan to find out why certain areas of the brain are more active in some patients with amyloid deposits. Specialists do not rule out that, in general, the mechanism of damage repair is more effective in people who have been engaged in mental work throughout their lives and actively trained their brains.
More than half of people over 50 fear the development of senile dementia (only one in 10 fears cancer). The Saga company conducted a survey in which half a thousand elderly Britons took part. During the survey, the participants said which disease they feared the most. Almost 70% of the participants feared the development of senile dementia, and about 10% were afraid of cancer. Among other diseases that caused less fear among the survey participants were heart disease (about 4%), diabetes (about 1%).
Senile dementia is characterized by a persistent decline in cognitive function, loss of previously acquired knowledge and skills, and difficulty learning new information. Common symptoms of senile dementia include memory loss, difficulty thinking, speaking, etc.
It is understandable that older people fear dementia, as it is the most common diagnosis at this age. In the UK, more than 800,000 people suffer from dementia.
Research in this area continues and specialists do not give up hope of finding a new effective way to combat this terrible disease or significantly improve the quality of life of patients.
The Alzheimer's charity noted that the fear of senile dementia may be linked to the loss of one's own individuality. But many people are diagnosed too late, as at the first signs they are afraid to go to the doctor.