Can your brain be trained to combat symptoms of Alzheimers

Did you know that Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia? Alzheimer's disease can accounts for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases.

“There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death. Although Alzheimer's disease (AD) develops differently for every individual, there are many common symptoms. Early symptoms are often mistakenly thought to be 'age-related' concerns, or manifestations of stress. In the early stages, the most common symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. When AD is suspected, the diagnosis is usually confirmed with tests that evaluate behavior and thinking abilities, often followed by a brain scan if available. As the disease advances, symptoms can include confusion, irritability and aggression, mood swings, trouble with language, and long-term memory loss. As the sufferer declines they often withdraw from family and society”. (Wikipedia)

According to Mike Roizen, MD. :"Alzheimer’s affected about 5 million people in 2010 in the US, and is predicted to increase to more than 12 million in 2050, with a worldwide prevalence going from about 25 million cases now to over 100 million in 2050."

These stats are scary and many people suffering from Alzheimer’s and their families are searching for different treatments other than medication that can prolong the rapid progress of Alzheimer’s and memory loss. Medication was the main option to treat Alzheimer’s so far but a new form of treatment has been researched and shown positive results: Neurofeedback!

Neurofeedback for Alzheimer's disease has been researched though not very extensively but overall the results have been favorable. Some studies show that the onset of illness can be postponed by up to 2 years with regular Neurofeedback training of the brain. No other drug therapy has shown a comparable efficacy in delaying the onset of Alzheimer disease.

Scientists from Imperial College London and Charring Cross Hospital believe that it can be possible to improve memory by up to 10 percent through the use of neurofeedback.
It has been show that it is best that the Neurofeedback treatment for Alzheimer’s and dementia is started at the very first signs of symptoms. These can be forgetfulness, behavioral changes, wandering and cognitive decline.

Neurofeedback has consistently shown to have improvements in cognitive functions, anxiety levels, mood, speech and word finding and overall quality of life.

Bearing in mind that Alzheimer's is a progressive and degenerative brain condition – neurofeedback is not expected to reverse the process. However, the benefits of Neurofeedback in Alzheimer’s and dementias are owed to the fact that the neurons in the brain are trained and stimulated to function better again. Even if there is brain damage already existent, the brain’s plasticity, ability to change and develop new pathways, makes it possible for sometimes unexpected improvements in functionalities and symptoms.
This is exciting news- you are never too old to train your brain!

For more information on neurofeedback training, looks us up under www.eq-advantedge.co.za or email us: info@eq-advantedge.co.za.