Memory complaints are quite common in society. In younger adults, these are most often associated with life style factors most prominently the presence of psychosocial stressors, whether home or work related, but also as a result of sleep disturbance and having too many responsibilities. One concern raised by many is that of Alzheimer’s disease especially when other members of the family have been diagnosed with this condition.
A clinical assessment by a neurologist is usually required as a first step in order to assess the degree of memory impairment and decide if any further investigations are warranted. Such investigations can include blood tests, cerebrospinal fluid investigations and imaging (MRI, Amyloid PET) studies.
Several medications have been available for many years now for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease but these, unfortunately, offer minimal symptomatic benefits. Aducanumab (Aduhelm) is a recently approved medication for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and is now available in the United Arab Emirates. It has shown modest benefits only in the very early stages of the disease emphasizing the need for early recognition and diagnosis of this devastating condition.
