Dementia | Prostate cancer drugs

The drug used in prostate cancer can cause dementia, according to a new study. In prostate cancer, doctors use anti-androgenic treatment that reduces testosterone levels. Indeed, testosterone feeds the growth of cancer.

Dementia is not a specific disease, but a general term used to describe a condition that causes a decline in mental abilities. This debilitating disease can cause serious problems that can affect daily life. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia and accounts for almost 60% to 80% of the total number of cases of dementia. The second most common dementia is vascular dementia, often felt by stroke victims. Dementia causes cell death and tissue loss, resulting in memory loss, behavioral problems, and loss of body function control. Unfortunately, while drugs can slow down its progression, there is still no cure for this progressive disease.

ANDROGEN THERAPY FOR PROSTATE CANCER AND DEMENTIA: THE LINK

Androgen deprivation therapy effectively slows the progression of prostate cancer. But it is only used in advanced cases or when the chances of recurrence are high. This therapy also affects badual function and harms the bones and heart.

In a recent study, published online in JAMA Network Open, The researchers reviewed data from the US National Cancer Institute regarding more than 154,000 prostate cancer patients diagnosed between 1996 and 2003. About 62,000 of them received destructive hormone therapy less than two years after diagnosis, against approximately 92,000. The study found that 22% of men treated had developed Alzheimer's disease after an 8-year follow-up. Only 16% of those who did not receive treatment developed dementia. In other words, one in 10 men who received the therapy developed Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers say that it is a serious development, because when a study opposes one debilitating disease to another, it causes fear in patients.

6 FACTORS TO INCREASE YOUR DEMENTIA RISK

This is worrying for patients with prostate cancer. However, other experts in the field feel that the study is not conclusive because it does not take into account age and the health problems badociated with it. Dementia is an evolutionary disease and there is still no cure. It is therefore very important that you take certain precautions to ward off this disease.

Let's see what other health-related factors can trigger dementia in patients.

Antidepressants and other drugs

If you are used to taking commonly prescribed antidepressants, think twice. According to one study, one study warned that 20 years before diagnosis, the risk of developing dementia is high. The researchers found a higher incidence of dementia in patients taking anticholinergic antidepressants, anticholinergic drugs for the bladder and anticholinergic drugs for Parkinson's disease than in older adults not taking these drugs.

For the study, published in the journal BMJ, an international team from the United States, Great Britain and Ireland badyzed more than 27 million prescriptions. They looked at these data from the medical records of 40,770 patients over the age of 65 diagnosed with dementia, compared with 283,933 elderly people without dementia.

High systolic blood pressure level

Systolic blood pressure is the pressure that exists in your arteries during contraction of the heart muscle. High systolic pressure can wreak havoc on sensitive capillaries that feed your brain and damage the capillaries that nourish the kidneys, heart and liver. Reducing blood pressure to as low as 120 mmHG can help prevent cardiovascular problems and kidney failure.

In case you have a systolic blood pressure, you may develop a mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that can eventually lead to dementia, says a new study. The study showed that reducing systolic blood pressure to a new target level can reduce the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment by almost 20%.

In explaining the MCI, doctors say that there is a reduction in memory and thinking skills that can be mild but noticeable, affecting 15 to 20% of people over 65 years. They say that of all those who are affected by MCI, half of them end up developing dementia. New research found that people who kept their blood pressure under control were 15% less likely to have dementia. These new findings were presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Chicago.

High levels of copper in your water

Although copper is necessary for the development of your bones, an excessive amount of this element in the body can be detrimental to your brain. According to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Excess copper in the body can trigger the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Standards set by the US Environmental Protection Agency state that in drinking water, copper levels must be one-tenth the amount of water. Even such an amount of copper can cause toxic accumulation of the beta-amyloid protein called pro-Alzheimer's, says another study published in the newspaper Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. So, you should go for filters that can reduce copper levels in your water and therefore reduce your risk of developing diseases or conditions such as dementia.

Your sleeping position

This may seem strange to you, but the sleeping position has an impact on your brain. When it comes to your brain function, sleep on your side instead of sleeping on your stomach or back. This can improve the cleaning processes of your brain waste and reduce your risk of developing diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

The glymphatic pathway of your brain, a system that eliminates waste and other harmful brain chemicals, works best when you sleep on your side and not on your stomach or back, says a study published in The journal of neuroscience. This pathway works by filtering the cerebrospinal fluid and replacing it with interstitial fluid. Cerebrospinal fluid contains wastes such as amyloid β and tau proteins. These negatively affect the functioning of the brain if they accumulate, indicates the same study.

Pesticides harmful to the brain

A chemical compound such as DDT, originally thought safe, but now banned in many countries, is a risk factor for dementia. In India, DDT as a pesticide for agricultural use has been partially banned. However, it is still used as an insecticide to fight against malaria. According to a study carried out National Institute of Health Sciences of the Environmenthigher levels of DDT in your blood make you more vulnerable to Alzheimer's than those with low or normal levels. During the study, the researchers found that people with this disease had DDE (DDT degradation product) in their blood about 3.8 times higher than those who did not have the disease. Alzheimer. You may be exposed to DDT if you work in the agricultural sector.

Vitamin D deficiency

A 2015 study published in the journal Neurology indicates that a serious deficiency of vitamin D in your body can put you at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 122%. However, moderately impaired people are 69% more likely to develop this disease. A blood test will tell you about your vitamin D level. A count of 20 ng / mL to 50 ng / mL is considered normal. However, a level below 12 ng / mL indicates vitamin D deficiency. If your body is lacking this important vitamin, you must frequently expose yourself to the sun. Eat fatty fish, including tuna, mackerel, salmon, mushrooms, cheese, egg yolk, etc.

WHAT CAN HELP

Regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle can greatly help prevent this disease. Avoid drinking and smoking, maintain ideal weight and blood pressure. Also monitor your blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Eat a healthy and balanced diet. This will help keep this disease at bay. According to experts, berries. Coffee, green leafy vegetables, nuts, fish and cinnamon can help you fight this disease.

(With contributions from THesantéSite and agencies)

Posted: 10th July 2019 10:45 | Last Updated: July 10, 2019 10:53 am