World Alzheimer's Day 2021: Theme, History, Significance and Symptoms

Have you ever been in a position where you couldn’t remember anything from the past? In this fast-paced world, forgetting things and events may be a regular occurrence. However, such a circumstance may in some cases indicate the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, a prevalent kind of dementia that gradually causes memory loss and loss of cognitive capacity.

On September 21, the world acknowledges World Alzheimer’s Day with the goal of raising awareness of the disease, common symptoms, and risk factors.

This day raises awareness of the cause and severity of Alzheimer’s disease, and it is observed throughout the month in certain countries. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain condition that gradually deteriorates memory and cognitive abilities, among other things. It is the most frequent cause of dementia in older individuals. It is also a progressive illness that causes brain cells to deteriorate and die.

Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher, spoke of “a human lifetime” in the 7th century BC and referred to the final years of human existence as the “senium.” He used the term senium to characterise a period of mental and physical deterioration. Shakespeare wrote about it in several of his famous plays, such as ‘Hamlet’ and ‘King Lear,’ in the late 1500s and early 1600s, when the characters suffered from a lack of mental sharpness in old age.

It wasn’t until 1901 that Alois Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist, diagnosed the first instance in a 50-year-old German lady, and the disorder was named after him.

Later, in 1984, Alzheimer Disease International was formed, and on their tenth anniversary in 1994, they announced the inaugural of World Alzheimer’s Day, to be marked on September 21, while World Alzheimer’s Month was started in 2012.

Symptoms

Memory loss is a significant symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. The inability to recall recent events or discussions is generally an early symptom of the illness. Memory problems increase as the disease develops, and additional symptoms emerge.

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, degenerative brain condition that gradually affects memory and thinking skills, as well as the ability to do even the most basic tasks.

With almost 50 million individuals living with dementia globally, dementia is one of the most serious issues we face.

To address the global dementia issue, we must all work together, collaborate, and exchange best practises.

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