Do we really start thinking about aging before our 30s? It seems like we tend to ignore the passing of time until it hits us, maybe with the sight of a single grey hair on our head. Suddenly, a flurry of thoughts circle around the question, "Am I really that old?" followed by extensive research on how to stop aging. While we can't physically see our brain aging, there are certain symptoms that we may start to notice, such as loss of memory, confusion, and difficulty speaking. But what if I told you there are ways to delay this process?
Early Prevention of Neurodegenerative Diseases was the topic of the speaking panel I had a pleasure to lead with Aneta Herrenschmidt-Moller during the Unconference organised by the Applied Neuroscience Association on the 23rd of March 2023. The unconference format encouraged open conversation and debate in a casual, relaxed setting. It was a great opportunity for professionals, specialists, and the general public to share, learn, engage, and network.
During our session Aneta and I focused on framing early prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. We wanted to start our talk by raising awareness about neurodegenerative diseases - did you know that they are forth most common cause of deaths worldwide according to the World Health Organisation? Unfortunately, currently there is no cure for these diseases. However, there are preventive measures that we can introduce to our daily lifestyle to decrease our chances of developing dementia or improving our quality of life if we are already affected.
Together we covered the following preventive care measures:
Diet. In this case we discussed the studies on neuroprotective properties of genistein carried by the research team led by Professor Grzegorz Węgrzyn from Gdańsk University. Genistein is natural compound, an isoflavone found in soy products. There is also another study carried by Li et al., 2022, which shows that genistein is a promising diet option to fight neurodegeneration.
Cognitive stimulation. We mentioned one of the most influential studies on cognitive stimulation carried by the authors in a large randomized controlled clinical trial based at University College London. They developed a new group treatment for people with dementia by extracting parts of the programs that proved to be effective in the past and modified them into a new 14 session program named CST. We discussed the limitations - even though that the treatment improved patients' symptoms, there is no evidence that it has long-lasting benefits.
Sleep was another crucial topic that we discussed. We referred to a Nature paper by Sabia et al. in 2021, which suggests that short sleep duration in midlife is associated with an increased risk of late-onset dementia.
Lastly, we talked about the importance of social interactions for brain health. We discussed the various benefits of maintaining social connections and how it can help to prevent neurodegenerative diseases
We then delved into the role of genetics in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. It's been discovered that there are several genes that are associated with neurodegenerative diseases, with some of the most well-known examples being:
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Presenilin 1 and 2 (PSEN1 and PSEN2): These genes are linked to the production of abnormal amyloid proteins, which build up in the brain and are a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.
Huntingtin (HTT): A mutation in this gene results in the production of an abnormal form of the huntingtin protein, which accumulates in the brain and is a defining feature of Huntington's disease.
Parkin (PARK2) and PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1): Mutations in these genes are associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease.
During our talk, I had the chance to share my research on the ubiquitin ligase, which has the potential to be a target for the development of a biomarker for neurodegeneration. This would enable the screening of newborn children for genetic predispositions for neurodegenerative diseases. It's important to note that inheriting a mutation in one of these genes doesn't necessarily mean that a person will develop the associated disease, but it does increase their risk.
During our discussion, we recognized the importance of increasing awareness about the early warning signs of neurodegenerative diseases and promoting proactive measures for seeking help. We generated a variety of ideas, such as
Health screenings: Health screenings can help detect early signs of neurodegenerative diseases. Organisations can partner with healthcare providers to provide health screenings to people at risk for these diseases.
Public education campaigns: Public education campaigns can help raise awareness of the early warning signs of neurodegenerative diseases through various media channels such as TV, radio, and social media. These campaigns can also help people understand the importance of seeking medical attention early on.
Support groups: Support groups can help individuals and families affected by neurodegenerative diseases to understand the early warning signs and seek appropriate medical care.
Community outreach programs: Community outreach programs can help spread awareness of the early warning signs of neurodegenerative diseases through events such as health fairs, seminars, and workshops. These events can also provide an opportunity for individuals to ask questions and seek information.
Collaboration with healthcare providers: Healthcare providers can help increase awareness of the early warning signs of neurodegenerative diseases by providing information to their patients and encouraging regular check-ups.
Self Awarness: one of our participants drew our attention to the importance of the self-check. Not all of us realise that we are responsible for our own health. Instead of hoping for others to bring us an effective medication, we should take our own responsibility for our health and strat implementing preventive measures into our daily life.
Our panel discussion was fantastic , with enthusiastic participation from everyone. We exchanged ideas, stories, and experiences related to neurodegenerative disorders. This event really opened our eyes and gave us the chance to see things from different perspectives, including those of professionals, patients, and their loved ones. Personally, I was fascinated by the Unconference format, as it helped me connect with the general public and people affected by these diseases. There was so much interest in the topic that we even talked about having a follow-up session on neurodegenerative diseases.
The ANA (Applied Neuroscience Association) teamed up with Clean Learning to make this event happen. Clean Learning is a world class provider of training in Clean Language, Clean Space, Symbolic Modelling, and Systemic Modelling. Clean Language is a set of simple questions created by counselling psychologist David Grove. These questions are used to guide people to focus on their own experience by using their own words. When asked in the right context, these questions often lead to new insights or the discovery of new possibilities. Clean Learning provided panel facilitators who were experts trained in Clean Language and Clean Space. They really took our session experience to the next level! They made sure we felt comfortable during our sessions and provided us with valuable insights. They also helped us navigate sensitive topics such as neurodegenerative diseases and addiction, which can be challenging for some of our participants. Before the unconference, we discussed how we would handle these situations to ensure a safe space for everyone. We want to extend a huge thank you to the team at Clean Learning for all their hard work!
I was lucky enough to attend one of the speaking panels on building Neurodiverse workplaces and classrooms led by Naomi Glover, the founder of ANA, and Vanessa Maugey. They highlighted the need for creating inclusive and supportive educational institutions and workplaces for those affected by neurodiversity. It was eye-opening to see how a different approach can help individuals with neurodivergent conditions to develop and grow.
I want to express my gratitude to ANA and Clean Learning for putting together such a valuable event. The panel discussions were insightful and allowed us to share our experiences and ideas with others. A huge thanks to all the speakers who took the time to participate and share their expertise on neurodegenerative diseases, addiction, and neurodiversity.
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