Kerala University has embarked on a drive to create awareness among school students on the increasing prevalence of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in the State.
It also aims to shed light on the neurobiology research that is under way into the contributing factors of neurodegenerative disorders including the role of the gut-brain axis and incompatible food choices.
Spearheaded by the Biochemistry department in association with the Commerce department at the university, the programme also aims at imparting knowledge in caring for a family member afflicted with Azheimer’s in view of the difficulty faced by several families who could not afford trained caregivers.
Viji Vijayan, Assistant Professor in the Biochemistry department, stressed on the need for greater awareness on dementia and such disorders in the society. Citing a recent study published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia, a journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, she said the number of persons with dementia in Kerala was projected to increase to 6,96,000 in 2036 from an estimated count of 4,14,000 in 2016.
“Alzheimer’s has been recognised to be a socio-economic burden in many families in Kerala and India as a whole. While the affected families largely choose to address the problem in a discreet manner, the problem is seldom discussed publicly. It is not clear how many years people live with diseases like Alzheimer’s. The longer a person lives with the disease, the greater the social impact on his or her family. A very humane approach is necessary while tending to them,” Prof. Vijayan said.
The Neurobiology lab at the Biochemistry department has been working on understanding the link between diabetes mellitus and hyperphosphorylated tau proteins in the brain that enhances the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. “The alarming rise in diabetes in the State indicates the plausibility for a consequent increase in the number of dementia patients in the near future,” she added.
During the awareness programme, the researchers will delve into the gut-brain axis that essentially refers to a communication network that links the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. To emphasise the theory, the students will be taught how traditional and modern diets influence health. The Ayurvedic concept of ‘Viruddha Ahara’ (or incompatible food combinations) that trigger inflammatory diseases will also be introduced.
