A dementia doctor has detailed how a little-known symptom in his 50s revealed he would develop Alzheimer’s later in life.
Neurologist Dr David Gibbs had studied the disease and treated patients for more than 25 years, so when he started to lose his smell in his 50s, he grew concerned.
Dr Gibbs told DailyMail.com that ‘almost all people with Alzheimer’s have at least some impairment of smell.’ But ‘most are not aware of it becomes it comes on so gradually.’
Dr Gibbs’ smell started to fade around the age of 55, which he jokes was a positive thing because ‘I don’t get disgusted easily. I don’t mind picking up dog poop or doing other smelly jobs.’
A genetic test revealed he had two copies of a gene that would almost certainly mean he’d go on to develop Alzheimer’s.
He said he was stunned by this discovery, as both of his parents had died in midlife from cancer, ‘but looking back a generation or two, there clearly was a family history of dementia’.
Nine years on from his diagnosis in 2015 Dr Gibbs tells DailyMail.com that by implementing a series of lifestyle changes, he’s managed to slow the progression.
He encourages others who know they’re at risk of developing the condition to start making changes to their lives immediately to delay or prevent it.
Spending more than two decades caring for patients with dementia, leading neurologist Dr David Gibbs never dreamed that the shoe would be on the other foot
He does 10,000 steps a day and has even taken up tai chi, as studies suggest the ancient Chinese martial art can help improve cognitive function.
Multiple studies have shown that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by up to 50 percent, so, in light of this, Dr Gibbs says ‘the sooner you start, the better’.
Next up, the retired neurologist says diet it of upmost importance, and ‘the data for adopting a plant-based diet are almost as strong as exercise’.
His message to others in his position, is to make lifestyle changes as soon as possible, ‘preferably before cognitive impairment begins.
‘For those with a history of Alzheimer’s in the family, these changes could even be adopted before diagnosis,’ Dr Gibbs adds.
He follows a variant of the Mediterranean diet, which has a ‘greater emphasis on berries and strict restrictions on dairy products’.
The diet, Dr Gibbs says, has been shown to slow progression of the disease by 30 to 50 percent.
He admitted that cutting cheese out was a struggle at first, as it’s one of his favorite foods, but when he found out that he was lactose intolerant cutting out dairy was no longer a choice.
Alcohol is another thing Dr Gibbs has given up.
He traditionally had a daily glass of beer or wine but studies have shown even modest amounts of alcohol can accelerate the progression of Alzheimer’s.
Fortunately, the non-alcoholic drink market has grown with more products to choose from and Dr Gibbs says he has been ‘surprised’ to find that nonalcoholic beer tastes ‘quite good’.
Sleep is another thing Dr Gibbs attributes to his ability to stay as sharp as possible.
He ‘almost always’ gets around eight hours of sleep.
Dr Gibbs says: ‘My wife Lois (pictured) has been an angel. She is making it possible for me to continue to live at home for the foreseeable future’
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. The disease can cause anxiety, confusion and short-term memory loss
Studies have shown a link between inadequate sleep and an increased likelihood of dementia later in life and it’s the suggested that 7.5 hours is the optimal amount of shut-eye to counteract this risk.
While it is getting increasingly difficult as his dementia progresses, ‘staying socially and intellectually engaged’ is another thing Dr Gibbs advocates.
To keep on top of this, he sets meet-ups with just one or two friends at a time.
Meanwhile, to stay mentally active he does a crossword puzzle every day while eating lunch and he tries to keep up reading and writing.
Along with socializing, Dr Gibbs says that reading and math are things that he now increasingly struggles with.
He explains: ‘I am still able to read, but I do better reading books with just a few characters because I can’t keep them straight.
‘My wife Lois handles all the financial things now too. I can no longer balance a checkbook.’
Looking ahead, Dr Gibbs’ biggest hope is that he can continue to put the breaks on the progression of his Alzheimer’s.
Looking back, his first symptom of Alzheimer’s disease occurred in 2006 when he was 55 and realised that his sense of smell was not as sharp as it had been.
At the time, he assumed it was down to ageing. But within five years, he ‘couldn’t smell a thing’.
Dr Gibbs said he wasn’t ‘particularly worried’ until in 2012, while doing genealogical research (his wife, Lois, thought DNA testing would help in filling in some of the missing branches of their ancestral trees), he discovered he has two copies of the APOE-4 allele.
Dr Gibbs runs an ongoing blog detailing the ins and outs of his condition called Tattoo On My Brain , which is also the title of his first book and spin-off documentary
The above pie chart was created from data from Rajan et al. The percentages do not total 100 due to rounding
This is a variant of the APOE gene and is the most significant genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease – having one copy increases your risk by about three-fold; two copies by about 12-fold.
Before this, Dr Gibbs said Alzheimer’s was not on his radar.
He revealed that he was was ‘stunned’ by this news. It wasn’t until 2015 that Dr Gibbs’ Alzheimer’s diagnosis was confirmed.
He concludes: ‘I wish is to spend time with family and friends, continue to advocate for early management, and die of something else before I reach the final stages of dementia.
‘As a neurologist, I can see that my disease is progressing very slowly, probably because of the lifestyle changes I have undertaken, and that is very encouraging.
‘My wife Lois has been an angel. She is making it possible for me to continue to live at home for the foreseeable future.’
Dr Gibbs runs an ongoing blog detailing the ins and outs of his condition called Tattoo On My Brain, which is also the title of his first book and spin-off documentary.
His most recent book, Dispatches from the Land of Alzheimer’s, presents an up-to-date discussion of recent advances and setbacks in Alzheimer’s research.
Dr Gibbs says the biggest downside is that ‘food all tastes pretty much the same, not bad, but not very interesting’.
He adds: ‘I really miss the smell of bacon frying in the pan.’
There are also some dangers associated with not being able to smell, such as not being able to smell a gas leak or smoke from a house fire.
However, on the flip side, Dr Gibbs says there are a few notable advantages.
He explains: ‘I don’t waste money on expensive wine. I can’t smell a skunk. And I’m not grossed out by messy dog poop cleanup or changing a diaper.
‘By the time my sense of smell was completely gone, I started to be aware of something else. I don’t get disgusted anymore.
‘At first, I thought this was just because I could no longer smell disgusting things, but it seems to be more complicated than that.
‘I find that I have become a more tolerant person. I will engage a homeless person in conversation, something I’m ashamed to admit I would not have done in the past.’
Nine years on from his diagnosis, Dr Gibbs tells DailyMail.com that by implementing a series of lifestyle changes, he’s managed to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.
WHAT IS DEMENTIA?
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of neurological disorders
A GLOBAL CONCERN
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) which impact memory, thinking and behaviour.
There are many types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.
Some people may have a combination of different types of dementia.
Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own unique way.
Dementia is a global concern but it is most often seen in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live into very old age.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?
The Alzheimer’s Society reports there are more than 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK today. This is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 per cent of those diagnosed.
In the US, it’s estimated there are 5.5 million Alzheimer’s sufferers. A similar percentage rise is expected in the coming years.
As a person’s age increases, so does the risk of them developing dementia.
Rates of diagnosis are improving but many people with dementia are thought to still be undiagnosed.
IS THERE A CURE?
Currently there is no cure for dementia.
But new drugs can slow down its progression and the earlier it is spotted, the more effective treatments can be.
Source: Alzheimer’s Society
