Carious about Alzheimer’s Disease? Here we are about to discuss Alzheimer’s disease cause symptoms prevention & treatment. People tend to forget certain things because of work and other preferences. This is not uncommon because this does occur to everybody. However, when an individual tends to forget even the most superficial things, there is already something absolutely wrong. There is a possibility that one has Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is a disruption in the brain. In time, the patient will slowly lose both the intellectual and social abilities making it tough to do anything and even interact with others.
This disease generally afflicts people above 65 years of age. There are currently millions of people around the world that are suffering from this disease. It is projected that this number will increase, as more population will reach the retirement period.
There is no known cure yet for Alzheimer’s illness. The only thing medical science can do for now is simply slow the inevitable for those who have just been diagnosed with the disorder.
Is Alzheimer’s disease the exact as dementia? The answer is absolute no. This is because dementia is a symptom of Alzheimer’s, which is caused by a disorder such as Alzheimer’s illness.
There are many symptoms of this disease. It may begin with the person simply forgetting certain items. It is difficult to tell at this moment but when it gets worse such as not knowing how to get to the office or get home, then there is certainly a problem.
Some patients are known to forget how to do some easy mathematical calculations or even find the right words when writing a letter. There are those who are also confused and find it difficult to do particular tasks and make simple decisions.
The worse of these symptoms are possibly experiencing personality changes even in the company of family members and close friends. There are times the person is happy and then this will just switch for no reason at all.
A neurological scan is the best way to check if the patient has Alzheimer’s illness. If it is confirmed, that the person has this problem, the best way to treat it is through the use of medically specified drugs.
There are two mainly memantine and cholinesterase inhibitors. Studies have shown these can slow down the function as scientists are still conducting research to finally find a cure for this disorder.
Patients who are diagnosed with the disorder will presumably live more than 8 more years. This will really rely on how strong the individual is because some have lived for 3 while others have fought with it for more than 10 years.
How can family members help a loved one with this condition? The siblings can take turns caring for the patient. If this is not possible, this is the time that a caretaker must be hired to check on the patient. This specialist will normally stay in the home and make sure the person is safe.
Physical and mental activities must be administered to keep the patient’s strength up and precise help depression, which is another symptom generally, associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Whenever someones visit, it is best for each person to stay in the line of sight of the patient. It is best to speak gradually and even hold on to someone, which is known to make the sufferer remember who he or she is talking to.
Table of Contents
History of Alzheimer
One could trace back the history of Alzheimer’s illness from a presentation and lecture completed by a German psychiatrist in 1906 during the 37th Meeting of Southwest German Psychiatrists held in Tübingen.
Dr Alois Alzheimer presented his findings on a woman who had died after years of having memory issues and confusion. When Dr Alzheimer autopsied the patient’s mind, he found thick deposits of neuritic plaques outside and around the nerve cells. Dr Alzheimer also found a lot of twisted bands of fibres or neurofibrillary tangles inside the nerve cells.
Today, medical specialists need to find the existence of the same plaques and tangles at autopsy in order to have a conclusive diagnosis that Alzheimer’s illness indeed caused the disease. And due to this lecture and achievement in research and studies, the medical society has bestowed the honour of naming the disorder after Dr Alzheimer’s.
However, Dr Alzheimer’s work only signalled the start of years of medical research and studies which could only determine the mysteries of the disease by so much. Up until now, Alzheimer’s illness has still unknown origin and remains to have no cure. At first, the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease was limited to individuals between the ages of 45-and 65 since the symptoms of pre-senile dementia due to histopathologic function are more familiar and prominent during this age.
However, during the 1970s and early 1980s, the term Alzheimer’s disorder began to be used to refer to patients of all ages that manifest the same symptoms.
Statistics show that around 350,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s illness are being diagnosed each year. Recent studies have shown that there is an increased risk of acquiring and developing Alzheimer’s as one grows older.
Generics have also been seen as an element in the development of the disorder. Researchers have found out that mutations on chromosomes 9 and 19 have been associated with the last stages of Alzheimer’s. However, not everyone that displays the results of the mutation has the disease. Up until now, the connection between genetics and late-onset Alzheimer’s is still a grey area.
Meanwhile, other research has associated trauma as an aspect that increases the risk of acquiring the disease. There is also evidence which suggests that lack of exercise increases the risk aspect of Alzheimer’s. It is necessary to avoid high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low levels of folate in order to reduce the risk of developing the disease.
There are basically three stages of Alzheimer’s disorder.
Stage 1 or Mild Stage
Stage 1 or Mild Stage is the early of the disorder. At this stage, patients become less energetic and will encounter slight memory loss. Oftentimes, the symptoms at this stage either go unrecognised or are ignored as trivial or normal occurrences.
At Stage 2 or Moderate stage
the patient must be assisted in some complicated tasks and memory loss is not highly observable.
Final Stage
The final stage is the most hurtful stage. Because the disease has already progressed too far at this point, the patient is unable to perform simple tasks and will lose the capability to walk or eat without help.
Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s illness is a form of a mental disorder that is also known as “dementia”, a brain disorder that impacts and seriously impedes the brain’s ability to process rational or normal thought. This normally results in limiting the number of daily activities that require the use of cognitive abilities of its sufferers. Alzheimer’s is a debilitating illness because it impacts the part of the brain that is responsible for thought, memory, and language.
The root cause of Alzheimer’s illness is not yet quite well understood despite the many years of research on the debilitating condition. Alzheimer’s is a complex disorder that can be caused by a number of different influences.
The main cause of Alzheimer’s disorder that researchers today have found is damaged brain cells that die of unknown causes. The cause of Alzheimer’s illness, which was first isolated by the German neurologist Dr Alois Alzheimer, is the abnormal clumping together of brain cells. These clumps, also known as plaques, and knots or tangles which disrupt normal brain functioning, are considered the main standard characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease.
Genetics are also being studied as a possible cause of Alzheimer’s illness. Another possible cause of the disorder is seen to be a slow-developing viral infection that results in brain inflammation. Although the actual cause of Alzheimer’s disease may not yet be known and is still in the discovery stages, there are a number of risk factors that are known to increase the likelihood of Alzheimer’s development.
Age is known as a risk cause of Alzheimer’s disorder. As a person ages, the likelihood that he or she will develop Alzheimer’s also expands. The average age of treatment for Alzheimer’s is about 80 years old. Gender is also seen as involved in the development of Alzheimer’s condition, but studies on this may still be inconclusive. The cause why the risk is seen to be greater in women is that they manage to live longer than men.
The hereditary tendency is being looked into as another risk cause of Alzheimer’s illness. The presence of some defective genes and genetic mutations within the same bloodlines has also been seen to advance the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Another possible cause of Alzheimer’s disease that is being looked into is the malfunction of the immune system and protein imbalances that happen in the brain. Certain environmental aspects such as the presence of aluminium in the home or workplace are also being put under investigation as a possible cause of Alzheimer’s disorder.
Finding Out Early Signs of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is an exceptionally debilitating disease. Presently, there is no known cure or treatment for this irreversible threat to a grown person’s mental and personal health. Once a person has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the duration and course of the disorder will vary from five up to twenty years.
Within the course of the disorder, the sufferer will go through a whole range of deterioration from slight short term memory loss to the loss of normal bodily processes that provoke difficulties and infections that then turns into death.
While the possibility of Alzheimer’s disease is truly grim, there continue to be steady breakthroughs from experts that help hope persist that ultimately, prevention and cure for Alzheimer’s may be found. Before that though, there are a lot of questions to be answered and the race to find the treatment continues.
Despite this, it is significant to take note of the early signs of Alzheimer’s, for friends loved ones and yourself. Taking note of the early signs of Alzheimer’s will help everyone involved prepare and understand all that is entailed in arranging for care and what to predict as the illness progresses.
It is important to be on the lookout for early signs of Alzheimer’s if you or someone you care for is nearing the age of 65 or if there are known cases al Alzheimers in the family.
Below are some early signs of Alzheimer’s to look out for
Downscale
While memory loss is generally mentioned as one of the early signs of Alzheimer’s, it has been noted that unexplained and sudden weight loss usually happens in individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s. They have found that weight loss occurs way before any actual memory loss begins.
If you or someone you care about begins to lose weight suddenly, consult your doctor for probable cause and if there are no reasons found then you should have tests for Alzheimer’s done.
Forgetfulness
The most typical early sign of Alzheimer’s is the loss of short term memory. More frequently than not, at the very early stages, this short term memory loss often goes neglected so it is important to pay a close lookout and see if it is expected memory loss or is it an early sign of Alzheimer’s.
While everyone will forget something once in a while, Alzheimer’s sufferers never recall back what has been lost. So pay attention to peculiar incidences of short term memory loss that result in distress, however much slight, in the day-to-day routine.
Disability
Alzheimer’s will rob one of the capability to do the things that used to come second nature to them. It is as if the person with Alzheimer’s can no longer remember or are aware of tasks or actions that used to be part of their everyday routine. Watch out for this signifying sale that is quite an indicator included in the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
More Changes
Another early sign of Alzheimer’s is the increasing difficulty in communication. Usually, people with Alzheimer’s will have a challenging time communicating because they begin to lose their capability to handle language. They begin to forget simple words and terms and their sentence structure begins to be challenging to understand.
There can also be a change in behaviour or mood that is not usual for a person with Alzheimer’s disease. Over and above moodiness, a person with Alzheimer’s can switch moods or behaviour without reason.
Tell-Tale Signs and Symptoms Of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disorder is a progressive brain disease. Its incremental effects on the brain are relentless as a sufferer’s memory is progressively destroyed and along with it, the ability to learn, make judgments and communicate. The disorder will ultimately make it difficult for the sufferer to even carry out normal daily tasks to the point of total disappearance of any ability.
It is of the utmost importance to understand some of the warning signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s. While memory loss is reasonable and is an expected symptom of ageing, the type of memory loss symptoms of Alzheimer’s are extremely greater and are often accompanied or followed by other telltale signs & symptoms. People suffering from this disorder often have difficulty with general cognitive abilities such as communication, thinking, reasoning, comparing, and learning new skills.
Short-term memory is what Alzheimer’s disorder usually affects first. Sufferers tend to forget family names and even how to perform simple day-to-day tasks. However, long-term memory is somehow acquired with Alzheimer’s illness where some patients may even maintain the ability to remember events from the past.
Another sign shown by patients suffering from Alzheimer’s condition is the gradual loss of verbal communication skills. Instead of speaking up, sufferers will begin to communicate their feelings, preferences and requirements through body language and facial expressions more repeatedly. Perception is another area that can be affected by Alzheimer’s illness.
It may be challenging to set up a clear warning sign level as some of the symptoms exhibited by Alzheimer’s sufferers might just be a part of normal behaviour. Such symptoms may even be related to another condition entirely. But when you see such signs being exhibited by a person near to you or someone that you know, you should never be quick to rule out Alzheimer’s as a possible cause. Here are the ten basic warning signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s to always look out for:
- Incremental loss of memory
- Difficulty performing simple day-to-day tasks
- Difficulties with language
- Disorientation
- Decreasing judgment
- Inability to accomplish complex mental tasks
- Misplacing specific day-to-day items
- Noticeable behavioural shifts
- Advanced confusion, fear and suspicion
- Lack of initiative
7 Stages of Alzheimer’s
When the word Alzheimer’s is mentioned, the first thing that reaches to mind is memory loss. This presumption is correct given that the doctors have determined this to be a disorder that usually occurs to old folk.
There are numerous symptoms of Alzheimer’s and doctors often associate it with the seven stages. There is no cause for alarm yet in the first two stages since even the smartest individuals tend to forget things every so often.
The first two stages may endure for four years. However, when this occurs more frequently, the patient could already be in the third or fourth stage and this is just going to get worse. A simple example could be if the person is unable to complete a simple task that was smoothly done in the past like doing some basic arithmetic.
People will definitely notice the differences. This is the reason some family members take shifts watching over the loved one or get a nurse to watch over the individual.
The fifth stage is more acceptable known as moderate Alzheimer’s because aside from not being able to recall names or do things without assistance, the person will become disoriented and may at times get lost.
One precaution often being taken is for the patient to wear an ID card on the neck or placed it in the pocket. This contains the name, address and contact person who should be called when this occurs.
The sixth stage of Alzheimer’s is when the individual also begins to have mood swings. The patient may be jolly to talking to other people when unexpectedly everything changes and the attitude is now hostile to whoever is there.
The worse part about the disorder during this stage is that the individual will act like a baby. Tantrums may be thrown but the worse part is seeing the patient defecate on himself or herself. The caretaker will have to clean up the mess as though the individual was an infant and is advised to use adult diapers, which are more fortunate when cleaning up the mess.
The seventh stage of Alzheimer’s is not that insufficient bad anymore. This is because the body’s systems will gradually shut down. The patient won’t speak or do anything and will generally just stare into space.
It is like the individual gave up the will to live. The body may be there but the mind or the soul has gone off to another spot.
What can someone do for those who have Alzheimer’s? Unfortunately, there is not that much anyone can do because there is no cure yet for this condition. There are drugs available that can only slow down the procedure before it gets worse but those who care are just slowing the inevitable.
Preventing Alzheimer’s illness
When one reaches the later years of one’s life, approaches will slow down and bones will weaken. This is the time when you will not be able to do the something that you used to do before or if you were still able to do it, you would not be able to do it with the exact speed and strength you used to before.
That is the sad reality about ageing. Things will slow down and finally, little by little, disappear.
But that is not always the point. For some people, the ageing process can speed up, specifically in the area of the brain. This is because of Alzheimer’s.
It is a degenerative and progressive disorder that targets the brain, particularly the areas that deal with learning and memory. Although it usually affects people over the age of 80, there are some who are diagnosed with the issue as early as their 40s and 50s. There are also rare cases when Alzheimer’s attacks in the late 20s.
Although nothing has been proven yet, some studies show that doing mental tasks can honestly slow down the progression of the disorder. For example, patients who love to answer puzzles and play mental games like chess are gradually in their progression compared to other patients with the same degree and case of Alzheimer’s. Because of this, some scientists believe that Alzheimer’s can be prevented through the use of the mental approach.
Below are some ways to prevent Alzheimer’s from sinking in:
Learn something new
Old age is not a reason to stop learning new specialities. You can learn a type of things, dancing, cooking, singing, a new language, crafts, and the arts. There are so numerous things to prefer from. Do the things that you have not done before, things that you never thought, you’ll be doing. Your age should not be a hindrance to the specialities that you want to do.
In addition to improving your life, learning something new affords a fresh challenge for your brain. This way, your mental functions will be used once again. This marks the brain cells in shape and sharpness.
Play mind games
This is not to say that you should be scheming and plotting, stirring the boat for the associates of your family. Mind games here refer to the tamer kind, crossword puzzles, and sudoku. These are methods to sharpen those mental skills and memory. This also permits you to practice or be knowledgeable with words and things once again, lessening the chance of you forgetting them.
Treatment of Alzheimer’s Patients
Many breakthroughs and significant discoveries have been found throughout the years of research and testing regarding the cure and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Despite that though, there persists to be no known cure or prevention for Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, once the disorder has started, there can be no repairing or slowing down the damage of abnormal deposits of proteins in the brain.
People with Alzheimer’s have strange deposits of protein in their brains. These brain protein coat the brain and interacts with the neurons, neurotransmitters and nerves, provoking damage and massive atrophy. Finally, the brain will continue to shrink and the otherwise wrinkled surface will start to smoothen out. This is nearly what causes the degeneration in the mind and in the person’s body.
There however are some drugs and treatments that seem to relieve symptomatic infections slightly in some cases. These medications and Alzheimer’s treatments are especially important during the onset and early stages of the illness when the sufferer can still be conscious of what he or she is going through.
For example, a person with Alzheimer’s at the early stages may suffer from depression or restlessness and certain medications and Alzheimer’s treatments can be administered to help with this somewhat. Also, there have been some cases where memory loss at the beginning of dementia can still be enhanced somehow. Other possible symptoms that can be momentarily relieved are sleep disorders and hallucinations.
Beyond these, the appropriate Alzheimers treatment of caregivers for patients is a highly specialized skill and needs to be administered by a professional. This will mean that the patient will ultimately have to be entrusted with institutionalized care for the useful Alzheimers treatment needed.
Of course, loved ones of the Alzheimers patient will want to assist care personally but the care and Alzheimer’s treatment needed by the patient will be full time and specialized so it is best for a professional caregiver to assure dignity is maintained throughout the course of the person’s illness.
Despite the present lack of Alzheimer’s treatment and cure, hope should never be dumped. After all the technological advancements that have been made in the field of science and medicine, it presumably won’t be long before the useful Alzheimers treatment and cure will be discovered.
If not the cure or Alzheimer’s treatment, then perhaps the methods of prevention against Alzheimer’s will be found to help other people not fall into this predicament. Perhaps in the near future, there will be vaccines for Alzheimer’s illness much like we all have vaccines against diseases like smallpox and the like. All those illnesses in the past posed a challenge to humanity just like Alzheimer’s does now.
In the meantime, if you or somebody you know and care about suffers from Alzheimer’s, it is best to consult a professional for possible choices for instance eventual institutional care, or for support groups or counselling advice that can be given to the patient and to his or her friends and relatives.
There may be some misreadings and even some difficulty in accepting the situation of this illness whether it is on the side of the patient or from the people around him or her. For examples such as these, the right counselling and guidance are needed as part of the proper Alzheimers treatment.