Alzheimer’s disease occurs when the brain cells responsible for memory and other functions start to die. The risk of getting Alzheimer’s doubles every five years after age 65. Alzheimer’s is named after German doctor Alois Alzheimer. He described the symptoms of a patient known as “Auguste D.” in 1906, having included memory loss, abnormal behavior, and shrinkage of the patient’s brain. Psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin, Dr. Alzheimer’s colleague, developed the name “Alzheimer’s disease”. Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia, a term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities that interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease counts for 60% to 80% of dementia cases. Our brains change as we age. Most of us eventually notice the slowed thinking and occasional problems with remembering certain things. As Alzheimer's advances through the brain, it leads to severe symptoms such as disorientation, mood and behavior changes. Microscopic changes in the brain begin long before the first signs of memory loss. The brain has 100 billion nerve cells. Each nerve cell connects to many others to form communication networks. Nerve cells have different jobs that are involved with thinking, learning and remembering. Scientists believe Alzheimer's disease prevents nerve cells from running well. As damage spreads, cells lose their ability to do their jobs and die, causing permanent changes in the brain. Two structures called plaques and tangles are apparent in the damaging and killing nerve cells. Plaques are remnants of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid that builds up in the gaps between the cells. Tangles are twisted fibers of a protein called tau that shape up inside the cells. Those with Alzheimer’s tend to develop more of these proteins, beginning in the areas important for memory. Most experts believe that they play a role in blocking communication among nerve cells and disturbing processes that cells need to proceed. It's the destruction and death of nerve cells that causes memory failure, personality changes, and problems that limit daily life. Dementia is a term for a range of conditions that involve a loss of cognitive functioning. Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia. Other types of dementia include Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. People can have more than one type of dementia.
Like all types of dementia, Alzheimer's is caused by the death of brain cells. It is a neurodegenerative disease, which means there is progressive brain cell death that happens over time. In a person with Alzheimer's, the tissue has fewer nerve cells and connections. Autopsies have shown that the nerve tissue in the brain of a person with Alzheimer's has tiny deposits of plaques and tangles that build up on the tissue. Researchers don’t understand why these changes occur. Unavoidable risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s include aging, family history of Alzheimer's, and carrying genes. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease increases with age, since old age doesn’t itself cause the disease. Evidence suggests that age related problems such as arteriosclerosis can be important factors.
About one person out of twenty over the age of 65 develops Alzheimer's disease and less than one person in a thousand under the age of 65. Studies have suggested that more women are affected by the disease than men at a time. However, this is misleading because women tend to live longer than men. In a limited number of families, Alzheimer's disease is a dominant genetic disorder. Members of such families inherit from one of their parents the part of the DNA which causes the disease. About half the children of an affected parent will develop the disease. For the members of these families who develop Alzheimer's, the age of onset tends to be low, usually between 35 and 60. A link between chromosome 21 and Alzheimer's disease has been discovered. As Down's syndrome is caused by an irregularity in this chromosome, many children with Down's syndrome will develop Alzheimer's when they reach middle adulthood. There is evidence to suggest that a person who has been hit hard in the head may be at risk of developing Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. People with Alzheimer's live an average of eight years after their symptoms become apparent to others, but can live between four to 20 years, depending on age and other conditions.
Alzheimer’s has many signs and symptoms that are detectable in concluding it towards the diseases. These symptoms can include reduced ability to take in and remember new information, which can lead to repetitive questions and losing personal belongings. It can also lead to forgetting events or appointments or getting lost on a familiar path. Other symptoms include impairments in reasoning and complex tasking. With the progression of Alzheimer’s, daily tasks become harder to do such as the inability to manage finances and plan difficult activities. Impaired vision and eye sight problems becomes in issue as well, as it can lead to the inability of recognizing faces or common objects. Weakened speaking, reading and writing are also signs of Alzheimer’s. One change that becomes very profound and causes a negative impact on families are changes in personality and behavior. This can be ranging from mood changes, agitation, social withdrawal and a lack of interest to do anything.
No specific blood or imaging test exists for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is diagnosed when a person has adequate cognitive decline to meet the criteria for dementia. The clinical progression that is consistent with Alzheimer's disease also becomes a trigger factor to detect diagnosis. However, no other brain diseases are better explanations for the dementia.
There is no known cure for Alzheimer's. The death of brain cells can’t be reversed. There are therapeutic interventions that can make it easier for people to live with Alzheimer’s. According to the Alzheimer's Association, these are effective management of any Alzheimer’s conditions such as activities and day-care programs and involvement of support group. No disease drugs are available for Alzheimer's disease, but some can reduce the symptoms and help improve quality of life. These medications that are approved for symptomatic relief in the U.S. include Donepezil, Rivastigmine, and Tacrine. The need for quality care becomes more important as the person becomes less able to live by themselves. Though Alzheimer's treatments can’t stop Alzheimer's from progressing, they can temporarily relief the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's.
There are many ways in which we can prevent Alzheimer's. This includes getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system, managing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, smoking, and high blood pressure. Prevention can also include a healthful diet and constant cognitive training. Some studies suggest that staying mentally and socially engaged may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's has no current cure, but treatments for symptoms are available and research continues. The Alzheimer’s Association is a nationwide foundation that relates its service into bringing awareness to Alzheimer’s, as well as having many donations and charities to fund Alzheimer’s research. Some of these initiatives that the Alzheimer’s Association has founded include the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Global Alzheimer’s Association Interactive Network, and the National Institute. In 2003, the Alzheimer’s Association and the NIA started accepting people into the National Alzheimer’s Disease Genetic Study. The federal government funds this study. Researchers take and store blood samples from people in families with more than one member with Alzheimer’s. Choosing this topic was impactful for me because my grandmother currently suffers from it, and it is to the point where she does not recognize me on contact anymore. She has become very reserved and timid, as well as not speaking much. The goal of the ongoing study is to find genes that may make someone more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Today, there is a worldwide outreach under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay the onset, and prevent it from developing.