What is Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer's disease is a group disorder involving the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.
In this article, we will be discussing what are the causes of Alzheimer's, and also the possible symptoms by which people will know about Alzheimer's, and also the two types of Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's disease is becoming tragically common. It is estimated that there are currently 18 million people worldwide with Alzheimer's disease.
Dementia is a disease of the nervous system characterized by loss of certain mental abilities. This loss is severe enough to interfere with normal activities and lasts at least six months.
Dementia is the term for the deterioration of brain function that results in loss of memory, reduced language skills, impaired reasoning, and behavioral and emotional problems.
As the disease develops, a person loses the ability to carry out familiar tasks, reason, and exercise judgment. Moods, personality, and ability to communicate may also be affected.
People with AD typically die within eight years of their diagnosis. Some individuals may die within a year of diagnosis, others may live as long as twenty years.
Alzheimer's disease is progressive, which means that symptoms worsen over time. Language difficulties also are common in people with Alzheimer's disease.
People with Alzheimer's can lose their sense of time and place - they may, for example, get dressed in the middle of the night or walk off and get lost.
New surroundings and new people may be confusing. The disease typically progresses to the stage where it is difficult for the patient to be understood by others or to understand others, and in the final stages, the patient is bedridden.
Free radicals are another factor in the formation of tangles and plaques. Free radicals are very active chemicals that form in the brain and damage brain cells.
Chemicals known as antioxidants react with and destroy free radicals. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer's.
However, drugs can help to slow down the progression or relieve some symptoms and delay the need for residential care. Other therapies and support are available.
Symptoms of Alzheimer's
Memory Loss
Memory loss is probably the most common symptom of Alzheimer's. This is usually exhibited as forgetting very recently learned information.
The amount of memory loss would be of the order of disrupting one's daily routine life.
Most people with Alzheimer's tend to forget important events and dates. The things they once handled on their own, they will tend to rely on others and written notes.
If someone keeps on asking the same information over and over again, umpteen times, it might be a symptom of Alzheimer's.
Problem in planning
Leave alone drafting a plan, at the early stage of Alzheimer's, one will find it difficult to follow a plan. They will find working with numbers a difficult task.
Even a familiar recipe would turn into a challenging affair for them. Tasks like tallying monthly bills and balancing the checkbook will become error-prone.
Difficulty completing daily tasks
Another symptom of Alzheimer's is that they might find it difficult to drive to their familiar places like the workplace or home.
Even the rules of their favorite game will seem alien to them. On the whole, they will find completing daily tasks, which were once easy for them, a very difficult job.
Place or time confusion
Getting confused with time or place is another common system of Alzheimer's. They will lose track of seasons and dates.
Passage of time will not get register with them. If something takes a long time to happen, they may not be able to recognize the same. They may wonder where they are and how they got to that place.
Problem with words
If a person finds a problem with words when speaking or writing, it might be because of Alzheimer's.
They will have difficulty having a conversation. They may abruptly stop in the middle of a conversation.
They may repeat the same word over and over again and finding the right word to tell will be difficult for them.
Struggling with vocabulary and usage of wrong words is surely a symptom of Alzheimer's.
Secluding oneself
Alzheimer affected people might withdraw themselves from social activities and work. Even familiar hobbies, they might forget how to do.
They may have trouble in keeping their family and social obligations.
They may tend to forget how to complete their familiar work projects leading to withdrawal from the same.
Changes in Mood
One of the most common symptoms of Alzheimer's is changes in mood and personality.
With age, one might get confused, depressed, anxious, fearful, and suspicious signaling the arrival of Alzheimer's on them.
At home or work, they might get upset over nothing very easily.
Researchers have determined that there are two (2) types of Alzheimer's Disease:-
- Familial Alzheimer's disease
- Sporadic Alzheimer's disease.
Familial Alzheimer's:
Familial Alzheimer's is a rare form of the disease and characterized by the early onset of the disease.
Familial Alzheimer's affects less than 10% of Alzheimer's patients.
People with Familial Alzheimer's have a "deterministic gene" that inevitably leads to the development of the disease. Only a few hundred families in the world, have been found to carry the deterministic gene for Alzheimer's.
Sporadic Alzheimer's:-
Sporadic Alzheimer's is a more common form of the disease. This type of Alzheimer's does not have a deterministic gene present.
The onset of the disease is usually after age 65. Genetic factors play a role in its development, although, there is no specific gene linked to this type of Alzheimer's.
Doctors have identified several risk factors, that they believe, can be linked to the development of Alzheimer's.
The following risk factors have shown to be prominent causes:
Six Risk Factors to Know Right Now:-
1. Age: Alzheimer's disease usually develops after age 65. Less than 5% of people age 65-74 have Alzheimer's, but the chance of developing the disease doubles every 5 years after age 65. Approximately 50% of the population over 85 is at risk for Alzheimer's.
2. Family History: Your chances of developing Alzheimer's are up to seven times greater if a relative (parent, sibling) has the disease.
This number is even higher if multiple family members have the disease.
3. Genetics: Apolipoprotein E (APOE-e4) gene has been identified as a risk gene for Alzheimer's.
A risk gene increases the likelihood of developing a specific disease, but unlike a deterministic gene, it does not guarantee you will develop it.
The APOE gene increases an individual's risk for developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease.
The APOE gene provides instructions for making a protein called apolipoprotein E. This protein combines with fats (lipids) in the body to form molecules called lipoproteins.
Lipoproteins are responsible for the package and carry cholesterol and other fats through the bloodstream.
Everyone inherits a copy of an APOE gene from each parent.
There are three types of APOE genes: APOE-e2, APOE-e3, and APOE-e4. Only the APOE-e4 gene has been linked to Alzheimer's,
People having one copy of the APOE-e4 gene are 2-3 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's. Unfortunately, people with two copies of the gene (approximately 1% of the population) have a 9 times greater risk.
4. Gender: Women have higher risks of developing Alzheimer's than men.
5. Education: Several studies indicate a connection between less education and increased risks of Alzheimer's. But, more research is needed in this area.
6. Head Injuries: Serious traumatic head injuries, such as concussions, have been linked to increased risks of Alzheimer's.
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