What is Alzheimer's disease?

[Mubarrah]

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is an underlying cause of dementia in 70% of cases. A person with dementia not only depends upon others (totally or partially) but there are also some other factors such as economic and psychological issues associated with it. Supportive care and medication therapy are used to manage the disease but it can not be reversed.

Etiology of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease occurs occasionally and irregular circumstances, occurring mostly in the late stage of life (after 60 years). There is no clear cause of this disease.

In a few familial cases, some kind of mutations is the underlying cause of disease. Genetic loci of chromosome 1, 12, 14, 19 and 21 are mostly involved in Alzheimer’s disease. When mutations occur in the precursors of amyloid protein it gives rise to dominant genes that cause Alzheimer’s disease.

What are amyloids?

Amyloids are clusters of proteins having a fibrillar morphology and a secondary structure of β-sheet. They are stained by specific dyes for example Congo red dye. These amyloids are associated with the development of different diseases in human beings.

What are amyloid precursor proteins?

They are large protein molecules that have an important role in the growth and repairing of neurons.

• However, at some points they can cause harmful effects to nerve cells, which results in Alzheimer’s disease.

• Sometimes, the normal pathway of processing of these precursor proteins is modified and as a result of it, beta-amyloid starts to be deposited, causing the abnormalities.

• Studies are being conducted to find any relationship between hormones or exposure to certain metals and Alzheimer’s disease, but there is no significant data regarding the etiology of the disease.

Summary
Amyloids are clusters of fibrillary proteins consisting of amyloid precursors. They have a fibrillary entangles and their accumulation in the brain is the main reason for Alzheimer’s disease.

What are the stages of dementia?

Early stage:

This stage is generally ignored because the disease symptoms are not so striking.

• Forgetfulness and inability to recognize the familiar places are the most common symptoms.

Middle stage:

As disease makes progress and reaches the middle stage, symptoms become clear and can be noted easily.

These signs and symptoms are

• Forgetting names of people, also the near ones

• Not remembering anything about the events happened recently

• Losing path even in own house

• Difficult conversations

• Striking changes in behavioral patterns

Late stage:

At this stage, the patient nearly becomes dependent and inactive. There is a serious loss in memory and the patient is not even able to recognize the relatives and family members. Sometimes behavioral change becomes so severe that the patient starts behaving aggressively.

Summary
Alzheimer’s disease worsens with time with mild signs and symptoms at initial stage. With each stage, symptoms become severe finally resulting into complete memory loss in the end stage of disease.

What is the Pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease?

There are two important pathological factors contributing to the development of Alzheimer’s disease

• Deposition of beta-amyloid in the grey matter of the brain
• Formation of neurofibrillary tangles (knots of brain cells)
• Loss of cortical cholinergic neurons

All these factors lead to the degeneration of nerve cells, causing alterations in the internal structure of the brain mainly in the temporal lobe. The actual mechanism by which amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles cause the deterioration is not clear.

What are the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?

The most apparent sign of Alzheimer’s disease is dementia. Dementia is the sophisticated term used in the place of forgetfulness

• First and foremost, a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is Short term memory loss.
• Several problems related to cognition (e.g. loss of reasoning, weak judgment)
• Speaking and writing difficulties
• Inability to recognize a face or a person
• Several moods disorder

How can Alzheimer’s disease be diagnosed?

• To diagnose Alzheimer’s disease following factors are considered:

• Examination of the mental status.

• Patient’s history and physical examination

• Detection of cognitive issues

• Brain imaging

• Lab testing

The final diagnosis is made according to the histologic testing of brain tissues.

What are the treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease?

Two types of treatment options are necessary for Alzheimer’s patients

1. Supportive therapy
2. Medication therapy

Supportive therapy:

Patients with Alzheimer’s disease (and all other dementias) require some general measures to make the patient feel better.
For example:

• Surroundings should be bright and familiar to the patient
• As the patient is unable to keep the track of time, the wall clocks and calendars should be placed in a way to make them clearly visible.
• Family members or nurses should be around the patient to help him/her anyway.

Medication therapy:

Recent therapeutic protocols are aimed to act in two ways. Either there should be improved cholinergic transmission in the central nervous system. Or it should inhibit the excitatory actions occurring due to excessive stimulation of NMDA receptors in certain brain areas.

Patients with Alzheimer’s disease are provided with palliative care just to control the symptoms. Degenerated neurons, however, can’t be recovered and hence disease can’t be reversed to attain the normal physiology of the brain.

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

Various studies have shown that there is some correlation between the degeneration of cholinergic neurons inside the brain along with loss of transmission and the memory loss that is the identity of Alzheimer’s disease.

Acetylcholinesterase is the enzyme that causes the breakdown of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter at cholinergic neurons.
It is considered that if AChE is inhibited, there will be improved cholinergic transmission at functional neurons. Reversible cholinesterase inhibitors include the following agents:

• Donepezil

• Galantamine

• Rivastigmine

They are comparatively more selective in CNS than the peripheral cholinergic neurons. They act in the best possible way to reduce the cognitive loss of Alzheimer’s patients. At best, these compounds provide a modest reduction in the rate of loss of cognitive functioning in Alzheimer patients
However, they are associated with some adverse effects including tremors, slow heart rate, and cramps in muscles

NMDA receptor antagonist

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors or NMDA receptors are glutamate receptors and are important for the maintenance of synapsis and memory

Their stimulation is necessary for making memories. However, when they are excessively stimulated, they may cause neurodegeneration and apoptosis in the brain.
One of the important NMDA receptor blockers is Memantine that is used for managing moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease.
It acts to limit the influx of Calcium ions into the neurons by blocking NMDA receptors. Hence calcium ions do not reach a toxic level and neurodegeneration is prevented.

Like anticholinesterases, memantine is also associated with some side effects. These side effects include:

• Confusion
• Agitation
• Restlessness

Summary
Alzheimer’s disease can’t be treated completely. However, to control the symptoms, treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonists. But they can manage the symptoms, as Alzheimer’s disease is irreversible.

How can Alzheimer’s disease be prevented?

Prevention is always better than cure. Alzheimer’s disease can also be prevented by making the following activities a daily routine
Continuous mental exercises for example puzzle-solving, keep learning new things even at a later age.

• Doing physical exercises
• Trying to maintain blood pressure
• Avoiding cholesterol-rich food
• Lowering cholesterol levels
• Avoiding alcohol (especially after the diagnosis of early dementia as can worsen the disease)

Frequently asked questions

1. Are Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia the alternate terms?

The simple answer is “No”. Alzheimer’s disease always represents itself in the form of dementia. But dementia does not solely occur because of Alzheimer’s disease. There are other types of dementia that do not have Alzheimer’s disease as an underlying cause.

2. What are the types of dementia?

Alzheimer’s disease
This occurs because of neurodegeneration and is the cause of 70% of dementias.

Vascular dementia

This is the second most common kind of dementia and occurs because of damage to blood vessels that supply the brain. This damage can result in stroke and damage to the white matter of the brain.

Lewy body dementia

Lewy bodies are an abnormal accumulation of proteins in the form of agglomerates in the brain. This agglomeration is the cause of dementia.

Frontotemporal dementia

This type of dementia is caused by neurodegeneration in the areas of the frontal and temporal lobe of the brain. These areas are associated with the personality making, speaking, and behavior of a person.

Mixed type of dementia

A combination of all causes of dementias including Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy bodies, and vascular problems can cause a mixed type of dementia.

3. What is the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is caused by the abnormal agglomeration of some special type of proteins known as amyloid proteins within the brain.

Sometimes, they form plaques in the brain. This protein deposition and plaques cause the breakdown of nerve cells.

4.How does peanut butter is used to detect Alzheimer’s disease?

Losing the sense of smell is a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. So, the peanut butter test is an important test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. In this test, the patient is asked to smell the peanut butter by both nostrils. If the patient is not able to smell it, then it shows that patient is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease because studies suggest that Alzheimer’s patients can’t smell peanut butter.

5. How can we care for a dementia patient?

Aggression is characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia during the late stages. Other than dementia, there are several other diseases that make elderly patients more irritated. So, patients should be dealt with extra care. They need extra attention and love. Listen to them with all your heart. Do not get irritated for their repeated questions as they have lost their memory. Try to give them company, more often than a normal elderly.

Conclusion

Alzheimer’s disease is the major cause of dementia. It mostly occurs in the late stage of life and is often irreversible. Supportive therapy and medications can be used to prevent the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptors antagonists are used in the therapy of Alzheimer’s disease.

References

What is Alzheimer's Disease? Symptoms & Causes | alz.org.
Alzheimer's disease - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic
What are Alzheimer’s Plaques and Tangles? | BrightFocus Foundation.

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[AshraAbdulRazzaq]

Alzheimer’s disease is a condition in which the death of brain cells causes cognitive decline and memory loss. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia. Dementia is a vast term for conditions caused by diseases or brain injuries that negatively affect behavior, memory, and thinking. These alteration interfere with our daily life.

Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80 of dementia cases. Many people get a diagnosis after the age 65. If it’s diagnosed earlier then, it’s referred to as early onset Alzheimer’s disease.There’s no recovery for Alzheimer’s, but there are treatments and medication for Alzheimer’s that can slow the growth of the disease.

Alzheimer’s vs Dementia
The terms “Alzheimer’s” and “dementia” are often used interchangeably. But these two conditions aren’t the same. Alzheimer’s is a progressive type of dementia.

Dementia is a vast term for conditions relating to memory loss such as confusion and forgetfulness. Dementia includes conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, and others, which can cause the symptoms of memory loss.

Summary
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease both are not same. Both are often interchangeable. Dementia is a term for conditions relating to memory loss.

Stages Of Alzhiemer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease have stages that range from mild to severe. The disease ranges from a state of mild deterioration, through to moderate deterioration, before reaching severe deterioration.
Here we discuss the stages of Alzheimer’s disease with the symptoms that characterized them

Mild Alzhiemer’s disease

People having mild Alzheimer’s disease develop cognitive difficulties and memory problems that may include the following:

• experiencing behavior and personality changes

• difficulty in paying the bills or handling money

• Getting lost when go outside

• taking more time than usual to complete the daily tasks.

Moderate Alzhiemer’s disease

In moderate Alzheimer’s disease, the areas of the brain responsible for reasoning, senses, consciousness, and language, and are damaged. This can cause the following symptoms:

• Memory loss and confusion is greater

• Complications in recognizing family or friends.

• Impulsive Behavior

• Difficulty in performing different tasks such as getting read for school

• Difficulty handling with new problems and situations

• Difficulty in learning new things.

• Paranoia, delusions or hallucinations

Severe Alzhiemer’s disease

Tangles and plagues are present throughout the brain in severe Alzheimer’s disease causing the brain tissue to shrink. This can cause:

• Most or all of the time being unable to leave the bed

• dependency on others for care

• Difficulty in communication

Summary
Alzheimer’s disease ranges from mild to severe. There is mild, moderate and severe stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Symptoms Of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a ongoing disease, in which the symptoms get worse with the passage of time. Memory loss is one of the first symptoms to develop.

The symptoms show up slowly, over months or years. A person may require medical attention, If the symptoms develop over hours or days, as this could shows a stroke

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are:

Cognitive Deficits:
A person may experience complications with complex tasks, judgement and reasoning. This can cause:

• Difficulty with paying bills or money.

• Difficulty in making decisions about daily life

• A decreased understanding of risks and safety

• Complications in completing tasks that have different stages, such as getting ready or dressed

Memory loss
A person may have difficulty in remembering information and in taking new information. This can cause:

• Forgetting about appointments or events

• Roaming or getting lost

• Repeating conversations or questions

• Losing things

How to improve the memory?
Here it is essential to know how to improve the memory.. Here are some evidence-based ways to improve your memory naturally.

• Eat Less Added Sugar

• Try a Fish Oil Supplement

• Make Time for Meditation

• Maintain a Healthy Weight

• Get Enough Sleep

• Practice Mindfulness

Problems with writing, speaking and reading
A person may develop complications with thinking of simple words, or they make more, spelling, writing, or speech mistakes .

Problems with spatial awareness
A person may spill things more often, or they may have difficulty in completing tasks that have different stages such as getting dressed.

Problems with recognition
A person may have difficulty in recognizing objects or faces and may become less able to use the basic tools. These problems are not due to the issues of eyesight.

Behavior or personality changes
A person may experience alterations in behavior and personality that include:

• A loss of emotions

• Obsessive, socially inappropriate or compulsive behavior

• Becoming angry, worried or upset more than before

• A loss of interest in activities they often enjoy

Summary
The symptoms of Alzheimer disease include: difficulty in performing tasks and difficulty in handling money etc.

Early Onset Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s affects people with the age of 65 years and older. But it can occur in people as early as in the age of 40s or 50s. This is called younger onset, or early onset Alzheimer’s. Early onset Alzheimer’s affects about 5 percent of all people with the situation

Symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s include trouble concentrating, finishing everyday tasks or mild memory loss . It can be difficult to find the correct words. Mild vision problems can also occur. Some people are at more risk of developing this condition.

Summary
Alzheimer’s disease occurs mostly in the people with age 65. But it can also occur at the age of 40 or 50.

Causes
Alzheimer’s disease like all kinds of dementia develops due to the death of brain cells. This is a neurodegenerative condition, which means that death of the brain cells occurs over time.

In People with Alzheimer’s disease, the tissues of brain has fewer and fewer connections, tiny deposit and nerve cells known as tangles and plagues, grow on the nerve tissue.

Plaques form between the brain cells that are dying. They are made from protein beta-amyloid.The tangles occur within the nerve cells. They are made from protein, tau
Scientists and researcher do not fully comprehend why these alterations happen. Various factors may be involved.

The Alzheimer’s Association have composed a visual guide to indicate what occurs in the process of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Summary
Alzheimer’s disease develop due to the death of brain cells. Alzheimer’s patient have fewer and fewer brain cell.

Diagnosis
For the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, a person will be experiencing cognitive decline, behavioral changes or memory loss, that are affecting their ability to function properly in their daily life.

Family and friends may feel the symptoms of dementia before the person themselves.

Alzheimer’s disease have not a single test. If a doctor examines the presence of the condition, they will ask the person and sometimes their friends or family about their experiences, medical history and symptoms

The doctor may also take out the following tests:

• Urine or blood tests

• Neurological function tests, to test their senses, reflexes and balance.

• Memory and cognitive tests assess the person’s ability to remember and think.

• Gene testing

• A MRI scan or of the brain

Assessment tools are available to judge cognitive function.

Genetic testing may be true in some cases as the symptoms of dementia can be linked to an inherited condition.Few forms of the APOE e4 gene are linked with a greater chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Testing for concerning genes initially could shows the likelihood of someone having the condition. Though the test is doubtable, and the results are not completely true.

Summary
For to diagnoses of Alzheimer’s disease the patient may experience memory loss ad cognitive decline. Alzheimer’s disease have not a single test.

Alzheimer’s Test
There’s no specific test for Alzheimer’s disease. But doctor will presumably do several tests to determine the disease. These can be imaging, mental, neurological, and physical tests.

Doctor may commence with a mental status test. This can help them examine your long term memory, short-term memory, and orientation to time and place. They may ask:

• Who is the president?

• What is day today?

• To recall and remember a short list of words

They will also conduct a physical exam. They may check heart rate, blood pressure, and take temperature. In few cases, they may collect blood or urine samples for testing in a laboratory.

Along with a physical exam doctor may also conduct a neurological exam to examine other diagnoses, such as an infection or stroke or acute medical issues. During this exam, they will check muscle tone, speech and reflexes.

Doctor may also require brain-imaging studies. The studies, which will create pictures of brain, can include:

• Computed tomography (CT) scan
  CT scans take X-ray pictures which can help doctor look for irregular characteristics in brain.

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  MRIs can help in getting key markers, such as bleeding, structural issues and inflammation.

• Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
  PET scan pictures can help doctor examine plaque buildup. Plaque is a protein substance linked to Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.

Any other tests doctor may do can be blood tests to check for genes that may shows the person have a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Summary
There is no specific test for Alzheimer’s disease but doctor will take some mental status test, test of certain genes and tests of blood.

Alzheimer’s Medication
There’s no recognized cure for Alzheimer’s disease . But doctor can give treatments and medications to help ease symptoms and slow the growth of the disease for as long as possible.

For beginning to moderate Alzheimer’s, doctor may recommend medications such as rivastigmine (Exelon)or donepezil (Aricep) . These drugs can help maintain greater levels of acetylcholine in brain. Acetylcholine is a kind of neurotransmitter that can help aid the memory.

To cure moderate to severe Alzheimer’s, doctor may recommend memantine (Namenda)or
donepezil (Aricept). Memantine can help block the effects of extra glutamate. Glutamate is a brain chemical that’s discharged in greater amounts in Alzheimer’s disease and harm brain cells.

Doctor may also prescribed antipsychotics ,antidepressants, or antianxiety medications to help treat symptoms linked to Alzheimer’s. These symptoms are:

• Aggression

• Agitation

• Depression

• Restlessness

• Hallucinations

How to get rid of depression
Here it is essential to know how to get rid of depression? This disorder is often treated with medication and psychotherapy. Adjustments of some lifestyle can also help ease certain symptoms.

People who have severe major depressive disorder or who have thoughts of harming themselves may need to stay in a hospital during treatment to protect them from harm. Some patients might also need to take part in an out patient treatment program until unless symptoms improve.

Summary
There is no specfic cure of Alzheimer but doctor will prescribed some medications and treatments to slow the progression of the disease.

Preventing Alzhiemer’s
As there’s no recognized cure for Alzheimer’s disease, there are no reliable preventive measures. But scientists are focusing on entire healthy lifestyle habits as ways of thwart cognitive reduced.

The following preventive measures may help:

• In diet eat more green vegetables and low dairy products

• Exercise on daily bais

• Try cognitive training exercises.

• Stop smoking.

• Maintain an active family and social life

• Eat more antioxidants

Before making any big decision in your lifestyle be sure to talk with doctor.

Summary
There is no reliable preventive measures but patient should eat green vegetables, doing exercise daily, stop smoking etc.

Risk Factors
Unignorable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease are:

• Having a family history of Alzheimer’s disease

• Having certain genes

• Aging

The factors that enhance the risk of Alzheimer’s disease include repeated or extreme traumatic brain injuries and having liability to some environmental pollutants, such as toxic pesticides, industrial chemicals and toxic metals.

Factors that may help cure Alzheimer’s include:

• Following a healthful diet

• Exercise on daily basis

• Keeping the brain active

• Managing the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

• Maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system.

Summary
Risk factors for the Alzheimer’s disease are having family history of Alzheimer’s disease and aging etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Alzheimer’s disease in simple words?
  Alzheimer disease is a progressive and irreversible brain disease that gradually destroys thinking and memory skills. It also destroys the ability to perform simplest task.

• Is dementia worse than Alzheimer’s?
  Dementia is a term used to explain the symptoms that effects memory, communication abilities and performance of daily activities. Alzheimer’s disease is the most progressive kind of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease get bad with time and affects thoughts , memory and language.

• How long does Alzhiemer’s last?
  A person with Alzheimer’s dIsease can lives four to eight years after the examination of disease. Alterations in the brain linked to the Alzheimer’s start years before any indication of the disease.

• How do Alzheimer patients feel?
  People with Alzheimer’s disease may have feelings of anxiety, depression,anger ,loneliness and fear. Emotional factors of the disease may be just as essential, mostly to the family and friends.

• Why Alzheimer patient cry a lot?
  The Alzheimer patient feel upset and cry sometimes more than usual. Crying for little things is common in some kinds of dementia because those small things affect areas of brain that control our feelings and emotions.

Conclusion
Alzheimer’s disease is a condition in which the death of brain cells causes cognitive decline and memory loss. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease has stages that range from mild to severe. Alzheimer’s disease is a ongoing disease, in which the symptoms get worse with the passage of time. Memory loss is one of the first symptoms to develop. A person may develop complications with thinking of simple words, or they make more, spelling, writing, or speech mistakes. Alzheimer’s affects people with the age of 65 years and older. But it can occur in people as early as in the age of 40s or 50s. This is called younger onset, or early onset Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease like all kinds of dementia develops due to the death of brain cells. This is a neurodegenerative condition, which means that death of the brain cells occurs over time. There’s no recognized cure for Alzheimer’s disease. But doctor can give treatments and medications to help ease symptoms and slow the growth of the disease for as long as possible.

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[samia_naeem]

Alzheimer’s is an irreversible disease. It is progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys the memory and thinking skills of a person and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with the disease, those who are in the late-onset type, the symptoms first appear in their mid-60s. Early-onset Alzheimer’s occurs between a person’s 30s and mid-60s and it occurs very rare. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older adults.

How to improve memory?

Everyone has moments of forgetfulness from time to time, especially when life gets busy.
While this can be a completely normal occurrence, having a poor memory can be frustrating.
Genetics plays a role in memory loss, especially in serious neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. However, research has shown that diet and lifestyle have a major impact on memory too.

Here are some evidence-based ways to improve your memory naturally.

• Eat Less Added Sugar.

• Try a Fish Oil Supplement

• Make Time for Meditation

• Maintain a Healthy Weight

• Get Enough Sleep

• Practice Mindfulness

How did this Disease get its name?

The Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. After her death, he examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps. These clumps are now called amyloid plaques and tangled bundles of fibers, now called neurofibrillary, or tau, tangles.

Amyloid plaques and tangles in the brain are still considered some of the main Characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease. Another feature is the loss of connections between nerve cells in the brain. Neurons are the cells that transmit messages between different parts of the brain, and from the brain to muscles and organs in the body. Many other complex brain changes are also thought to play a role in Alzheimer’s.

How this damage appears?

Initially, this damage appears to take place in the hippocampus. Hippocampus is the part of the brain essential in forming memories. When neurons die, additional parts of the brain are also affected. By the final stage of Alzheimer’s, damage is widespread, and brain tissue has shrunk significantly.

Overview of Dementia

In dementia, we describe a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking and social abilities severely enough to interfere with our daily life. It is not a specific disease, but several different diseases may cause dementia.

As dementia generally involves memory loss, memory loss has different causes. Having memory loss alone does not mean that a person has dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of a progressive dementia in older adults, but there are a number of causes of dementia. Depending on the cause, some dementia symptoms may be reversible.

Types Of Alzheimer’s Disease

Almost everyone who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease will eventually have the same symptoms memory loss, confusion, trouble with once-familiar tasks, and making decisions. All forms of Alzheimer’s appear to share overproduction and/or decreased clearance of a type of protein called amyloid beta peptides. Though the effects of the disease are similar, there are two main types.

1. Early-onset Alzheimer’s. This type happens to people who are younger than age 65. Often, they are in their 40s or 50s when they are diagnosed with the disease. It is rare up to 5% of all people with Alzheimer’s have early-onset. People with Down syndrome have a higher risk for it.
Scientists have found a few ways in which early-onset Alzheimer’s is different from other types of the disease. People who have it tend to have more of the brain changes that are linked with Alzheimer’s. The early-onset form also appears to be linked with a defect in a specific part of a person’s DNA, chromosome 14. A form of muscle twitching and spasm, called myoclonus, is also more common in early-onset Alzheimer’s.

What are the symptoms of early onset Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia. Dementia is a general term for the loss of memory functions or other mental abilities that affect your daily life.

Following are the symptoms of early onset of Alzheimer’s disease:

• Memory loss

In memory loss, you or a loved one may begin to appear more forgetful than normal.
in this, you start forgetting important dates or events can occur.

If questions become repetitive and frequent reminders are required than a person should see his doctor.

• Difficulty in planning and problem solving

Alzheimer’s Disease can become more apparent if a person or a loved one has difficulty developing and following a plan of action. Working with numbers can also become difficult.

This can often be seen when you or a family member begins to show problems maintaining monthly bills or a checkbook.

• Difficulty in completing familiar tasks

Some people may experience a greater problem with concentration. Routine daily tasks requiring critical thought may take longer as the disease progresses.

The ability to drive safely may also be called into question. If you or a loved one gets lost while driving a commonly traveled route, this may be a symptom of Alzheimer’s Disease.

• Difficulty in determining time or place

Losing track of dates and misunderstanding the passage of time as it occurs are also two common symptoms. Planning for future events can become difficult since they aren’t immediately occurring.

As symptoms progress, people with Alzheimer’s Disease can become increasingly forgetful about where they are, how they got there, or why they are there.

• Vision loss

Vision problems can also occur in Alzheimer’s Disease. This may be as simple as an increased difficulty in reading.

You or a loved one may also begin to have problems judging distance and determining contrast or color when driving.

• Difficulty in finding the right words

It may appear difficult in initiating or joining on conversation. Conversations may randomly be paused in the middle, as you or a loved one may forget how to finish a sentence.

Because of this, repetitive conversations may occur. A person may have difficulty finding the right words for specific items.

• Misplacing items often

You or a loved one may start putting items in unusual places. It may become more difficult to retrace your steps to find any lost items. This may lead you or a loved one to think that others are stealing.

• Difficulty in making decisions

Financial choices may show poor judgment. This symptom often causes poor financial effects. An example of this is donating large amounts of money to telemarketers.

Physical hygiene also becomes less of a concern. You or a loved one may experience a rapid decline in bathing frequency and a lack of willingness to change clothing on a daily basis.

• Withdrawing from work and social events

As symptoms appear, you may notice that you or a loved one becomes increasingly withdrawn from common social events, work projects, or hobbies that were previously important. Avoidance can increase as symptoms worsen.

• Experiencing personality and mood changes

Extreme swings in mood and personality may occur. A noticeable change in moods may include:

• confusion
• depression
• anxiety
• fearfulness

You may notice that you or your loved one is increasingly irritated when something outside a normal routine takes place.

Risk factors

• Although Alzheimer’s Disease is not an expected part of advancing age, you are at increased risk as you get older. More than 30 percent of people over age 85 have Alzheimer’s.

• You may also have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease if a parent, sibling, or child has the disease. If more than one family member has Alzheimer’s Disease, your risk increases.

• The exact cause of early onset Alzheimer’s Disease has not been fully determined. Many researchers believe that this disease develops as the result of multiple factors rather than one specific cause.

Summary
Researchers have discovered rare genes that may directly cause or contribute to Alzheimer’s Disease. These genes may be carried from one generation to the next within a family. Carrying this gene can result in adults younger than age 65 developing symptoms much earlier than expected.

2. Late-onset Alzheimer’s. This is the most common form of the disease, which happens to people age 65 and older. It may or may not run in families. So far, researchers haven’t found a particular gene that causes it. No one knows for sure why some people get it and others don’t.

Symptoms of Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

Symptoms regarding one’s memory tend to be the first area of concern. Each case is unique, so symptoms vary from person-to-person. Some first develop symptoms such as a lack of judgment or issues regarding reasoning within the earliest stages.

Before individuals reach the more moderate and severe stages, symptoms are typically recognized when there’s mild cognitive impairment. You may notice that you or your loved one are becoming increasingly confused and can no longer perform regular daily tasks, such as following a recipe. Perhaps you were driving in a familiar area and you suddenly didn’t know where you were. Changes in personality and behavior can develop within the mild stages as well.

When Alzheimer’s develops into more moderate symptoms, reasoning, memory, and language worsen. Individuals may forget family members and can even hallucinate. Tasks such as getting dressed and adjusting to new situations can also be a challenge. Once again, this will depend on the individual themselves. Once the disease is more severe, the brain actually physically shrinks. At this point, individuals will be completely dependent on others.

Familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) is a form of Alzheimer’s disease that doctors know for certain is linked to genes. In families that are affected, members of at least two generations have had the disease. FAD makes up less than 1% of all cases of Alzheimer’s. Most people who have early onset Alzheimer’s have FAD.

What Does Alzheimer’s Disease Look Like?

Memory problems are typically one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s, though initial symptoms may vary from person to person. A decline in other aspects of thinking, such as finding the right words, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment, may also signal the very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Mild cognitive impairment is a condition that can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s, but not everyone with mild cognitive impairment will develop the disease.

Summary
People with Alzheimer’s have trouble doing everyday things like driving a car, cooking a meal, or paying bills. They may ask the same questions over and over, get lost easily, lose things or put them in odd places, and find even simple things confusing. As the disease progresses, some people become worried, angry, or violent.

How Long Can a Person Live with Alzheimer’s Disease?

The time from diagnosis to death varies as little as 3 or 4 years if the person is older than 80 when diagnosed, to as long as 10 or more years if the person is younger.

Alzheimer’s disease is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, but recent estimates indicate that the disorder may rank third, just behind heart disease and cancer, as a cause of death for older people.

Summary
Although treatment can help manage symptoms in some people, currently there is no cure for this devastating Alzheimer’s disease.

Causes of Alzheimer’s Disease

• Alzheimer’s disease is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells.

• One of the proteins involved is called amyloid, deposits of which form plaques around brain cells.

• The other protein is called tau, deposits of which form tangles within brain cells.

• As brain cells become affected, there’s also a decrease in chemical messengers called neurotransmitters involved in sending messages, or signals, between brain cells

• Levels of one neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, are particularly low in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

• Over time, different areas of the brain shrink. The first areas usually affected are responsible for memories.

• In more unusual forms of Alzheimer’s disease, different areas of the brain are affected.

Summary
Although it is not known exactly what causes Alzheimer’s to begin, scientists now know that it begins many years before symptoms appear.

How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed?

Talk to your doctor if you or a loved one is finding it increasingly difficult to perform daily basis tasks, or if you or a loved one is experiencing increased memory loss. They may refer you to a doctor who specializes in Alzheimer’s Disease.

They will conduct a medical exam and a neurological exam to aid in the diagnosis. They may also choose to complete an imaging test of your brain. They can only make a diagnosis after the medical evaluation is completed.

Prevention

Alzheimer’s disease is not a preventable condition. However, a number of lifestyle risk factors for Alzheimer’s can be modified. Evidence suggests that changes in diet, exercise and habits steps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease may also lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders that cause dementia. Heart-healthy lifestyle choices that may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s include the following:

• Exercise regularly
• Eat a diet of fresh produce, healthy oils and foods low in saturated fat
• Follow treatment guidelines to manage high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol
• If you smoke, ask your doctor for help to quit smoking

Studies have shown that preserved thinking skills later in life and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease are associated with participating in social events, reading, dancing, playing board games, creating art, playing an instrument, and other activities that require mental and social engagement.

Treatment for Alzheimer’s disease

There’s no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease at this time. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease can sometimes be treated with medications meant to help improve memory loss or decrease sleeping difficulties.

Frequently asked questions
Following are the frequently asked questions related to Alzheimer’s disease.

• What can be the cause of Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells. One of the proteins involved is called amyloid, deposits of which form plaques around brain cells.

• What is Alzheimer’s disease in simple terms?

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with the disease those with the late-onset type, symptoms first appear in their mid-60s.

• What Are the 7 Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease?

• Stage 1: No Impairment. During this stage, Alzheimer’s is not detectable and no memory problems or other symptoms of dementia are evident.

• Stage 2: Very Mild Decline.

• Stage: Mild *Decline.

• Stage 4: Moderate Decline.

• Stage 5: Moderately Severe Decline.

• Stage 6: Severe Decline.

• Stages 7: Very Severe Decline.

• How does Alzheimer’s disease work?

Alzheimer’s disrupts processes vital to neurons and their networks, including communication, metabolism, and repair. At first, Alzheimer’s disease typically destroys neurons and their connections in parts of the brain involved in memory, including the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus.

• How do Alzheimer patients feel?

But emotional aspects of the disease may be just as important, especially to the friends and family who serve as caregivers. On the negative side, Alzheimer’s sufferers may have feelings of anger, anxiety, depression, fear, and loneliness.

Conclusion:
Basically, Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, where the symptoms of dementia gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer’s, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment.

Related Searches

• What is cognitive psychology?

• How does stress affects psychologically?

[Obomaxwell]

About a year ago Mrs Susan Brown who is 65 years of age started having issues with remembering, it was just almost like normal forgetting where she kept her car key and sometimes forgetting to pay the bills, few months later, her problems with forgetting started growing worse, she will go to the office and forget lots of things that she’s supposed to do at the office, sometimes she even forget to go to the office, she didn’t even remember to pay for her light bills for the month.
Few months later, her beloved grandson came to spend Christmas with her, then the worse happened… upon seeing her daughter and her grandson, Susan couldn’t figure out that she had a grandson nor oletha her daughter, oletha decided to take her mother to the hospital to see what’s wrong…after series of diagnosis, the doctor informed oletha that her mom had developed Alzheimer’s disease… Alzheimer’s disease?, What is Alzheimer’s disease? oletha asked.

What is Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative https://howtodiscuss.com/t/neurotoxin/20295. disease that destroys memory https://howtodiscuss.com/t/memory/24951. and other important mental functions.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia ( a group of brain disorders that results in lose of intellectual and social skills) this changes are severe enough to interfere with day-to-day life.

In Alzheimer’s disease, the brain cells themselves degenerate and die, causing a steady decline in memory and mental functions.

Presently there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Current Alzheimer’s disease medications and management strategies may temporarily improve symptoms. This can sometimes help people with Alzheimer’s disease maximize mental function and maintain Independence. It is important to seek medication as early as possible because Alzheimer’s disease tends to worsen with time, this is because it involves progressive neurodegeneration.

Summary
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that progressively destroys brain cells and cause a steady decline mental capabilities.

Also read
How to improve the memory.

How does stress affects us psychologically?.

Symptoms

At first, increasing forgetfulness
or mild confusion may be the only noticable symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. But over time, the disease distorts more of memories especially recent memories. The rate at which symptoms worsen varies from person to person.
If you have Alzheimer’s disease, you may notice that you’re having unusual difficulty remembering things and organizing your thoughts. Or you may not recognize that anything is wrong. Even when changes are noticable to family members, co-workers and friends.

Memory degeneration

Everyone has occasional memory lapses, it’s Normal to lose track of where you put your keys or forget the name of of an acquaintance. But the memory lose associated with Alzheimer’s disease https://howtodiscuss.com/t/sickness/25405. persists and worsens, affecting ability to function at work and at home.

People with Alzheimer’s disease may;

1. repeat statement and questions over and over and over, not realizing that they’ve asked that question or that they’ve been answered.

2. routinely misplace possessions, often putting them in illogical https://howtodiscuss.com/t/logical-thinking/16342. locations.

3. forget conversation, appointments or events and not remember them later.

4. eventually when it becomes worse forget the names of family members and everyday objects.

Disorientation and misinterpreting spatial relationships

People with Alzheimer’s disease may lose their sense of what day it is, the season https://howtodiscuss.com/t/seasonality/16930., where they’re or even the current life circumstances.
Alzheimer’s disease may also disrupts the brain ability to to interpret what is seen, making it difficult for people with Alzheimer’s disease to understand their surrounding. This might get so worse that people with Alzheimer’s disease may get lost even in familiar places.

Speaking and writting

People with Alzheimer’s disease may have trouble finding the right words to identify objects, express thoughts or take part in conversation. Over time, the ability to read and write also declines https://howtodiscuss.com/t/declination/24331.

Thinking and reasoning

Alzheimer’s disease cause difficulty in concentrating and thinking, especially about abstract concepts like numbers. It may be challenging to manage finances, balance checkbooks and keep track of bills and pay them on time. These difficulty may progress to inability to recongnize and deal with numbers.

Making judgements and decisions

Responding effectively to everyday problems such as food Organic food. burning on the stove, or unexpected driving situations becomes increasingly challenging.

Planning performing familiar tasks

Once-routing activities that requires sequential steps, such as planning and cooking a meal or playing a favorite game, becomes a struggle as the disease progresses. Eventually, people with advanced Alzheimer’s disease may forget how to perform basic tasks such as dressing and bathing.

Changes in personality and behavior

The changes that occurs in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease can affect the way people with the disease acts and how they feel. People with Alzheimer’s disease may experience;

1. depression
2. mood swings
3. social withdrawal
4. delusions, such as believing something has been stolen when nothing is stolen.
5. irritability and aggressiveness
6. changes in sleeping habits
7. wandering
8. loss of inhibitions.

Many important skills https://howtodiscuss.com/t/skill/6893. are not lose until late in the disease. This includes the ability to read, dance and sing, enjoy old music, engage in crafts and hobbies, tell stories and reminisce. This is because information, skills and habits learned early in life are among the last ability to be lost as the disease progresses.

Stages of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, hence there are stages in the clinical manifestations.

Stage 1:normal outward behavior: when an individual is in this early phase, he won’t have any symptoms that can be spotted. Only a PET scan, an imaging test that show how the brain is working can reveal whether he’s got Alzheimer’s disease or not.

Stage 2; very mild changes:
You still might not notice anything amiss in the person’s behavior, but he may be picking up on small differences, things that are difficult to catch. This could include forgetting a word or misplacing objects. At this stage, subtle Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease don’t interfere with his ability to work or live independently.
NB this Symptoms are not perculiar to Alzheimer’s disease. It could also be as result of aging or something else.

Stage 3; mild decline
It’s at this point that noticable changes and symptoms starts manifesting such as;

1. forgetting something just read
2. asking the same question over and over and over
3. having more and more trouble and difficulty making plans or organizing
4. having difficulty remembering names when meeting new people.

Stage 4; moderate decline :
During this period, the difficulty in reasoning gets worse more serious manifestations such as;

1. forgetting what month or season it is
2. forgets details about himself
3. having trouble cooking Cooking. meals or even ordering from a menu…begins to appear.

Stage 5; moderately severe decline
During this period, symptoms like;

1. losing track of where one is.
2. forgetting address https://howtodiscuss.com/t/address/11849.
3. forgetting important details…begins to surface.

***Stage 6; severe decline ***
In this stage, more severe manifestations begins to surface such as delusions, thinking one’s wife for one’s mother.

Stage 7; very severe decline
In this stage many basic abilities in the patient such as; eating, walking and sitting up fades during this period.

Summary
The clinical Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are gradual and progressive… starting with been asymptomatic to mild forgetfulness and mild decline to a very severe decline in memory.

Causes

The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not yet known.but research have shown that possible Causes of Alzheimer’s disease could be; genetic, environmental, and ageing.

Summary
The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not yet known.

Risk factors

1. Age Research have shown that increasing age is the greatest risk factor of Alzheimer’s disease. Research have shown that the rate of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia doubles every decade https://howtodiscuss.com/t/lost-decade/13757. after age 60.

2. down syndrome ( a genetic disorder)

3. genetics What is inheritance and gene expression?.

4. sex; the percentage of women developing Alzheimer’s disease is greater. This is because women lives longer than men.

5. mild congnitive impairment.

6. post head trauma.

7. poor nutrition ( especially vitamin difficiencies) .

Summary
Avoiding the risk factors is the key to successfully prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Also read;
Get to know the Psychological Symptoms of Stress:.

What is cognitive psychology?.

Treatment and medications

Treatment for Alzheimer’s disease patient includes:

1. maintaining mental function
2. managing behavior
3. caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease.

Drugs used in treating Alzheimer’s disease are ;
**Cholinesterase inhibitors: ** these drugs works by boasting levels of cell-to-cell communication chemicals depleted in the brain by Alzheimer’s disease. Most people can expect to keep their current Symptoms at bay for a time. Commonly pescribed cholinesterase inhibitors include; Rivastimine ( exelon), Donepezil (aricept) and galatamine (razadyne). The main side effects of these drugs include; diarrhea, nausea, sleep disturbances and increased non sympathetic effects.

**Mematine ( Namenda) ;**This drug works in another brain cell communication network and slows the progression of Symptoms with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. It’s sometimes used in combination with cholinesterase.

Prevention

1. consumption of fruit and vegetable juice. This have shown to decrease the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.

2. berries contains high levels of biologically active components including a class of compound s called athocyanosides which fight memory impairment associated with free radicals and beta amyloid plaques in the brain. Eat berries everyday for maximum benefit.

3. keto diet have been found to reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.

4. levels of docosahexanoic acid ( DHA) found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna measured at baseline had lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease. These fishes are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.

5. Take folic acid supplements

6. drink a glass of red wine or purple grape juice with your evening meal. Grape skin contains components that protects brain cells from the effects of oxidative stress and beta amyloid.

7. control blood pressure

NB: a lifestyle of exercise and a lifestyle of continous learning have been shown to reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.

Summary
Preventing Alzheimer’s disease from occurring is better than trying to cure it…hence engaging in a lifestyle that prevents the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is highly indicated.

Frequently asked questions

Is Alzheimer’s disease a ■■■■ sentence?
Nope, Alzheimer’s disease is not a ■■■■ sentence, Alzheimer’s disease is manageable. It can be managed with both drugs and social care.

Is Alzheimer’s disease the only cause of dementia ?
Alzheimer’s disease is not the only cause of dementia… there are other factors that can lead to dementia How to improve the memory.

Conclusion
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease which causes the brain cells to progressively degenerate and die. This leads to progressive degeneration in memory and mental functions causing memory loss. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the major cause of dementia. Someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease normally have progressive forgetfulness that increases.
The diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease includes medical imaging and other series of tests but there is no very precise test for Alzheimer’s disease for now as scientists are still trying to come up with a very precise test for Alzheimer’s disease.
The best preventative measure one can take against Alzheimer’s disease is to avoid the risk factors.

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[rida20]

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

How does it happen?

As the world is suffering from a high illiteracy rate, people usually aren’t aware of the disease due to the lack of knowledge. We need to aware people about the causes and symptoms of Alzheimer’s as well as how to treat these patients. Usually, people ignore the symptoms and relate it to aging which eventually crosses its boundaries later.

WHAT IS ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE?

Alzheimer’s is an irreversible and incurable disease which loses a person’s capability to remember and to perform simple tasks. It is the most common form of dementia that causes destruction of memory, thinking and behavior.

CAUSES OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE:

Memories are one of the most beautiful treasures a person can cherish for the rest of their lives. But when it starts to slip away gradually, it is agonizing not only for the victim but also for their loved ones around. That is why Alzheimer’s is also known as a family disease because it’s entirely the suffering of a whole family.

There are many causes of this disease that goes through gradual processes which are as follows:

1. Genetics
2. Age
3. Head injury
4. Family history
5. Unhealthy lifestyle
6. Cardiovascular disease increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
7. Addiction to smoking and alcohol consumption.
8. Social isolation
9. Sedentary lifestyle
10. Social isolation or social anxiety.

SYMPTOMS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE:

According to doctors, it takes 3 to 8 years to show symptoms of Alzheimer’s and till that, the person most probably enters into the incurable stage of this disease. The symptoms are divided into three stages:

1. Curable Mild symptoms:

The early mild symptoms include:

1. Forgetting everyday tasks
2. Misplacing things
3. Forgetting names
4. Difficulty in planning and organizing
5. Experience intense trouble when planning or organizing something

2. Curable Moderate symptoms:

This is the stage when the symptoms start to get prominent and more pronounced. In this stage, a patient needs intensive care. The moderate symptoms include:

1. Unable to express the thoughts
2. Extremely weird behaviors in socially challenging situations
3. Forgetting your name and the names of family members
4. Confused about where they are right now or what day it is.
5. Drastic changes in sleeping patterns such as awake all night and sleeping all-day
6. Loses control of bladder (involuntarily urination)

3. Incurable Severe Symptoms:

This is the stage when things get out of hands and the patient needs extreme care for the rest of their lives. The severe symptoms include:

1. loss of consciousness of the surroundings and their well-being
2. Unable to communicate with people around them
3. Most likely to be attacked to infections especially pneumonia.
4. Loss awareness
5. Extreme mood swings
6. Personality and behavior fluctuations.
7. Physical disabilities such as unable to walk, hold things, unable to see or swallow food.
8. Trust and anger issues

WHY ALZHEIMER HAPPENS?

According to the study, Alzheimer’s disease happens when abnormal cells that are made up of proteins start to multiply and subjugates into the brain cells. These protein cells are known as “Tau” and “Amyloid” . Tau deposits into the brain cells in the form of tangles whereas amyloid deposits into the brain cells in the form of plague.

When these proteins start to solidify into the cells, it causes disruption between the neurotransmitters which has a function to control and transport messages in the form of neurons. Gradually over time, the brain parts start to shrink and it firstly initiates from the amygdala part which is associated with emotional control and storing memories.

HOW TO DEAL WITH ALZHEIMER’S PATIENT?

Although scientists have been doing modern inventions and treatment for curing several diseases, still the cure for Alzheimer’s hasn’t been found yet. Doctors suggest keeping a strict check if you’re facing early symptoms or have a family history of this disease.

Ignorance is the biggest cause of this disease. We always attach loss of memory with age. Alzheimer’s is shrouded in stigma and misinformation. 2 out of 3 people believe the fact that these are part of aging but actually it’s not. Whereas 95% of people think that every person suffers from dementia in the late age of their lives.

After the diagnosis, the most strenuous part is to deal with these patients. We should educate and aware people of how to communicate with them. Patients with this disease feel like their lives are over. The ways to deal with these patients are as follows:

1. Keep things simple and ask one question at once. Too much questioning can disturb them.
2. Keeping a daily routine that they can remember. A slight change of routine can cause them panic attacks.
3. We as an individual need to spend time with them and try not to make them feel alone.
4. Try to communicate with them though it’s not easy. Focus on their feelings rather than words.
5. Give plenty of time to respond and try not to distract their conversation.
6. Use of humor can help to keep them calm
7. Don’t argue with them even if they’re saying wrong. The argument can trigger anger and fear.
8. Even if they forget you and treating you like a stranger, be okay with that. Don’t force them to remember what is your relation.
9. Ask for help and let me do little tasks like passing something or holding things.
10. Consult with a doctor if they’re facing extreme depression and hallucinations etc.

WHY ALZHEIMER’S DAY IS CELEBRATED?

Alzheimer’s day is celebrated on 21st September where a plethora of organizations dealing with this cause gets together in order to raise awareness and the issues faced by the families. The aim of this day is to gather people’s opinions and experiences around the world that are experiencing this in their families and enlightens upon the misconception people have regarding this disease.

Every year people celebrate this month by helping families dealing with this problem as well as the patients. They prefer wearing purple ribbons for the whole month in order to support the cause.

CONCLUSION:

Alzheimer’s is a really painful disease both for families and the victim. A person gets more like a living ■■■■ body. This is the reason why it is highly needed to be aware of the early signs and symptoms. According to the World Health Rankings, About 17% of the people from ages 60 to 65 suffer from this disease and about 15% of ages 75 or more are more likely to get affected by it.

We need to educate people about the causes and challenges and gather together in order to collaborate and share best practices with one another.

Let’s break the silence so that we can detect the symptoms early before it’s too late.