Alzheimer's disease causes symptoms diagnosis and treatment

 

Alzheimer's disease

Most of us see that as a person ages, their ability to remember the simplest things begins to weaken. This oversight is what is called Alzheimer's disease in medical terms. Alzheimer's disease is a very common type of dementia that affects a person's thinking, memory, and behavior. Statistics have shown that Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, with 60-80% of dementia cases being Alzheimer's disease. It is generally the common term for memory loss and other cognitive disorders that can impact daily life. Contrary to popular belief, Alzheimer's disease is not a by-product of aging. Although aging is a very big risk factor for the incidence of this disease, many people under the age of 65 also have the disease. An American study on the incidence of Alzheimer's disease in different age groups showed that about 2 American lakh under the age of 65 had the disease. The symptoms will worsen and the patient may even lose the ability to conduct a conversation as they will continue to forget the topic of the conversation. They can often lose their way and can even forget their own names and faces. They will lose their ability to speak, read and write. They will become socially withdrawn, with frequent changes in mood, restlessness, and become apathetic towards their environment in general. Since Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease, it is caused by the death of brain cells. The size of the brain begins to decrease and the connections between the nerve cells become weaker and weaker. Currently, there is no cure for this disorder, but there are ways to control the symptoms of the disease.

Alzheimer's Disease Causes  

The exact causes of the disease are not yet understood. Alzheimer's disease is caused by the build-up of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain. These lead to disruption of nerve cell connections and result in loss of brain tissue. Patients with this disease may also have a shortage of certain chemicals in their brain, which causes the signal to not be transmitted efficiently.

The reason for the phenomena mentioned above is not yet known, but there are risk factors that may contribute to it. 

These include:

Age: People over 65 are at double the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Gender: Women are more prone to Alzheimer's disease because its incidence has shown that among people over 65, twice as many women as men have the disease. The reasons for this are not yet known.

Genetic factors: Genetic factors may also play a role in the incidence of the disease, but a strong influence is still considered rare..

People over 70 more prone to Alzheimer's disease: 

Experts New Delhi, September 21 () Older people, especially those over the age of 70, are at higher risk for Alzheimer's disease, an irreversible brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and eventually alters ability to perform even the smallest tasks, according to experts. .

Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms

Symptoms of the disease may be mild at first, but may get worse over time. It is unlikely that two people with this disease will have the exact same symptoms, but some common indicators can be felt by everyone. The first symptoms of the disease will include:

•  Lack of memory

•  Losing everyday items such as keys, glasses

•  Forget common words in a conversation

•  Losing way on familiar paths

•  Forget conversations

Symptoms may worsen over time and will begin to interfere with the patient's daily life. They may have difficulty with the following:

Language: patients may repeat what they have already said multiple times and may not follow conversations

Orientation: they can lose track of the time or the day.

Visuospatial: Patients may not understand space versus time. This can make it difficult to climb stairs or park vehicles.

As the disease progresses and develops into a case of advanced Alzheimer's, the patient may experience the following:

Hallucinations: The patient may begin to see and hear things that are not there.

Unconsciousness of the environment: the patient may become withdrawn and much less aware of what is happening around him.

Difficulty in daily tasks: The patient will have difficulty walking or eating alone. Their growing fragility will require more support from others.

How is the brain with Alzheimer's disease different?

The brain of an Alzheimer's patient is thus different from the normal brain and can cause problems such as forgetfulness, language problems, inability to recognize, loved ones, and so on.The only way to keep the brain healthy is to be active and alert.

Preventions

There are no scientifically proven ways that can help prevent Alzheimer's disease, but doctors have often suggested ways to prevent memory loss. Dr Rajesh Garg, Head of Department and Director, Neurology, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh says:

•  Keep your brain busy and that it does not sit idle.

•  Risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol should be closely monitored  and controlled.

•  Avoid smoking and drinking

•  Eat a healthy diet including fresh fruits, green vegetables and dried fruits.

•  Be happy and avoid stress and anxiety, as they can affect memory.

Here are few other things to keep in mind:

•  Avoid foods known to be linked to Alzheimer's disease such as processed cheeses, processed meats, beer, white foods, 

• microwave popcorn, etc.

•  Eat a healthy diet that includes green leafy vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and dairy products.

•  Have plenty of water.

•  Limit foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol like fatty meats and fried foods

•  Reduce your intake of sugar and salt.

" Maple Syrup May Help Control Alzheimer's Disease ''

Myths About Alzheimer's Disease

MYTH: Alzheimer's disease is a natural part of aging.

FACT: Mild memory loss which includes forgetting where your glasses are, severe symptoms like disorientation and forgetting the season, indicates a more serious condition. Memory loss shouldn't interfere with your daily life and if it does, it can be a bigger problem than just aging.

MYTH: Alzheimer's disease only happens to the elderly.

FACT: Although most cases of the disease occur in people over 65, it can also affect younger people. People in their 30s have also been seen suffering from the disease.

MYTH: Alzheimer's disease is not fatal.

FACT: What people don't know is that Alzheimer's is among the top 10 causes of death in the United States. People typically don't live more than 10 years after being diagnosed with the disease.

MYTH: Aluminum, flu shots, silver fillings, or aspartame can cause Alzheimer's disease

FACT: There have been various claims that the things mentioned above can lead to disease, but there is no scientific evidence to verify them.

Alzheimer's Disease Treatment

There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease because brain cell death cannot be reversed. Although there are therapeutic interventions that can make life easier for people with the disease. According to the Alzheimer's Association, the important elements in the management of Alzheimer's disease are:

•  Support for all conditions occurring alongside Alzheimer's disease.

•  Daycare and active programs

•  Involvement in support and services.

Medical treatment

There are no drugs that can change Alzheimer's disease, but some of them can definitely reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

The cholinesterase inhibitors approved for symptom relief in the United States are donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and tacrine (Cognex). Another medicine used is memantine (Namenda), which is an NMDA receptor antagonist which can be used alone or in combination with a cholinesterase inhibitor.

Other therapy

The need for quality of life care becomes more important as the person becomes less able to live independently.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article should not be taken as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your treating physician for further details.