Alzheimer's Disease is Not a Normal Part of Aging
Alzheimer’s (AHLZ-high-merz) is a disease of the brain that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It is not a normal part of aging. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time. Although symptoms can vary widely, the first problem many people notice is forgetfulness severe enough to affect their ability to function at home or at work, or to enjoy lifelong hobbies.
Other symptoms include confusion, getting lost in familiar places, misplacing things and troublewith language.
Alzheimer's disease is a common, progressive, degenerative disease of the brain. It is characterized by loss of memory and other cognitive functions. Among people aged 65 or older, it is the most common cause of dementia. Dementia is a group of symptoms marked by the gradual loss of mental function.
What is going on in the body?
Exactly what is happening in the brains of individual's with Alzheimer's disease is unknown. In general, Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative syndrome which means that nerve cells in the brain decrease in number over time. This is evident in that the overall size of the brain in an individual with Alzheimer's disease is smaller than normal. In addition, people who have Alzheimer's disease have a number of abnormalities that can only be seen under a microscope:
• Abnormal brain deposits of a protein called beta-amyloid that are called plaques.
• Abnormal collections of another protein called tau inside brain nerve cells.
• Collections of damaged nerve fibers called tangles.
The relationship between tau and beta-amyloid collections and Alzheimer's disease is unknown particularly since these abnormalities are seen to some degree in the brains of "normal" elderly individuals. Research to define this relationship is currently on-going.
What are the signs and symptoms of the disease?
Symptoms include:
• Memory loss that affects the person's short-term memory, or memory of recent events
• Difficulty doing familiar activities such as operating a television remote, stove or microwave
• Misplacing belongings
• Poor or decreased judgment
• Language deterioration, with difficulty finding the right words
• Disorientation to time and place
• Changes in mood, including depression
• Hallucinations
• Delusions such as believing family members are stealing money or people are peering through the windows
• Personality changes, including agitation and irritability
• Impaired ability to orient the body to the surrounding space
• A loss of interest in activities that were previously pleasurable
• Loss of bowel and bladder control
What are the causes and risks of the disease?
The cause of Alzheimer's disease is unknown. Factors that may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease include the following:
- Age is the most important. Most people with Alzheimer's disease are older than age 65 and rarely affect individuals in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. Alzheimer's disease is seen in 1 out of 4 people over the age of 85.
- Genetics. Scientists have found links between the disease and certain chromosomes, including chromosomes 10, 14, 19, and 21. For example, individuals with Down syndrome, an abnormality of the 21st chromosome, have a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease related to these chromosomes is relatively uncommon. Other genetic factors are likely more common. For instance, individuals with Alzheimer's disease are likely to have a certain form of a normal lipoprotein called apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) which suggests that an individual who produces this form of apolipoprotein is at higher risk than those who do not.
- Head injuries. A recent study of US armed forces veterans showed that a head injury early in life is associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia as the veterans aged. Furthermore, the risk of Alzheimer's disease increased with the severity of the head injury in early life.
- Sex. Females has been observed to be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
- Atherosclerosis or "hardening of the arteries". Factors such as hypercholesterolemia, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, elevated levels of homocysteine, smoking, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle are risk factors for atherosclerosis and also have been observed to be risk factors for the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Potentially protective factors for Alzheimer's disease include:
- Educational level or cognitive activities, which are tasks that involve active learning in the brain. Several research studies have shown that Alzheimer's disease is less likely to develop in individuals who have reached higher educational levels or have jobs that are more intellectually stimulating. Cognitive activities such as reading are associated with a later onset of Alzheimer's disease.
- Estrogen. There is some research suggesting a possible link between the hormone estrogen and Alzheimer's disease in women. Menopause, the stage of life when a woman stops having periods and her body makes little estrogen, is associated with an increase in the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
- Statins. A type of drug used to treat hypercholesterolemia may be protective.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Drugs like ibuprofen (i.e., Advil, Motrin) may be protective.
- Moderate alcohol use.
- Physical activity. Regular exercise is likely protective.
- Decreased fat intake. Low-fat diets are likely protective.
For More Infomation
(click here)
| 
