Alzheimer's

What is Alzheimer's progressive mental deterioration that can occur in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain. It is the most common cause of premature senility. Most people are familiar with Alzheimer’s.: The progressive disease that causes your brain to slowly die, leaving you with

What does Alzheimer’s do to the brain? Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease, which means it slowly causes brain cells to die off until the brain can no longer function. In a patient with Alzheimer’s, plaques form in between neurons, which prevent the neurons from being able to communicate; eventually, the neurons die. Essentially, Alzheimer’s causes you to lose brain cells, which are necessary for brain function. The fewer the brain cells, the less the brain works. Over time, the brain becomes so damaged that other diseases and medical problems set in, causing the patient to die.

How does Alzheimer's disease develop? A second pathway through which Alzheimer's develops has been discovered after researchers identified a new set of genetic markers for the disease. Most Alzheimer's genetic research focuses on amyloid-beta, which contributes to the formation of plaques found in the brains of people suffering from Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer’s disease symptoms Alzheimer's causes a gradual decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. Symptoms depend on the stage of the disease: Early symptoms include: Misplacing items Forgetting the names of places and objects Repeating themselves regularly, such as asking the same question several times Becoming less flexible and more hesitant to try new things Middle- stage symptoms include: Problems with speech or language (aphasia) Disturbed sleep Changes in mood, such as frequent mood swings, depression and feeling increasingly anxious, frustrated or agitated Difficulty performing spatial tasks, such as judging distances Later symptoms include: Difficulty changing position or moving around without assistance Considerable weight loss – although some people eat too much and put on weight Gradual loss of speech Significant problems with short and long- term memory

Treatments Current treatment approaches focus on helping people maintain the mental function, manage behavioral symptoms, and slow or delay the disease progression

What it looks like ? The nervous cells starts decreasing causing memory lose

HOW it works? Alzheimer's disease, like other dementias, causes the brain to degenerate. As nerve cells are destroyed, the connections between them are also reduced. Alzheimer's strikes first in the hippocampus, where recent memories are stored, and progresses through the brain until it affects judgment, speech patterns and ultimately, all forms of memory

Can you prevent it? Evidence suggests that the DHA found in these healthy fats may help prevent Alzheimer's disease and dementia by reducing beta. Food sources include cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, seaweed, and sardines. You can also supplement with fish oil.

It first involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. People with AD may have trouble remembering things that happened recently or names of people they know. A related problem, (MCI), causes more memory problems than normal for people of the same age. Many, but not all, people with MCI will develop AD. In AD, over time, symptoms get worse. People may not recognize family members.

You are more likely to develop Alzheimer disease if you: Are older -- Developing Alzheimer disease is not a part of normal aging. Have a close relative, such as a brother, sister, or parent with Alzheimer disease. Have certain genes linked to Alzheimer disease.

There are two types of Alzheimer disease: Early onset Alzheimer disease -- Symptoms appear before age 60. This type is much less common than late onset. It tends to get worse quickly. Early onset disease can run in families. Several genes have been identified. Late onset Alzheimer disease -This is the most common type. It occurs in people age 60 and older. It may run in some families, but the role of genes is less clear.

There are two types of Alzheimer disease: Early onset Alzheimer disease -- Symptoms appear before age 60. This type is much less common than late onset. It tends to get worse quickly. Early onset disease can run in families. Several genes have been identified. Late onset Alzheimer disease -- This is the most common type. It occurs in people age 60 and older. It may run in some families, but the role of genes is less clear.

Of all the people who have Alzheimer's disease, about 5 percent develop symptoms before age 65. So if 4 million Americans have Alzheimer's, at least 200,000 people have the early-onset form of the disease. Early-onset Alzheimer's has been known to develop between ages 30 and 40, but that's very uncommon.

Senile dementia is the mental deterioration (loss of intellectual ability) that is associated with old age. Senile dementia is often used when referring to Alzheimer's disease. What's early onset dementia? - Early onset dementia is a term that covers a range of diseases affecting memory and thinking in people under the age of 65.

summary 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 symptoms first appear in their mid-60s. Early-onset Alzheimer’s occurs between a person’s 30s and mid-60s and is very rare. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia older adults. Alzheimer's is associated with genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain cells over time. At the initial stage of the disease, forgetfulness and mild confusion is seen. Over time, recent memories also start erasing. Advanced stage symptoms vary from person to person. There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease. Medication can temporarily reduce some symptoms or slow down the progression of the condition in some people.