ALZHIEMERS DISEASE IN UK ‘’The Dementia Time bomb’’ By VISHAL ZAVERI AND ORE AJAI

What is Alzheimer's disease? Dementia= death of neuronal cells in the brain causing memory loss. Some forms are reversible and some are irreversible Alzheimer's disease: progressive neuronal cell death deteriorating all regions of the brain stopping physical and mental functioning. (3-20 yrs+) Causing loss of Memory Cognitive functioning Speech Vision Ultimately leading to death!

Epidimeology 820,000 cases of dementia in UK 450,000 cases are Alzhiemer’s Financial cost is over £23bn pa, that is twice that of cancer, three times the impact of heart disease and four times that of stroke Men, Women and all racial, economic and social groups are affected. AD is not natural for ageing it is pathological! Youngest age- 28 years

Proposed Pathogenesis Described by Alois Alzhiemer’s- 105 years ago Still nothing has been done !

Early Alzheimer's Moderate severe Learning and STM memory Thinking & Planning Speaking and understanding SENSES LTM affected Whole cortex is damaged

Risk factors Genetic Factors- rare Familial AD- causing early onset AD – mutations in APP gene(chr21), OR presenilin genes(PSEN-1 (chr14) OR PSEN-2(chr1). Late onset- APOE-4 (everyone has one copy). Down Syndrome- both mutations for APP and DS- tend to always get AD at 40yrs. Environmental Other Head injuries with loss of consciousness= *3 Depression Ingestion of Aluminium salts MCI Countryside Obesity Mother’s age at your birth Diabetes

Diagnosis PET scan-glucose metabolism

Treatment Incurable but symptoms can be managed Cholinesterase inhibitors Aricept, Exelon(patch), Razadyne Glutamate regulator Namenda for severe AD

Current research Researchers in 2013 studied mice and found that after administering mice with Alzhiemer’s disease, neuronal cell death stopped! However side effects were ample! Latest drug failure- Gammagard Current Research

References /symptoms-of-severe-alzheimers-disease.html /symptoms-of-severe-alzheimers-disease.html researchers-say-they-are-undeterred-by-latest- drug-failure researchers-say-they-are-undeterred-by-latest- drug-failure highlights/experimental-result/cutting-edge- alzheimers-research highlights/experimental-result/cutting-edge- alzheimers-research erstanding/plaques-and-tangles.html erstanding/plaques-and-tangles.html