Alzheimer's Disease

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

           

            Alzheimer’s disease is known as a dementia that causes loss of brain function. It affects memory, thinking, and reasoning.     

What causes Alzheimer’s disease?

           

            Alzheimer’s is caused due to plaques and tangles that are developed in the brain causing brain cells to die.  The plaques and tangles created due to the over production of a protein called amyloid.  With the increase of amyloid, the plaques are accumulating which affect the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and other areas around the brain that involve memory.  

Two types of Alzheimer’s disease?

            There are two types of Alzheimer’s disease, the early onset Alzheimer’s disease and the late onset Alzheimer’s disease.

        
    The Early onset Alzheimer’s disease appears before age 60.  It is less common than the late onset, but it can get worse more quickly.  Being diagnosed as an early onset Alzheimer’s disease is usually carried by rare genes called “familial Alzheimer’s disease” which cross many family generations. 

            The Late onset Alzheimer’s disease is more known more commonly around the medical field.  The late onset occurs in people of age 60 and older.  It is also known as “Sporadic Alzheimer’s” because there has not been no contact of gene related.  The late onset will eventually happen to everyone some sooner than others but we are not immune from developing the late onset Alzheimer’s. 

Symptoms:

·        Memory loss

·        Confusion

·         Emotional behavior or personality

·         Language

·         Thinking and  reasoning

Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease:

·         Getting lost in familiar routes

·         Misplacing items

·         Difficulty performing tasks that requires thinking, but was usually used in daily life

·         Personality changes

 Symptoms interfere with daily self-care include:

·         Change in sleep patterns

·         Depression

·         Difficulty reading or writing

·         Poor judgment

·         Hallucination

Severe Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease:

·         Recognition of family members

·         Language deficiency

Conclusion:

People who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease eventually are taken care by nursing homes or family members.  Even though it is a disease it does not cause death usually people who have Alzheimer’s disease pass away due to other illnesses that older aged people are vulnerable to.  There has been no cure to avoid memory loss for our elderly, but medical researchers have not given up in finding one.