Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia: about 60% of all dementia patients suffer from Alzheimer's disease.
Dementia is not a disease as such, but a syndrome. This means that dementia consists of a collection of symptoms or signs. In dementia, these signs all indicate that thinking processes are deteriorating. Examples are loss of memory, difficulty with acquired skills such as dressing, cooking and driving, and changes in behaviour.
Dementia is mainly a condition of older people. Some forms of dementia do also affect younger people or those in the middle ages. Other, less common forms of dementia are: vascular dementia including multi-infarct dementia, Lewy body dementia and dementia associated with Parkinson's Disease. Sometimes more than one form of dementia can affect the person at the same time.
What causes Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer's Disease involves damage of the brain cells. Changes in the brain cells occur, impairing normal function, which eventually leads to those cells dying. This happens gradually to an increasing number of brain cells. Cells in the cortex (outside) part of the brain are mainly affected.
The cause of Alzheimer's disease is still unknown. Some of the risk factors that may exist in people more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease are: increasing age, family history of dementia, higher education level, social isolation, cigarette smoking, diet or alcohol intake, head injury, vascular diseases including high blood pressure or diabetes.
In general, the chance of getting Alzheimer's disease is slightly greater if one of your parents suffered from the disease.
What are possible symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer's Disease usually starts with a disturbance of short-term memory, e.g. the person forgets appointments, does not remember who visited them the previous day. Then he or she may start having trouble with certain day to day actions and activities, e.g. difficulty with calculating, getting dressed, etc. Some patients have a steady decline in function while others go through long periods with little change.
When the condition reaches a certain stage the disturbances are so serious that normal life is affected. Work, other activities and daily contacts become more and more difficult. As the disease progresses, the patient becomes more dependent on others for daily care. Many patients eventually need to be admitted to a nursing home.
Can Alzheimer's Disease be treated?
There are medications that can help slow the progression of the disease or control the behavioural symptoms. These medications help to adjust the levels of chemicals in the brain that are different in Alzheimer's disease patients. Medications currently available do not cure, stop or reverse the deterioration of dementia, but can help improve the life of the patient by slowing down the course of the illness.
For more information see your Doctor or Healthcare Professional.
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