This book describes Alzheimer Disease, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases
Never let the brain idle.
'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.'
And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
George Carlin
The 4 A's to Alzheimer's
The four A's are four words that define some of the main symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Amnesia
Amnesia refers to memory loss and is often the most easily visible and frequent sign of Alzheimer's disease.
Memory loss in Alzheimer's disease typically begins with short-term memory and progresses to a decline in long-term memory.
Aphasia
Aphasia is a term used to describe impaired communication.
Aphasia may be classified as
Expressive aphasia, where someone is unable to find the right words or may say them incorrectly, or
Receptive aphasia, where the ability to understand, receive and interpret language is impaired.
Aphasia is frequently thought of as the impairment of speech and language, but it also can be the ability to read and write.
Alzheimer's disease affects both expressive and receptive aphasia.
Apraxia
Apraxia is a deficit in voluntary motor skills. While Alzheimer's is known primarily for affecting cognitive functioning, it also affects the body's physical ability to function.
As Alzheimer's progresses, the ability to perform certain activities of daily living such as bathing and getting dressed might decline.
Activities such as walking and eating become more difficult in the late stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Agnosia
Agnosia is the impairment of the ability to receive or correctly appreciate information from the senses of hearing, smell, taste, touch, and vision.
People with Alzheimer's disease often are less able to identify smells or recognize the feeling of a full bladder.
They also might not be able to recognize loved ones as the disease progresses.
Difficulty recognizing or interpreting visual shapes is frequently present in Alzheimer's disease.
Agnosia may also be auditory, where the sense of hearing is intact but the ability to interpret what the sound means is impaired.
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most frequent known type of dementia.
It influences memory, thinking, and behavior.
Alzheimer's disease is closely related to aging and the length of the average life.
It is featured by progressive loss of memory and cognitive functions.
2 abnormal structures called plaques and tangles are prime suspects in damaging and killing the nerve cells.
Amyloid Plaques build up between nerve cells.
Neurofibrillary Tangles form inside dying cells
Most doctors believe they somehow block communication among nerve cells and disrupt activities that cells need to survive.
There is no single test that can specifically diagnose Alzheimer's disease
The 3 stages of Alzhemer's:
Stage1 Forgetfulness
Stage2 Confusion
Stage3 Severe Alzheimer's
There is no cure for Alzheimer disease.
The goals of treatment are:
1.Slow the progression of the disease
2.Manage symptoms, such as behavior problems, confusion, and sleep problems
3.Change the home environment to make daily activities easier
Medicines are used to treat symptoms
Psychological support and Physiotherapy are integral parts of treatment
Dementia research
Researchers have discovered an enzyme and a biochemical pathway they believe may lead to the identification of drugs that could inhibit the production of beta-amyloid protein
A new study suggests that vital exhaustion, which can be perceived as an indicator of psychological distress, is a risk factor for future risk of dementia
Seniors who consume more than 2 standard portions of mushrooms weekly may have 50% reduced odds of having mild cognitive impairment