What is Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that gradually takes away people’s memory and ability to think clearly. It’s a leading cause of disability in the elderly.

Early diagnosis is key to slowing or stopping the progression of the disease. Doctors prescribe medications to help improve symptoms, such as memory loss and problems with thinking or reasoning.

That cause alzheimer

Alzheimer’s disease is caused by a build-up of abnormal proteins in the brain, called amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The plaques and tangles damage neurons and make it harder for them to communicate with each other, leading to memory loss. This process is believed to start decades before the symptoms appear, as parts of the brain shrink or die.

The risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease increases with age, although many people live to be 90 or older without ever getting dementia. Other factors that may raise your risk include family history, head trauma or other health conditions.

Having a first-degree relative (your parent, sibling or child) with Alzheimer’s disease raises your chances of developing it too. The exact reason this happens is unclear, but it could be because genes run in families.

Another factor that can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s is a gene, known as the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene. This gene is present on chromosome 19 and is linked to the late-onset form of the disease. If you have an APOE e4 allele, you’re at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

While most people who develop the disease do not have an APOE e4 allele, there is a small group of people who do. These people have rare changes in three specific genes that almost guarantee they will get Alzheimer’s.

These changes, which occur in less than 1% of people with the disease, appear to be related to how well your heart and blood vessels are functioning. It’s thought that if there is damage to your heart or blood vessels, it’s more likely that your brain will have plaques and tangles.

Some types of stroke and other problems with your blood vessels can also increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. These problems can lead to increased production of unstable molecules in the brain, such as free radicals.

If you have a health condition or disease that affects your heart or blood vessels, such as high cholesterol, diabetes or heart disease, it’s important to work with your doctor to maintain a healthy diet and to treat any medical problems. This could help prevent Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

Signs of alzheimer’s disease

The most common early sign of Alzheimer’s disease is a loss of memory. People may forget important dates or appointments, misplace their car keys or call a friend by the wrong name. This is not normal.

If someone you love is experiencing these symptoms, it’s time to contact a doctor. This is an important step to a proper diagnosis, which can lead to treatment options that will slow the progression of the disease and improve quality of life for the person and their caregivers.

A person with Alzheimer’s disease also has difficulty concentrating and remembering things. They can’t follow conversations or keep track of their schedules, and they may have trouble identifying colors, or figuring out what is going on around them.

Other symptoms include problems with orientation and disorientation, as well as changes in personality and behavior. This can cause confusion and make it difficult to get along with other people.

People with this stage of the disease begin to lose their ability to do basic tasks, like cooking and dressing. They need assistance with these activities and often require a caregiver or home health aide to help them.

This stage of Alzheimer’s disease is also marked by a change in mood. They may be agitated, upset or angry. This can be particularly noticeable during “sundowning,” when they begin to experience these symptoms in the late afternoon or evening.

These mood changes can be very distressing for a person who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as for the caregivers who help them. It’s essential for the patient to see a medical professional as soon as possible, so that they can receive effective treatment that will control their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Although Alzheimer’s can be a devastating disease, there are many treatments that can reduce the symptoms and help patients live at home longer with their families and friends. The most effective are drugs that target a certain enzyme in the brain called cholinesterase. These drugs can help to increase the synthesis of acetylcholine, which is important for healthy communication and cognitive function. Other medications can help to ease depression and anxiety, improve mood, and reduce pain, stiffness and fatigue.

Treatment for alzheimer’s disease

There are no drugs that have been approved to treat all people with Alzheimer’s disease, but there are medications that can lessen or stabilize some symptoms of the condition. These medicines work by affecting certain chemicals that carry messages among and between brain cells, and they may help to improve or slow symptoms for a short time.

Some of these medications are called cholinesterase inhibitors (CH-luh-NES-ter-ays). They stop the breakdown of acetylcholine, a chemical that helps nerve cells communicate with each other. These drugs can help slow the progression of symptoms and may be effective in treating the first signs of memory loss or thinking problems.

Other Alzheimer’s medicines reduce inflammation in the brain, which can help prevent new plaques and tangles from forming. These medicines can also be used to treat other health problems that often occur in people with the disease, such as depression and sleep disorders.

Many people who take these medicines find they can control their symptoms better for a longer period than they could before taking them. These treatments also usually have mild side effects.

A drug called aducanumab, marketed as Aduhelm by Biogen, was the first drug approved by the FDA to treat Alzheimer’s and has been shown to reduce amyloid deposits in the brain, which are known to cause early-stage symptoms of the disease. Aducanumab can be given by injection or by using a spinal tap, but it must be given after quantitative testing shows that someone has amyloid in their brain.

Another medication called donepezil, or Aricept, is available for those with all stages of Alzheimer’s. It is taken as a pill or an extended-release tablet twice a day.

Researchers are working on other new medicines that have the potential to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. These medicines are being tested in clinical trials.

These clinical trials test different ways to stop or treat Alzheimer’s, including vaccines and drugs that reduce the formation of tau proteins in the brain. This type of research is very important because it will help researchers learn more about the disease and identify possible prevention strategies.

How to prevent alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that causes memory loss, personality changes and problems with daily activities. It occurs when nerve cells (neurons) in the brain die and stop working properly.

In most cases, Alzheimer’s starts in middle age and is caused by a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. But in about 1% of people, the disease is caused by a specific change in one or more genes, or mutations.

There are ways to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s, though experts don’t know how to prevent the disease entirely. They do, however, believe that a healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways to protect your brain’s health.

Improved lifestyles – such as good diet, regular physical exercise and stress reduction – have made people less likely to develop Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Now, an international task force led by the University of Geneva and Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) is trying to find ways to improve preventative services.

Some lifestyle changes that may be especially helpful include avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and getting regular exercise. Additionally, people should eat a heart-healthy diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Limiting saturated fats, sodium, sugar and carbs can also help.

Those with a higher risk for Alzheimer’s can get tested to see whether they have a version of a gene that increases their chance of developing the disease. While most people who test positive do not develop Alzheimer’s, it can give family members and caregivers important information about the risk.

If you think that you may have a risk factor for Alzheimer’s, talk with your doctor to learn more about the test and how it works. You can also ask to see a medical geneticist, who can tell you more about the test and your chances of developing the disease.

While Alzheimer’s is a progressive illness, it can be managed with medications that help to slow the progress of the disease. In addition, some medicines can help boost levels of a chemical messenger in the brain that can keep connections between neurons strong. These are often used in combination with other treatments, such as antipsychotic drugs or physical therapy.

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