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Alzheimer Disease
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Published: September 29, 2006
Unbeknownst to many, 4.5 million Americans suffer from a debilitating disease. This illness costs American businesses 61 billion dollars each year. By the year 2050, up to 16 million people will live with this disease. In fact, one in ten Americans has a family member and at least one in three people know someone affected.
This epidemic is Alzheimer's disease, and it is taking hold of the minds of more people every day.
Alzheimer's disease is an ever-growing disorder with many possible causes and few effective treatments. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, a disease which progressively diminishes and weakens the brain's ability to retain information, make judgments, use reasoning and execute common daily activities. Early onset of Alzheimer's can appear up to twenty years before it is officially diagnosed in a person, usually around the age of sixty.
The causes of Alzheimer's disease are varied and one definite cause does not exist. The biggest determining factor is the person’s age. Although people in their thirties and forties can have the disease, it is rare and usually doesn't occur until later in life. Family history of the disease is also very important. If relatives have contracted the disease, there is a greater chance for a person to get Alzheimer's. Genetics play a large role in carrying the risk factor for Alzheimer's. Although age and genetic predispositions are the major cause of this illness, accidental occurrences like head injuries can also lead to having this disease.
There are many warning signs to look for when diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. Significant memory loss, language problems, poor judgment, changes in mood or behavior, disorientation and loss of initiative are all red flags for the onset of this disease. As Alzheimer's progresses, a person suffers from anxiety, agitation and delusions or hallucinations. All of these symptoms occur due to the neurological degeneration as the brain endures cell death and tissue loss.
There are seven stages of Alzheimer's disease that outline the advancement of the illness. These stages were developed by Dr. Barry Reisberg and are recognized as the progression of the disease.
The first three stages are very similar involving lapses in memory such as forgetting where they left their keys or forgetting plans. Stage four is officially considered the early stage, where the person forgets recent events and cannot execute mathematical equations. The biggest change occurs in stage five where the person begins to forget things like their address, telephone number, and where they are. Stages six and seven are the advanced stages of the disease when the person needs help with things like going to the bathroom and eating. It is also in these late stages when they forget their spouse’s name, familiar faces, and even their own name.
To diagnose a patient with Alzheimer's, tests are performed to evaluate the patient's memory, problem solving abilities, language skills, and mathematical skills. In addition to these methods, doctors will take blood and urine samples, extract spinal fluid, and administer brain scans. With these tests and the patient's family history and genetic predisposition, a correct diagnosis of Alzheimer's is made ninety percent of the time.
A patient can live with Alzheimer's for a duration of three to twenty years after diagnosis. The disease will eventually progress from learning inabilities and memory loss to the loss of coordination and basic motor skills. If the patient does not suffer from any other illness, the loss of brain function eventually causes death.
Although there is no cure, Alzheimer's can be maintained and treated. Most treatments involve a cocktail of prescription drugs to aid in minimizing and stabilizing the disease. These prescriptions include donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine and vitamin E. These drugs act as cholinesterase inhibitors which prevent the disintegration of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger in the brain that is vital to memory and various thinking skills. Although the deterioration of nervous cells and tissue will continue, these treatments can slow the process.
Alzheimer's disease is an illness most can relate to. Whether you know someone suffering from the disease or a member of your own family has been affected, it is a subject that hits close to home. With the number of people with Alzheimer's rising, it is an epidemic that cannot be ignored. However with the treatments that exist now, the lives of those living with Alzheimer's can be affected positively and can aid them in living the rest of their life fully and comfortably. More so, with future technological developments and medical advances, we may one day see a cure.
Alzheimer's Association. 2006. 28 September 2006. http://www.alz.org.
National Institute on Aging. 29 August 2006. NIA. 28 September 2006. www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/adfact.htm .
Alzheimer's disease is an ever-growing disorder with many possible causes and few effective treatments. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, a disease which progressively diminishes and weakens the brain's ability to retain information, make judgments, use reasoning and execute common daily activities. Early onset of Alzheimer's can appear up to twenty years before it is officially diagnosed in a person, usually around the age of sixty.
The causes of Alzheimer's disease are varied and one definite cause does not exist. The biggest determining factor is the person’s age. Although people in their thirties and forties can have the disease, it is rare and usually doesn't occur until later in life. Family history of the disease is also very important. If relatives have contracted the disease, there is a greater chance for a person to get Alzheimer's. Genetics play a large role in carrying the risk factor for Alzheimer's. Although age and genetic predispositions are the major cause of this illness, accidental occurrences like head injuries can also lead to having this disease.
There are many warning signs to look for when diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. Significant memory loss, language problems, poor judgment, changes in mood or behavior, disorientation and loss of initiative are all red flags for the onset of this disease. As Alzheimer's progresses, a person suffers from anxiety, agitation and delusions or hallucinations. All of these symptoms occur due to the neurological degeneration as the brain endures cell death and tissue loss.
There are seven stages of Alzheimer's disease that outline the advancement of the illness. These stages were developed by Dr. Barry Reisberg and are recognized as the progression of the disease.
- Stage 1: No impairment
- Stage 2: Very mild decline
- Stage 3: Mild decline
- Stage 4: Moderate decline
- Stage 5: Moderately severe decline
- Stage 6: Severe decline
- Stage 7: Very severe decline
The first three stages are very similar involving lapses in memory such as forgetting where they left their keys or forgetting plans. Stage four is officially considered the early stage, where the person forgets recent events and cannot execute mathematical equations. The biggest change occurs in stage five where the person begins to forget things like their address, telephone number, and where they are. Stages six and seven are the advanced stages of the disease when the person needs help with things like going to the bathroom and eating. It is also in these late stages when they forget their spouse’s name, familiar faces, and even their own name.
To diagnose a patient with Alzheimer's, tests are performed to evaluate the patient's memory, problem solving abilities, language skills, and mathematical skills. In addition to these methods, doctors will take blood and urine samples, extract spinal fluid, and administer brain scans. With these tests and the patient's family history and genetic predisposition, a correct diagnosis of Alzheimer's is made ninety percent of the time.
A patient can live with Alzheimer's for a duration of three to twenty years after diagnosis. The disease will eventually progress from learning inabilities and memory loss to the loss of coordination and basic motor skills. If the patient does not suffer from any other illness, the loss of brain function eventually causes death.
Although there is no cure, Alzheimer's can be maintained and treated. Most treatments involve a cocktail of prescription drugs to aid in minimizing and stabilizing the disease. These prescriptions include donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine and vitamin E. These drugs act as cholinesterase inhibitors which prevent the disintegration of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger in the brain that is vital to memory and various thinking skills. Although the deterioration of nervous cells and tissue will continue, these treatments can slow the process.
Alzheimer's disease is an illness most can relate to. Whether you know someone suffering from the disease or a member of your own family has been affected, it is a subject that hits close to home. With the number of people with Alzheimer's rising, it is an epidemic that cannot be ignored. However with the treatments that exist now, the lives of those living with Alzheimer's can be affected positively and can aid them in living the rest of their life fully and comfortably. More so, with future technological developments and medical advances, we may one day see a cure.
Alzheimer's Association. 2006. 28 September 2006. http://www.alz.org.
National Institute on Aging. 29 August 2006. NIA. 28 September 2006. www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/adfact.htm .
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