Overview

Alzheimer’s is a neurological disorder that affects the brain. It causes the brain to shrink and damages the memory, thinking and behavior of an individual to the extent that the person is unable to carry out simple tasks in life. It is said to be a progressive disease which means it worsens over the period of time. As the symptoms aggravate, individuals having Alzheimer’s have severe memory impairment, have difficulty in communicating and responding to their environment.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s are more evident to the people around the individual having the disease and not to the person itself. The most noticeable symptom of Alzheimer’s is memory loss and forgetting recent information like events or conversations. As people age, their thinking gets slow but individuals who have Alzheimer’s have memory loss at a higher rate as the brain cells beg into die.

The disease misaligns a person mentally and these people have difficulty in everyday tasks such as driving a car, cooking, or paying bills. They get disoriented and may repeat the questions over and over again, lose things easily and find even simple things confusing. Alzheimer’s causes deep confusion, severe memory loss, mood and behavioral changes, suspicion about family and friends, difficulty in speaking, swallowing, walking, bowel and bladder control.

Causes and Risk Factors

The exact cause of Alzheimer’s is unknown but according to research it is caused by the abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells. Over time, different areas of the brain shrink affecting the learning part of the brain first.

The biggest risk factor is increasing age and mostly people above the age of 60 are diagnosed with it. But Alzheimer’s is not specific to old age, it can be found in young people too. In addition, if someone in your family has Alzheimer’s, the risk of the condition being passed on is higher. Other than that, people who have Down syndrome, cardiovascular disease, poor lifestyle or have suffered a head injury have chances of developing the disease.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is complex. The doctor will perform a physical examination to check blood pressure, heart rate and temperature. He will also assess the overall neurological health by testing reflexes, muscle strength, balance and coordination. The doctor may administer memory and thinking skill to diagnose the disease along with questioning the individual to explain the symptoms himself.

The only definitive way to diagnose someone with Alzheimer’s disease is after death when the brain tissues can be examined closely.  

Treatment

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s but some treatments temporarily slow the progression of the disease to improve the quality of life for the individuals having Alzheimer’s. If someone is having problems with memory loss then they should see a doctor immediately. If the disease is left untreated, it can cause complications in brain function such as dehydration, malnutrition or infection and eventually result in death.

Therefore, early diagnosis and intervention can help manage the symptoms for individuals to cope with Alzheimer's disease to maximize function and maintain independence for a time.

Conclusion

Alzheimer is a complicated disease and each person’s journey with the disease is different. Some people having the disease live a long life with mild cognitive damage, while others experience severe symptoms and quicker disease progression.

According to researchers, nutritious food, exercise, sleep, socializing and other positive aspects of life are good preventive medicine for Alzheimer’s. The key is to keep the brain and body healthy. Small changes in life style and habits to some degree can prevent or delay the risk of having Alzheimer’s disease.