Alzheimer's Disease - A Brain of Clumps and Plaques

What is Alzheimer's disease? Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a condition in which the brain slowly shrivels and dies. Nerve cells in the brain stop working, and brain signals that are essential for life do not function properly. Although some people believe that dementia and decline in the later years are inevitable, geriatricians—who study and treat diseases of older adults—strongly disagree. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are considered illnesses and are not part of normal aging.

People with AD gradually lose judgment, thinking, and reasoning ability, or cognition. Personality and behavior change. The person may become anxious, agitated, and delusional. The progressive loss of intellectual abilities is called dementia. As the disease progresses, the individual needs help in all phases of life, including bathing, eating, and using the restroom. Families and friends of people with AD are especially affected. Seeing their loved ones change from the person they once knew to a stranger is emotionally devastating. Most scientists now agree that AD is a genetic disease. They have located the genes that may cause some kinds of early- onset AD. Researchers throughout the world are working on connections between the environment and genetics in the many types of dementia.

There are three basic types of Alzheimer’s disease:

1. Early- onset AD is a rare form of the disease that afflicts people younger than 65. Less than 10% of people with AD have this type. Memory loss,behavior changes, and premature aging characterizethis type.
2. Late- onset AD, the most common form, accountsfor about 90% of cases and usually occurs afterage 65. Geneticists are working hard to make the connection between genes and AD. There are severalsuspect genes.
3. Familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD). This form is inherited. In affected families, at least two generations
   have had the condition. FAD is rare andaccounts for less than 1% of all cases of AD. People may display symptoms of FAD as early as age 40.

Here are 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's (source: http://www.alz.org) :

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life.
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems.
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure.
4. Confusion with time or place.
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships.
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing.
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.
8. Decreased or poor judgment.
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities.
10. Changes in mood and personality.