Alzheimers

Dementia is an overall term for diseases and conditions characterized by a decline in memory or other thinking skills that affects a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.

Dementia is caused by damage to nerve cells in the brain, which are called neurons. As a result of the damage, neurons can no longer function normally and may die. This, in turn, can lead to changes in one’s memory, behavior a and ability to think clearly. In Alzheimer’s disease, the damage to and death of neurons eventually impair one’s ability to carry out basic bodily functions such as walking and swallowing. People in the final stages of the disease are 

bed-bound and require around the clock care.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease was first identified more than100 years ago, but research into its symptoms, causes, risk factors and treatment has gained momentum only in the last 30 years. Although research has revealed a  great deal about Alzheimer’s, much is yet to be discovered about the precise biologic changes that cause Alzheimer’s, why it progresses at different rates among affected individuals, and how the disease can be prevented, slowed or stopped.

Symptoms

Alzheimer’s disease affects people in different ways. The most common initial symptom is a gradually worsening ability to remember new information. This occurs because the first neurons to malfunction and die are usually neurons in brain regions involved in forming new memories. As neurons in other parts of the brain malfunction and die, individuals experience other difficulties. The following are common symptoms of Alzheimer’s:

• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
• New problems with word in speaking or writing
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace  steps
• Decreased or poor judgment
• Withdrawal from work or social activities
• Changes in mood and personality, including apathy  and depression.

• Memory loss that disrupts daily life.
• Challenges in planning or solving problems.

• Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure.

• Confusion with time or place
• For more information about symptoms of Alzheimer’s, visit www.alz.org/10signs