WHAT IS ALZHEIMERS DISEASE ?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by profound memory loss. The patient cannot remember what he/she had for lunch or whether he/she had lunch. The patient may forget how to handle money or may get lost going to work or church. The patient can look quite healthy. Yet in the end stages of the disease, the patient must be cared for as one cares for a child. The burden of care is with the family, usually the spouse.
Alzheimer’s disease is an illness that kills neurons in the brain, robbing people of important functions, including memory and the ability to perform activities of daily living, such as eating, drinking, and grooming. It may also cause apathy and depression and behavioral problems such as wandering. Some 4 million people in the United States are affected by Alzheimer’s disease—one in every ten people over 65 and close to half of all people over 85. More women than men are affected. Some people with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease may be at greater risk of experiencing the disease. A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease has a huge impact on family and friends. Everyone who cares for a person with Alzheimer’s feels the effects of the disease, emotionally, physically, and even financially. Society in general is strongly affected. The U.S. cost of dealing with Alzheimer’s disease approaches 100 billion dollars every year. It’s the third most costly disease, just behind heart disease an
Alzheimers disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. It is marked by progressive, and at present, irreversible, declines in certain cognitive functions. These impairments may include declines in memory, time and space orientation, abstract thinking, the ability to learn and carry out mathematical calculations, language and communication skills, and the performance of routine tasks.
Alzheimer’s disease (pronounced Alz-hi-merz) is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking and behavior. It affects an estimated 4 million American adults. When it was first diagnosed by German physician Alois Alzheimer in 1907, Alzheimer’s disease was considered a rare disorder. Today, it is recognized as the most common cause of dementia. Estimates are that nearly 5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and by some estimates, nearly twice that many people who have the disease but have not been diagnosed.Alzheimer’s disease is distinguished from other forms of dementia by characteristic changes in the brain that are visible only upon microscopic examination. Another characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease is the reduced production of certain brain chemicals, especially acetylcholine, but also including norepinephrine, serotonin and soma-tostatin.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. It involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. Alzheimer’s damages a person’s ability to reason, remember, speak, perform simple calculations, and carry out routine tasks. Over time, patients also may become anxious or aggressive or wander away from home. In the later stages, they may forget how to do basic tasks, like brushing their teeth or dressing themselves. Eventually, patients need total care.
