Learning To Understand Alzheimer’s Disease
What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s currently has no cure. It is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer’s Disease was named for the German physician, Alois Alzheimer, who first described the disease in 1906. The number of people with this brain disorder is growing rapidly.
Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells, In turn, this causes problems with thinking, memory, and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s not only destroys the memory, however, it also is a progressive and fatal disease.
Now surpassing diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease has become the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States.
Even more chilling facts about Alzheimer’s:
- As many as 5.2 million people are already living with Alzheimer’s in the United States.
- 10 million baby boomers, in their lifetime, will develop Alzheimer’s.
- Someone develops Alzheimer’s every 71 seconds.
- Between both direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer’s and other dementias to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion each year.
Of these, perhaps the most surprising fact is that people are getting diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at much earlier ages now. Just last year, over 500,000 people under 65 years of age were diagnosed, and even more startling, some of those were in their 20’s and 30’s.
What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease
Our brains age with the rest of our body as we get older, but the brain of someone with Alzheimer’s shows far greater changes than usual.
To start with, consider that the brain has 100 billion nerve cells (neurons). Each nerve cell communicates with many others to form networks. These networks each have special jobs. Some networks are used for learning and remembering. Other networks are used for thinking. Some networks work to help us hear, see and smell, while still other networks control our muscle movement.
These nerve cell networks each work like a tiny factory. They take in supplies, generate energy, make something and get rid of the waste produced. They also must process and store information.
For whatever reason, in people with Alzheimer’s the nerve networks cell factories quit working correctly. When one part of the system breaks down, it produces a domino affect and other parts have problems as well. The cells eventually can no longer do their job and die.
Even though the process isn’t totally understood yet by scientists, there are two prime suspects for this sabotage.
- Between the nerve cells there is a build up of plaques. They contain deposits of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid (BAY-tuh AM-uh-loyd).
- Tangles are twisted fibers. They are made of another protein called tau (rhymes with “cow”). The tangles are found forming inside dying cells.
Most people develop some plaques and tangles as they age, but those with Alzheimer’s tend to develop far more than usual. Starting with areas important in learning and memory and then spreading to other regions, the plaques and tangles tend to form in a predictable pattern.Somehow, it’s believed, these plaques and tangles block communication among nerve cells and disrupt activities that cells need to survive.
Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
A list of warning signs has been developed by The Alzheimer’s Association. They include the following:
- Memory loss.
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks.
- Problems with language.
- Disorientation to time and place.
- Judgment decreased or poor.
- Having trouble with abstract thinking.
- Putting things in the wrong place.
- Mood or behavior changes.
- Changes in personality.
- A loss of initiative.
For a more complete explanation of the warning signs, visit The Alzheimer’s Association’s website.
It’s important part of caring for your health to learn about Alzheimer’s, how it affects people and what signs to look for, plus keep up with the latest health news. Considering younger people are getting this disease, it’s never too early to learn about Alzheimer’s!
Posted: October 31st, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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