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Understanding Alzheimer's Disease

Early Signs, Symptoms, Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment

Aug 9, 2009 Roxanne Blanford

While some memory loss and mild cognitive impairment may be routine for the elderly, these symptoms might also indicate a more serious problem. Learn what can be done.

People are living longer than ever before and as the general population ages, many conditions associated with getting older have become more apparent. One such condition is Alzheimer's Disease. Alzheimer's Disease, or AD, is a progressively debilitating, and presently incurable, neurological illness. The onset is often gradual and eventually impairs not just memory and cognitive functions, but also drastically affects the full range of normal, physical abilities associated with living. The harsh reality is that while there are various treatments available to slow its progression and minimize some of the symptoms, Alzheimer's Disease is ultimately fatal.

Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

For some seniors, the disease may manifest itself with mild, intermittent instances of forgetfulness or absent mindedness. As the illness develops, more serious signs appear. These include:

Mental confusion (forgetting conversations, repeating questions, lack of focus, inability to comprehend complex instructions, getting lost)
Loss of physical coordination (difficulty standing for extended periods of time, trouble walking, frequent falls, diminished overall strength)
Emotional instability (outbursts of anger, being easily irritated, inappropriate behaviors, decreased sense of humor or excessive laughter, depression)
Generalized disorientation (not recognizing loved ones, not recognizing familiar places, forgetting recent events, not knowing where one is, or not understanding how one came to be where one is at the moment)

Diagnosis and Treatment with Aricept, Exelon Patch

If incidences of memory impairment and cognitive changes increase, doctors may make a diagnosis of AD. Alzheimer's involves various stages of dementia, along with a generalized loss of cognitive, thinking skills. In time, individuals suffering from this ailment will lose most of the ability to perform normal, daily activities on their own, and sometimes hospitalization or constant medical care may be required.

In diagnosing Alzheimer's, doctors study many factors to make a final determination. Aspects of behavior, looking for evidence of brain and physical degeneration, and studying brain imaging scans may contribute to a definitive diagnosis. Once a diagnosis has been reached, treatment may commence, usually in the form of counseling, physical therapy, and/or medicinal intervention, such as Aricept or the newer Exelon patch.

Keeping the Brain Healthy and Fit

While there is at this time, no cure for AD, there are simple methods anyone can carry out which can help maintain mental agility and fight the possible onset of dementia:

Exercise the brain: Read, work with puzzles, play word games, or learn a new skill. All these things can help challenge the brain, grow neurons, and prevent memory loss.
Exercise the body: The body-mind connection is a strong one. A fit, vibrant body increases blood flow to the brain, and keeps them both healthy and sound.
Don't smoke or drink to excess: Limiting alcohol and tobacco consumption can boost memory since brain cells will not be killed off as quickly.
Stay involved with friends and family: Social activity and connections with people ease stress and may help to fortify the brain.
Eat healthy and eat smart: A healthy diet, rich in green vegetables, omega-3, and olive oil has the potential to keep the mind sharp and alert.
Manage blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels: Medical research is continually linking brain deterioration with blood disorders, so any measures that seek to maintain healthy blood would benefit memory loss prevention over time.

Medical researchers are continually seeking new treatments and potential cures for Alzheimer's. In the meantime, everyone should learn more about the disease and take the necessary steps to forestall its onset.

The copyright of the article Understanding Alzheimer's Disease in General Medicine is owned by Roxanne Blanford. Permission to republish Understanding Alzheimer's Disease in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Human Brain

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Comments

Aug 9, 2009 7:44 PM

Guest :

In addition to the puzzles and learning new skills, there are some <a href="http://www.60secondbraingame.com/?utm_source=BC">brain challenges</a> that are designed to test the memory and brain for a fitness level. Doing things like this consistently helps to slow down memory loss, but also lets you catch early signs of potential brain conditions.

Aug 10, 2009 3:51 PM

Guest :

Current therapies treat the symptoms associated with Alzheimer's, not the disease itself. Clinical studies that test potential new treatments are the best chance we have for fighting this disease. Patients and families affected by Alzheimer’s can visit www.icarastudy.com to see if they’re eligible to enroll in the ICARA Study, whose goal is to explore if an investigational drug, called bapineuzumab, can help slow the progression of Alzheimer's.

2 Comments