Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease

In 1906, a German Physician by the name of Dr. Alois Alzheimer’s first noticed signs of a mental disorder which has come to be known as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). AD is a progressive brain disorder that involves the parts of the brain that control thoughts, memories, and language. It also affects a person’s ability to learn reason, make proper judgments, and even carry out daily activities. Although AD is becoming more and more common among older individuals it is not a normal part of aging. Alzheimer’s disease affects ten percent of men and women between the ages of 65 and 74 and fifty percent of all individuals 85 and older. Although the disease varies from person to person, a person with AD can live on average eight to ten years after diagnosis. To date AD effects approximately 4.5 million Americans and is estimated to exceed 13 million by the year 2050.

Through the year’s scientist have, however, been able to classify Alzheimer’s into three basic stages. In the first, and most basic stage, we see forgetfulness of recent events, activities, and/or names. Moving into the second stage there is forgetfulness of simple daily tasks such as brushing your teeth, bathing, and combing your hair. This stage is much more obvious to family members and close friends. A person in this stage will also have problems speaking, understanding, reading, and writing. In the third and final stage of AD a person is not themselves anymore. They have almost no recollection of family and friends. They experience anxious and aggressive behaviors. It is in this stage approximately seventy percent of AD individuals will wonder off and not be able to find their way back. After twenty-four hours there is only a fifty percent chance for survival due to weather, crime, and/or health. As you can see it is in stage three that a person with AD now requires around the clock care.

The only sure diagnosis is to do an autopsy to find signs of plaques and tangles in the brain. Still doctors can make a determination of ninety percent accuracy by performing brain scans, retrieving medical history, and performing memory tests. It is believed that genetics play an important role in Alzheimer’s disease. In a rare form of AD known as ‘Familial AD’ which occurs between ages thirty and sixty we know that it is inherited. However, in the more common form of AD there is no obvious inheritance; it has been related to one factor gene. It is the gene that produces the protein apolipopritein (ApoE), which carries cholesterol in the blood.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but if the disease is caught in the early stages there are medications that can be taken to slow down the effects. Medications such as Tacrine (Cognex),