What is Alzheimer’s? Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder named for German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906.  Alzheimer’s is a common and serious brain disease. More than 5 million Americans now have Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is a disease that destroys brain cells, hampers communication between neurons and seriously impairs a person’s ability to function. Memory, language and thought are particularly affected.

Alzheimer’s is a slow, progressive deterioration of the brain that takes place over many years. During this time, the basic components of the brain, known as neurons, are damaged and destroyed, and as a result, the brain shrinks. In particular, the brains of people with an advanced form of the disease become filled with clumps and plaques of “guck” called beta-amyloids, and “tangles” of toxic protein called tau.

Alzheimer’s disease is actually part of a more common malady referred to as dementia. But about 60 to 80-percent of all dementia is some form of Alzheimer’s disease. Although it’s basic features are similar, there are actually several variations of Alzheimer’s disease, so it can’t be said to be a single disease.

One of the main effects of Alzheimer’s disease is loss of memory, and it’s well-known that memory is associated with the neurons. In many ways, these neurons are like transmission lines that carry tiny electrical currents. In Alzheimer’s disease, neurons (and the connections between them) become coated with guck called beta-amyloid. The neurons that are mainly affected are in the parts of the brain known as the hippocampus and frontal cortex.

Facts About Alzheimer’s

• Almost two thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease are women.
• 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
• Alzheimer’s and other dementias cost the nation $226 billion per year.
• Due to the physical and emotional toll of caregiving, Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers had $9.7 billion in additional health care costs of their own in 2014.
• As the population of the United States ages, Alzheimer’s is becoming a more common cause of death.

• Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. The term “dementia” describes a loss of mental ability associated with gradual death of brain cells.
• There are an estimated 5.3 million Americans of all ages with Alzheimer’s disease.
• An estimated 5.1 million people are age 65 and older, and approximately 200,000 individuals are under the age of 65.
• Every 67 seconds someone in the US develops the disease.
• It is the only cause of death in the US top 10 that cannot be prevented, cured or slowed.

Signs Of Alzheimer’s

Confusion

Patients are said to display no sense of direction, which causes them to easily get lost in any place that they once knew quite well.

Disorientation

This covers the patient’s inability to perform even the mundane tasks such as shaving and cooking. This is why some patients are observed to also lose knowledge in personal hygiene. They tend to be disoriented, forgetting even how to tend to their own needs.

Strange Behavior

The patient is also susceptible in forgetting where a particular object is placed or should be placed. Some patients are observed to place their toothbrush inside the refrigerator or a carton of juice under the sink.

Repetition

The patient may repeat stories again and again, even every single word of them. The person may also repeatedly ask the same questions even after you have answered them already.

Loss Of Memory

Older memories may not be erased, but the more recent experiences, dates or events only. It is normal for anyone to momentarily forget what has just recently transpired, but a patient with this disorder could forget everything.

Language Difficulty

Sometimes it happens that we forget about a particular word or term, but affected individuals will typically have difficulty remembering even the most common words. Their speech may also be affected as you can hear them speaking in a distorted manner that is not easy to follow or understand.

Change In Personality

Mood swings are common in Alzheimer’s patients. They can be very emotional too; showing anger or sadness and other emotions suddenly even when there are no apparent reasons for the outburst. They might also show signs of doubt even toward a family member.

Medications For Alzheimer’s

Memantine (Namenda). This drug works in another brain cell communication network and slows the progression of symptoms with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. It’s sometimes used in combination with a cholinesterase inhibitor. Side effects may include constipation, dizziness and headache.

Cholinesterase inhibitors. These drugs work by boosting levels of a cell-to-cell communication by providing a neurotransmitter (acetylcholine) that is depleted in the brain by Alzheimer’s disease. The improvement is modest. Cholinesterase inhibitors can improve neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as agitation or depression, as well.

Commonly prescribed cholinesterase inhibitors include donepezil (Aricept), galantamine (Razadyne) and rivastigmine (Exelon). The main side effects of these drugs include diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite and sleep disturbances. In people with cardiac conduction disorders, serious side effects may include a slow heart rate and heart block.