overview
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that causes the brain to contract (atrophy) and brain cells to die. Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia – a persistent decline in thinking, behavioral, and social skills that affects a person’s ability to function independently.
- In the United States, approximately 5.8 million people aged 65 and over are living with Alzheimer’s. Of these, 80% are 75 and older. Of the around 50 million people with dementia worldwide, between 60% and 70% suffer from Alzheimer’s.
- The first signs of the disease are forgetting of recent events or conversations. As the disease progresses, a person with Alzheimer’s disease will develop severe memory impairment and lose the ability to perform daily tasksDementia, Alzheimer’s disease(Alzheimer’s disease) treatment hyderabad.
Symptom
Memory loss is the key symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. One of the first signs is difficulty remembering current events or conversations. As the disease progresses, impaired memory and other symptoms develop.
- First of all, a person with Alzheimer’s disease may be aware that they are having difficulty remembering things and organizing their thoughts. A family member or friend may be more likely to notice what the symptoms were like.Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease(Alzheimer’s disease) treatment hyderabad
The reasons
The exact causes of Alzheimer’s disease are not fully understood. Basically, however, brain proteins do not function normally, which disrupts the work of brain cells (neurons) and triggers a number of toxic events. Neurons become damaged, lose their connections with one another, and eventually die.
- Scientists believe that Alzheimer’s disease in most people is caused by a combination of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors that affect the brain over time.
- In less than 1% of cases, Alzheimer’s disease is caused by specific genetic changes that practically guarantee that a person will develop the disease. These rare events usually lead to the onset of the disease in middle age.Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease(Alzheimer’s disease) treatment hyderabad
Risk factors
Age
Age is the largest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging, but the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s increases as you get older.
For example, one study found that every year there were four new diagnoses per 1,000 people ages 65 to 74, 32 new diagnoses per 1,000 people ages 75 to 84, and 76 new diagnoses per 1,000 people ages 85 and older were.
Family history and genetics
Your risk of developing Alzheimer’s is slightly higher if a first-degree relative – your parents or siblings – has the disease. Most of the genetic mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease in families remain largely unexplained, and the genetic factors are likely to be complex.
A better understood genetic factor is some form of the apolipoprotein gene (APOE). A variant of the gene, APOE e4, increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Approximately 25% to 30% of the population have an APOE e4 allele, but not all people with this variant of the gene will develop the disease.
sex
There seems to be little difference in risk between men and women, but overall there are more women with the disease because they tend to live longer than men.
Slight cognitive impairment
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a decrease in memory or other thinking skills that is greater than normal for a person’s age. However, this decline does not prevent a person from working or working in social settings.Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease(Alzheimer’s disease) treatment hyderabad
Complications
Memory and speech loss, impaired judgment, and other cognitive changes caused by Alzheimer’s disease can make other health problems difficult to manage. A person with Alzheimer’s disease may not be able to:
Communicate that he or she is in pain
Explain the symptoms of another illness
Follow a prescribed treatment plan
Explain the side effects of medicationDementia, Alzheimer’s disease(Alzheimer’s disease) treatment hyderabad
Prevention
Alzheimer’s disease is not a preventable disease. However, a number of lifestyle risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease can be changed. There is evidence that changes in diet, exercise, and habits – measures to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease – can also lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s diseaseDementia, Alzheimer’s disease(Alzheimer’s disease) treatment hyderabad