Progression Of Alzheimer's

Alzheimer’s is a disease in the brain that affects a person’s memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common form of dementia and is common in adults older than 65. More than five million Americans are being affected by Alzheimer’s at this moment. Alzheimer’s comes in three stages; early, middle, and advanced. The disease is caused by the shrinking of the brain due to many risk factors and genetics.

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that accounts for sixty to seventy percent of Dementia cases. It is characterized by the development of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, the loss of connection between neurons in the brain and the death of nerve cells. There are two types of Alzheimer’s Early on-set Alzheimer’s which occur from the ages of thirty to sixty is very rare and makes up less than five percent of the cases of Alzheimer’s . The second type is Late on-set Alzheimer’s which is the most common type and it is found in those of ages sixty and up. The progression of Alzheimer’s is a lengthy progress from the time of diagnosis the average life expectancy is three to nine years. In the early stages people have difficulty with short term memory loss as the disease progresses symptoms include difficulties with language, disorientation, mood swings, loss of motivation, loss of self-care and behavioral issues. As Alzheimer’s progresses a person slowly withdraws from family life and society due to the jumbled state of their memory. On a physical level the body’s physical function slowly degenerates and eventually leads to death.

First, who is affected. Alzheimer’s disease is common in individuals older than 65 years of age. About 1 out of every 8 people who are 65 years of age or older have the disease. If that number is not staggering enough, nearly half the people 85 years old and up are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. According to previously stated website Family Doctor, Alzheimer’s, however, can also occur in people who are younger than 65 years of age. This is known as early onset Alzheimer’s. Early onset Alzheimer’s is not very common as stated in by Alzheimer’s Fact Sheets February 27th, 2017 article, “which represents less than 5 percent of all people with

Alzheimer’s disease gradually develops over a period of years and can last decades. The disease itself can be broken down into three main stages: the early stage, the moderate stage, and the severe stage. Each of the three stages exhibits a progression of the symptoms from the prior stage. In the first stage, the early stage, most patients generally have difficulty finding the right words, take a longer time to react, and struggle with short term memory loss (Alzheimer’s Disease). This stage can last anywhere from two to four years and is often when the disease is first diagnosed in

The first stage is stage one and these people have no impairment. This early in the disease they have no memory problems or at least any that are apparent to their caregivers or loved ones. In stage two, the person has very mild cognitive decline, which many would put along with “getting older”, these are known the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Some forgetful things that someone in stage two might display would be frequently forgetting where they put their personal belongings such as their purse or eyeglasses. In stage three people suffering from this disease will have mild cognitive decline, which could include problems remembering things or problems concentrating in situations such as a test or during a medical interview. Some more obvious symptoms that a loved one might recognize in stage three would be a personality change where the person seems to want to be alone or withdraw, being unable to recall current events or major historical milestones and difficulty performing tasks such as paying bills or

Alzheimer’s Dementia has seven stages. Stage one is no impairment or normal function. Stage two is very mild cognitive decline. This stage can be the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s or age-related changes such as forgetfulness. Stage three is mild cognitive decline. This is when doctors can diagnose the beginnings of Alzheimer’s. Common stage three difficulties include trouble remembering names, greater difficulty completing or staying on task, and increased trouble with organizing and planning. Stage four is moderate cognitive decline. Symptoms in this stage become more clear such as forgetting recent events, becoming moody or withdrawn, and greater ability to perform complex tasks. Stage five is moderately severe cognitive decline or mid-stage Alzheimer’s. During this stage the patient may not be able to remember his or her address or telephone number and become confused about where he or she is and what day it is. The patient will still be able remember significant details about his or her family and past. Stage six is severe cognitive decline. During this stage memory continues to worsen and personality changes may begin to take place. This stage also includes wandering, changes in sleep patterns, incontinence, and remembering names of family members. The final stage is seven: very severe decline or late-stage Alzheimer’s. In this final stage the patient will lose his or her ability to respond, have a

Main reason for cognition decline could be buildup of plaque and dysfunctional proteins in the brain interfering with neuronal function. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease that accounts for more than 60 % of all dementia cases. The disease is characterized by cognitive deficits and memory loss through a process that lead to the presence of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). This plaque is composed of abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau protein in the brain. Amyloid beta (Aβ or Abeta) is a peptide of 36–43 amino acids, forms amyloid plaques in the brain and are toxic to nerve cells. These peptides result from the amyloid precursor protein (APP), which is cleaved

What is Alzheimer’s disease? How does it affect our lives? In today’s world, people may have a family member or simply a friend that has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It is essential that people are educated about the definition, origin, effect, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease because it is so much more than just memory loss.

The first stage of Alzheimer’s is considered to be mild. According to the Alzheimer’s Association “the most common symptom of early Alzheimer’s is difficulty remembering newly learned information, because Alzheimer’s changes typically begin in that part of the brain that affects learning” (What is Alzheimer’s). There are other symptoms that are associated with mild Alzheimer’s such as “memory loss, hard time completing everyday tasks, confusion about dates and times, problem speaking and/ or writing…” (10 Early Signs and Symptoms). One might even be less involved at home or at work than usual, and have a change in behavior. Another symptom that people with mild Alzheimer’s may get as a result of the disease progressing is the lack of memorization of names and increasing grammar problems. At first they will be little

Almost everyone has experienced the situation where he sees someone familiar, but cannot think of that person’s name, or he has shopped in a mall and cannot remember where the car is parked. Anyone over the age of sixty-five would probably panic, fearing that he has Alzheimer’s disease, since age is a huge risk factor related to memory loss. He may ask himself, “Is something wrong with me, or am I just getting old?” Much of our population is terrified of developing Alzheimer’s disease or of watching a loved one slowly and gradually fade away. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is when the brain loses the ability to function mostly in keeping short-term memories, progressing to lack of cognitive function, and eventually causing death (Atkins, 2008, pp. 3).

The first symptom noticeable in the early mid stage of Alzheimer’s disease is memory loss (Caring concepts, 25). The rest of the brain works normally, however, so the person still moves, and feels things, sees, hears, and integrates information. The process of judgment, reasoning, and social skills are still normal. In the beginning stage of the disease process, probably no one will be aware of the problem. The person will appear normal and never consult a

These relate to the age at which the disease first manifests itself. The occasion of early-onset is much lower than that of late-onset. There is a 10% occurrence rate for persons over the age of sixty-five, and a 50% occurrence rate for those over age eighty five. Late-onset Alzheimer's is often confused with senility due to old-age. This also makes diagnosis difficult for older patients. However Alzheimer's is not an inevitable part of the aging process, unlike a certain amount of senility. It can be helped and with new research may be prevented.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive mental deterioration that can happen in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain. Alzheimer’s disease is one form of dementia that gets harmful over time. Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with other diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Scientists believe that Alzheimer’s disease results from genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors that impact the brain. Alzheimer’s disease damages and kills brain cells and it also leads to brain shrinkage. In the brain tissue there are two types of abnormalities that are considered toward the disease, Plaques and Tangles. Plaques are clumps of proteins that may hurt and destroy brain cells. Tangles are a system that requires the normal structure and functioning of a protein. There are many symptoms when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease. For example, memory, you forget conversations you had, misplace possessions, and eventually will forget the names of everyday objects and family members. Overtime you forget how to speak, write, and think. There are also changes in the personality such as depression, anxiety, mood swings, changes in sleeping habits, and even wandering. There are two drugs that are used to slow down the process of Alzheimer’s since they have not found a cure. The first drug is called Cholinesterase Inhibitors, which is a drug for boosting levels of a cell-to-cell communication. The second drug is called Memantine, which works with another brain

Alzheimer’s disease is a very slowly progressive disease that occurs inside the brain in which is characterized by damage of memory. Also this type of disease can lead into interruption in language, problem solving, planning and perception. The chance of a person developing Alzheimer’s disease increases enormously after the age of 70 (Crystal, 2009). Also people who are over the age of 85 have over a 50 percent chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This type of disease is not at all normal in the aging process and is also not something that happens out of no where in a person’s life.

Often times this disease has been called “the long good-bye” because the symptoms progress so gradually. Most often the disease shows itself in the elderly around the age of about eighty, and is rarely seen in people under the age of sixty-five. One of the characteristics of this disease that makes it so hard for scientists to find a cure, are the numerous factors that present themselves in different patients. It seems as if no two cases of Alzheimer’s can be exactly alike.