Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative brain condition marked by dementia or memory loss, behavioural abnormalities, and loss of cognitive thinking. Eventually, the condition becomes severe and interferes with daily activities. The condition is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who was the first to identify some alterations in the brain's tissues in a woman who passed away from an uncommon mental ailment, including amyloid plaques (abnormal aggregates) and neurofibrillary (tangled bundles of fibres).

Signs and Symptoms

Following are the signs and symptoms for Alzheimer’s disease:

• One of the first indicators of Alzheimer's disease is often mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is defined by memory issues that get worse with age. The person may lose items more frequently, forget appointments, struggle to find the right phrases to use when speaking to others, etc., but they are still able to carry out their daily tasks on their own at this stage.

• Maintaining equilibrium when walking is difficult.

• Issues with vision, sense of smell, etc.

• Impaired reasoning.

• Having trouble in concentrating.

• Not able to identify the numbers.

• Forgetting names of family and friends.

• Not capable of completing even he simple activities.

• Mood swings.

• Depression

•  Irritability

• Social withdrawal

Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

The different stages of Alzheimer’s disease include:

• Mild Alzheimer’s Disease

Brain cell loss causes the brain to function less effectively. Memory and cognitive issues get worse as the disease advances. The person frequently asks the same questions, is unable to manage money, becomes agitated, struggles to comprehend what others are saying, and takes longer than usual to do routine tasks. They also have a tendency to walk away from home and may become lost trying to find their way back.

• Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease

Complex brain alterations aggravate memory loss and cognitive challenges. Language, thinking, sensory processing, and other areas are also impacted. The person has trouble learning new things, is confused, unable to recognise relatives and friends, exhibits impulsive behaviour, is delusional or believes in things that are not true, is paranoid or feels threatened, etc.

• Severe Alzheimer’s Disease

People become fully reliant on a caregiver and may become bedridden as the body gradually shuts down as a result of the considerable shrinking of the brain tissue and the spreading of the tangled bundles of fibre and amyloid plaques around the brain. Visit the Neurology center in India on priority to get treated on time.

Early-onset Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer's disease typically affects older persons 65 and older. However, it can occasionally affect persons younger than 65 and is known as early-onset Alzheimer's or younger-onset Alzheimer's disease. The condition advances similarly to the usual form of Alzheimer's that primarily affects older people. The signs of Alzheimer's disease can appear in some people as early as their 30s, 40s, or 50s due to genetic factors that are directly linked to the illness's development. Early signs of mental illness can include amnesia, repetition of the same actions, difficulty making timely payments on bills, eyesight issues, poor judgement, social disengagement, sadness, mood swings, etc. The progression of the disease can be effectively slowed with medications, by managing the underlying medical conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, etc., regular physical activity, consumption of a balanced diet, etc., if these symptoms are identified at their earliest stages.

Alzheimer Vs Other Dementias

While dementia is a generic word used to describe a decline in a person's cognitive abilities, including memory loss, reasoning, and thinking skills and encompasses Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimer's disease is a specific condition. Damage to brain cells linked to communication skills causes dementia. among the various dementias are:

• Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative, progressive brain condition that causes memory loss.

• Vascular dementia is characterised by issues with blood flow to the brain as a result of a stroke and frequently coexists with Alzheimer's disease.

• As the brain nerve cells die, there are chances of development of Lewy body disease.

• Progressive brain damage to the frontal and temporal lobes causes frontotemporal dementia.

• Alcohol-related dementia, which affects memory, learning, and other mental functions, develops as a result of heavy alcohol use.

• Side effects of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome are HIV-associated dementia (AIDS).

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

Medical history of the patient is examined, and numerous tests are run to evaluate cognitive impairment, thinking abilities, reasoning, behavioural changes, etc., as well as to rule out other possible causes of dementia. The behaviour may also be the subject of interviews with patient’s family and friends. The diagnostic approach for Alzheimer’s disease include: 

• Physical and neurological exam

Your doctor will assess your mobility—for example, your capacity to traverse the room and sit in a chair. In order to evaluate your neurological health, your reflexes, muscle strength, muscle tone, and ability to maintain balance and coordination are also tested.

• Blood tests

To rule out other possible reasons of memory loss and disorientation, a blood sample is analysed for vitamin shortages, thyroid conditions, etc.

• Mental status and neuropsychological testing

Your cognitive abilities are assessed using mental status exams and other in-depth assessments, and the results are used to determine the level of cognitive impairment.

• Brain-imaging tests

Brain scans are used to measure the gradual degeneration of the brain caused by Alzheimer's disease (MRI, CT scan, PET scan, etc). In order to rule out further causes of dementia, such as stroke, haemorrhages, brain tumours, etc., brain scans are very helpful.

Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease

The major goals of treating Alzheimer's disease are to delay the illness's course, manage cognitive decline, and enhance the patient's quality of life. Following are the treatment for Alzheimer’s disease:

• In addition to maintaining cognitive function and treating behavioural issues, medications are used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. These drugs control neurotransmitters, slow the disease's course, and lessen behavioural symptoms.

• By increasing cell-to-cell communication, cholinesterase inhibitors are used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders including depression.

• Memantine slows the growth of the illness and improves the network of communication between brain cells.

• Supplements like vitamin E, Omega-3 fatty acids, melatonin, and others may help control symptoms like insomnia and reduce the spread of the condition.

• It's crucial to provide a friendly environment for someone who has Alzheimer's disease. A crucial component of care is adapting measures such installing door sensors, monitoring medication compliance, walking beside the patient outside, setting up financial support for the treatment, etc.

Causes of Alzheimer’s Disease

The degenerative brain illness Alzheimer's disease is thought to be brought on by a combination of environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors that have an impact on the brain. Rarely, the disease is brought on by certain genetic mutations. Alzheimer's disease may develop as a result of underlying medical disorders including diabetes, hypertension, or stroke. Years prior to the development of symptoms, the memory-controlling portion of the brain is already damaged. Book an appointment at our Best neuro hospital in India to know more about the treatment procedure.

Risk factors related to Alzheimer’s Disease

Following are the risk factors responsible for Alzheimer’s Disease:

• Age

Although Alzheimer's disease primarily affects older individuals, it is not a natural component of ageing.

• Family history

The likelihood of you developing Alzheimer's is high if your parents or siblings do.

• Down’s syndrome

Alzheimer's disease is a risk factor for Down's syndrome patients and is connected to the extra copy of chromosome 21.

• Gender

Compared to men, more women are said to have Alzheimer's disease.

• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

MCI patients experience symptoms including memory loss and thinking difficulty and are at an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

• Head trauma

Dementia and Alzheimer's disease can be brought on by a serious head injury or traumatic brain injury, especially in elderly individuals. Within six months to two years following the head injury, the risk could increase.

• Other factors, such as air pollution, alcohol misuse, lack of sleep, an inactive lifestyle, etc., might hasten the onset of Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and other neurological and brain alterations.