Alzheimer's disease

What is Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease is a disease that attacks and destroys brain cells. This leads to problems with thinking, memory and behavior. It may even affect the patient's ability to work, to perform daily chores or to enjoy hobbies. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia which includes symptoms like loss of memory, thinking problems or change in behavior. About 5 percent of people between the ages of 65 and 74 have Alzheimer's disease, while nearly half the people over the age of 85 have the disease. In the United States, more than 5 million patients suffer from Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease gets worse over time and cannot be stopped. It usually leads to death within 7 to 10 years after the first symptoms begin to appear. Although there is no cure, current treatments may improve symptoms and make the lives of Alzheimer's disease patients and caregivers easier. Even though Alzheimer's disease patients tend to be older than 60 years of age, it should not be confused with normal memory problems that come with age. Alzheimer's disease is not part of the natural aging process, but is a severe disease that always progresses.

What are the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease usually starts with problems in remembering things, especially recently learned information. For example, patients might forget where they put their car keys or who just called on the phone. As the disease gets worse, they start asking the same questions over and over, and begin to forget appointments and conversations. After several years, patients are often no longer able to recognize family members, places or people they have known all of their lives.

Furthermore, patients may find completing daily tasks very difficult: they need more time getting dressed, they no longer know how to cook or understand a familiar recipe or they have problems handling money. They may put things in unusual places and no longer be able to find them.

Sometimes patients get confused with time or place. They forget where they are or how they got there. They may even feel lost in their own home because they are not able to recognize their surroundings.

When the disease has become more severe, patients may have difficulties having a conversation. They repeat themselves, have problems finding the right word or stop in the middle of the sentence because they do not know how to end it. Patients with Alzheimer's disease also often have problems with judgment and decision making. They spend money on unnecessary things or invest money in unreliable schemes. Things which have to be planned beforehand become more and more difficult and eventually impossible.

In advanced cases, the disease may also affect the person's mood and personality. Patients can experience various symptoms, including mood swings and depression. They are no longer able to trust others, even close family members. They are aggressive and may even completely withdraw from social life.

What are the causes and who is at risk for Alzheimer's disease?

As far as we know today, there is not one single cause responsible for Alzheimer's disease. Instead, it is believed several factors together play a complicated role in triggering the disease:

• Age: Alzheimer's disease usually affects people older than 65, and the older a person gets, the more likely it is he or she will develop the disease.
• Genetics: Although we do not know how, there is evidence that the genetic code of some people gives them a higher risk of developing the disease.
• Sex: Overall, more women than men suffer from Alzheimer's disease. This is mainly caused by the fact that women usually live longer than men.
• Head Injury: There is some evidence that a prior, severe blow to the head increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

However, it is important to understand that these factors only increase a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, but this does not mean that every 60 year old woman who has suffered a blow to the head, for example, will develop the disease.