The Comprehensive Guide to Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease that affects some 50 million people around the world. Due to the terribly massive reach of this affliction, it’s very uncommon for a person to go through life without being affected by it, whether directly or through interpersonal relationships with sufferers or caregivers.

That’s why it’s important to be fully aware of the way in which Alzheimer’s works, which is why we created this comprehensive guide, which will inform you about every aspect of this disease, as well as how you can effectively prevent and manage it.
 

We will continue to update this page with new studies and research information, as well as personal cases and examples. Please visit us here again to check for updates.

What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?

 Alzheimer’s is a disease that forms within a sufferer’s brain, and which slowly begins to impact their memory and thinking skills. In the long run, Alzheimer’s usually ends up impacting a person's ability to carry out even the simplest of tasks, such as eating and speaking and will inevitably drastically reduce their quality of life and cause them to become dependent on others.

Most sufferers of Alzheimer’s are over the age of 65, and the risk of getting it increases as you age. However, it’s important to note that developing Alzheimer’s certainly isn’t an inevitable part of aging, which is why it’s important to take plenty of steps throughout your life to prevent it.

Can Alzheimer's be cured?

Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s disease still has no cure, however, there are many treatments available that can help slow down its development or suppress some of the symptoms altogether.

The Difference Between Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are two terms that are often used interchangeably by people since there’s a common misconception that they both refer to the same condition. However, Alzheimer’s disease is actually just one of the many paths that can lead to dementia.

This is because dementia is merely an umbrella term for a group of symptoms that affect a sufferer’s thought processes and memory. When a person is diagnosed with dementia, they are simply being told that they are suffering from a particular set of symptoms. The next step would then be to work out exactly what causes these symptoms to appear in the first place.

The most common reason for the onset of dementia is, in fact, Alzheimer’s disease, since it has been estimated to be responsible for as many as 70% of dementia cases. However, there are many other causes of dementia, including Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

Another key difference is that, in certain cases, dementia can be a temporary and reversible condition, while Alzheimer’s disease has been found to be a permanent condition, which only ends up getting worse, as time goes by.

The 3 Main Types of Alzheimer’s Disease

Nearly everyone who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease will eventually begin to experience the same symptoms, including confusion, memory loss, trouble with once-familiar tasks, and difficulty in making decisions. However, there are 3 main types of Alzheimer’s disease, and their differences lie in the way that they are contracted:

1. Late-Onset Alzheimer’s

By far the most common form of the disease, at around 95% of all cases, Late-Onset Alzheimer’s is the kind that occurs in people over the age of 65. It may or may not be genetically-linked, since researchers have yet to find a particular gene that causes it, despite their suspicions.

2. Early-Onset Alzheimer’s

This kind of Alzheimer’s is a lot less common and only accounts for around 5% of all cases. It occurs in people who are under the age of 65, typically in their 40s or 50s, and people who suffer from Down syndrome have a higher risk of getting it.

Scientists have found that early-onset Alzheimer’s has an even greater effect on the brain than its late-onset counterpart, and has linked its formation to a DNA defect contained within chromosome 14. A muscle twitch known as myoclonus is also more common for sufferers of early-onset Alzheimer’s.

3. Familial Alzheimer's Disease (FAD)

This is a rare form of Alzheimer’s that is 100% genetic, which accounts for less than 1% of all Alzheimer’s cases. In affected families, members of at least two generations have typically had this kind of Alzheimer’s, and many cases of early-onset Alzheimer’s are actually linked to FAD.

The Stages & Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that gradually gets worse over time, and that’s why its symptoms are often split into 3 sections: early, middle, and severe stages.

In the early stages of Alzheimer's a person may:

• Find it hard to remember things
• Ask the same questions repeatedly
• Get lost in familiar places
• Lose things or place them in unusual places
• Have trouble handling money and paying bills
• Take longer than they normally would to finish daily tasks

Once Alzheimer's has progressed to the middle stages, the symptoms, particularly memory loss and confusion, grow worse. Other symptoms include:

• Difficulty learning new things and coping with new situations
• Trouble carrying out tasks that involve many steps, such as getting dressed
• Impulsive behavior
• Forgetting the names of common things
• Hallucinations, delusions or paranoia
• Problems recognizing family and friends
• Wandering away from home
 

Once Alzheimer's has progressed to the more severe stages, symptoms include:

• Total lack of communication
• Spending a lot more time asleep
• Weight loss
• Trouble swallowing
• Incontinence
• Complete dependence
 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement