Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and degenerative form of dementia that develops in the brain before going on to eventually destroy the memory of the Alzheimer’s sufferer, impair the ability to learn, make judgment, communicate effectively and also affecting the ability to live a normal daily life.

Alzheimer’s can also cause changes in behavior both mentally and physically as well as trigger paranoia, anxiety, delusion and even hallucinations. It is indeed a horrible and awful disease.

The disease affects over 15 million elderly men and women worldwide and it is the most common form of dementia, with over 75% of cases diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The disease acts by shrinking and eating away at areas of the brain, especially the memory (hippocampus) and thinking (cortex) areas.

No-one quite knows what actually causes Alzheimer’s disease and it is highly likely that no one single factor triggers Alzheimer’s, but a number of factors such as age, genetics and environmental factors that may well differ from one individual to another.

Some experts believe the destruction of brain nerve cells which causes a reduction in acetylcholine (a stimulator), with the damaged cells ultimately blocking the transmission of nerve signals to one another, to be one of the causes of Alzheimer’s.

Others believe abnormal proteins in the brain such as “plaques” and “tangles” are the instigators. These proteins get their name from how they appear on the brain under a microscopic lens.

Plaques are the result of a normal body protein called beta-amyloid that has been transformed into a toxic form of the protein which kills surrounding cells to form these plaque like fibers. The Neurofibrillary Tangle is similar to Plaques and is the result of a buildup of the protein Tau inside brain nerve cells.

Alzheimer’s disease starts to eat away at the brain before any real clinical sign or symptoms of the disease show such as memory loss so it is VERY IMPORTANT to learn of the risk factors behind Alzheimer’s. Here we list the 11 major risk factors:

Alzheimer’s Risk 1: Age

Age is the number one risk factor behind Alzheimer’s disease – the older you get the more likely you are to develop the disease. Most people suffering with Alzheimer’s are over the age of 65 and the risk factor doubles with every 5 years after 65, growing to nearly 50% for those over 85.

Alzheimer’s Risk 2: Hereditary/Genetics

People who have a history of Alzheimer’s disease in their family are two to three times more likely to develop the disease further on in life. The more family members who have suffered with the disease, the greater the risk. However most cases of Alzheimer’s is a result of both genetics and other contributing factors (see below) and the hereditary form (Familial Alzheimer’s) only accounts for about 5% of all cases.

Alzheimer’s is quite a difficult disease to diagnose despite it’s quite obvious tell-tale signs such as memory loss. This is in part due to sharing similar traits with other diseases and ailments. Indeed definite diagnosis can only be concluded after death with a brain-biopsy. However with a battery of testing, accuracy rates are around the 80-90% range. Here we take a look at the process behind Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

If you suspect you have Alzheimer’s or you suspect a loved one or a friend has the disease then the appropriate thing to do is to go and see your health care specialist where a thorough medical examination can be carried out along with other procedures to ascertain whether you or your loved one or friend is suffering with Alzheimer’s or not.

After identifying potential risk factors behind Alzheimer’s the next step in diagnosing the disease is the actual physical or mental symptoms that can be common in Alzheimer’s cases. Here we identify the 10 warning signs:

Symptom 1: Loss of memory

The signature of Alzheimer’s disease is memory loss and one of the first clues to the disease is forgetfulness, whether that be forgetting recently learned telephone numbers of forgetting about appointments not just occasionally, but on a regular basis for example. As Alzheimer’s advances the loss of memory becomes more deeper and complex where sufferers can forget their own name or fail to recognize loved ones.

There are 7 stages of the Alzheimer’s disease which has been developed as a framework model if you like of the various patterns of the condition. This ‘model’ was designed with caregivers in mind and has proven a useful guide for both carers and doctors alike. The stages are as followed – mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe Alzheimer’s disease and facts:

1. Alzheimer’s Stage 1: No cognitive impairment
2. Alzheimer’s Stage 2: Very mild cognitive decline
3. Alzheimer’s Stage 3: Mild cognitive decline
4. Alzheimer’s Stage 4: Moderate cognitive decline
5. Alzheimer’s Stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline
6. Alzheimer’s Stage 6: Severe cognitive decline
7. Alzheimer’s Stage 7: Very severe cognitive decline

Alzheimer’s Stage 1: No cognitive impairment

At this stage the individual will show no impaired memory functions and none will be evident under examination from a health care professional.

Alzheimer’s Stage 2: Very mild cognitive decline

The individual will show mild signs of the disease such as memory lapses where the person affected will forget names, recent events, familiar words and the location of everyday objects such as pens, wrist watches and keys for example. This stage of Alzheimer’s isn’t usually detected during a medical examination and by friends and loved ones, or indeed the person affected by these ‘changes’.

It is important that you know the facts and truths behind Alzheimer’s disease. Here we have compiled the following facts about Alzheimer’s:

1) In developing countries Alzheimer’s is the 4th leading contributor of death in the elderly – behind heart disease, cancer and strokes.

2) Over 15 million people worldwide are believed to suffer with Alzheimer’s disease – a number expected to double by 2030.

3) Alzheimer’s is one of the toughest diseases to truly diagnose with an accuracy rate of between 85-90% due to sharing similar traits with other diseases such as Aids, Parkinson’s disease and brain cancer among others.

There are many myths associated with Alzheimer’s disease, some quite believable ones and some not so believable ones, here we debunk the myths of Alzheimer’s disease.

1 – Alzheimer’s is not a fatal disease

Myth! Alzheimer’s is a fatal disease in that it can contribute to death, or the cause of death. Sufferers will live an average of 8 years or 20 years from the first point of showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s – half as long as those not suffering from the disease. Alzheimer’s isn’t immediately life threatening, it is a slow and gradual disease that affects other parts of the body too. Because many sufferers who do die can also have suffered with other illnesses and diseases, it can be quite difficult to determine whether or not Alzheimer’s actually played a greater role in the death.

There are various drug and non-drug Alzheimer’s treatment options open to people affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Here we explore the different types of treatment that are available.

Approved Alzheimer’s Drugs

There are 4 types of drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FAD) to treat Alzheimer’s, such as:

• Donepezil (Aricept)
• Tacrine (Cognex)
• Galantamine (Reminyl)
• Rivastigmine (Exelon)

These are oral drugs available via prescription and are used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. They belong to a class of drug called cholinesterase inhibitors and work by blocking the enzymes that destroy Acetylcholine (chemicals that are used by nerve cells to communicate with one another). The destruction of these nerve cells are what can cause memory loss or dementia.

At some stage of the Alzheimer’s disease serious consideration will have to be given to what is known as care management; taking care of the person affected by Alzheimer’s. Here we take a look at the various options open to you the sufferer, a loved one or friend of the affected.

As Alzheimer’s progresses the individual affected by the disease will come to rely on the help and support of others to perform everyday tasks such as getting dressed, using the toilet and eating for example. Those affected may also require greater medical care too.

If you are suffering with the disease you will need to make provisions for this, planning with your family or friends along with your health care specialist in advance of the eventual progression of Alzheimer’s.