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.

Alzheimer’s is a slow, gradual disease that isn’t as easy to detect as one would imagine. Indeed diagnosis can only fully be qualified with an after death brain-biopsy, but lapses in memory are the real first signs of the onset of Alzheimer’s with individuals usually having trouble remembering things like telephone numbers, recent events and even names to start with.

This is often put down to simple forgetfulness on the sufferer’s part or family members of the person involved and it isn’t until Alzheimer’s actually advances that people recognize something isn’t quite right as the disease starts impacting on the brain and subsequently the individual’s life.

There is no known cure for Alzheimer’s at current and while there is a whole host of treatments available the disease isn’t reversible and nor can it be contained, it eventually eats away at the brain and will kill or help contribute towards death in time.

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.

This is a hot topic in the research world and some scientists believe these to be an effect of Alzheimer’s and not a cause. More research is ongoing and shedding new light on this area is seen as vital to understanding the disease in greater depth.

One of the causes we do know of is the aging process with the risk of developing Alzheimer’s doubling every 5 years after the age of 65 and going on to reach upwards of a 50% chance of developing the disease after the age of 85.

We also know that genetics play an important role in Alzheimer’s with people who have a family history of the disease 4 times more likely to go on and develop some forms of dementia, although only 5% of all cases are a result of hereditary predisposition.

Environmental factors are also believed to play some kind of role in Alzheimer’s with one theory dating a few years back suggesting exposure to aluminum to be quite significant, but again, research has proven somewhat inconclusive on this.

One new area of research that holds some promise focuses on the neurons (brain cells). Despite an Alzheimer’s affected brain shrinking, the neurons don’t die, they become inactive and current research is trying to determine whether reigniting these dormant brain cells will reverse the disease or slow it down.

As with any disease, the key to finding a cure or better treatment methods is by understanding the causes and components of the disease. Thankfully Alzheimer’s is considered seriously enough in both the scientific and medical world to qualify for billions of dollars worth of funding and with most of the modern world under threat from Alzheimer’s, this is one area of health that is regularly under the microscope not only in laboratories but the media too.

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.

Symptom 2: Difficulty accomplishing everyday tasks

Alzheimer’s sufferers can find everyday normal tasks such as using the telephone, preparing food and writing a letter for example both difficult to comprehend and accomplish, forgetting the steps or processes behind each of these ’simple’ tasks. This isn’t to be confused with someone struggling to work out a complex puzzle for example.

Symptom 3: Language difficulties

Alzheimer’s sufferers can have problems with language, forgetting everyday simple words or swapping words with unusual ones. For example “spectacles” can become “those things for my eyes”. Alzheimer’s disease can also affect a person’s writing skills with the writing reading disjointed or incoherent to the eye. This isn’t to be confused with symptoms such as mental tiredness or fatigue which can also cause people to forget words or write unusually. For instance, one reported example of language difficulties in an Alzheimer’s sufferer saw a pen described as a “thingy”, and when asked 3 times what the pen was, the sufferer replied “thingy” again and again.

Symptom 4: Disorientation of time and place

Alzheimer’s sufferers can get lost quite easily, even in their own neighborhood, forgetting how they arrived at their destination or how to get back to where they originally come from. Alzheimer’s disease can also affect a person’s sense of time or timing with some sufferers unable to differentiate between day and night. This isn’t to be confused with simply losing one’s way or getting lost in a ‘foreign’ neighborhood. One case of disorientation saw one sufferer become lost in their own home for example.

Symptom 5: Impaired judgment

One of the signs of Alzheimer’s disease is impaired judgment where by the condition can affect a person’s ability to judge to the point where the individual can for example wear winter clothing in the summer or fail to work out the true cost of grocery for instance. This isn’t to be confused with poor decision making. We all make poor, rash or ill-advised decisions from time to time, some more often than not or more than others. But in Alzheimer’s cases the impaired judgment is often blatant or obvious like wearing gloves and a scarf in hot weather for example.

Symptom 6: Abstract thinking difficulties

Alzheimer’s suffers can find more complex forms of thinking tasks quite difficult to compute, struggling to comprehend numbers for example, what they are used for, how to use them and what real value they hold. This isn’t to be confused with low intelligence or a lack of basic math skills. Such tasks as working out the equation of 2+2=5 can be difficult to an Alzheimer’s sufferer.

Symptom 7: Misplacing objects and items

Another sign of Alzheimer’s disease is the misplacing of objects and items such as putting a coffee jar in the fridge or dentures in the sock draw for example. This isn’t to be confused with misplacing things like one’s wallet or car keys. There is recorded evidence of sufferer’s misplacing such things as a packet of cigarettes in the fridge or other obscure places.

Symptom 8: Mood or behavioral problems

Alzheimer’s sufferers can experience extreme mood or behavioral changes such as happiness to sadness to calm to anger for no obvious or apparent reason. Some sufferers can also lash out violently without due course or reason. This isn’t to be confused with everyday ups and downs of life in general. For example one case of this symptom saw a sufferer laugh hysterically at bad news, while others have hit-out at their loved ones and not known why or even forgetting what they did moments later.

Symptom 9: Personality changes

Alzheimer’s sufferers can experience changes in their personality and can become confused, wary, paranoid, fearful, clingy, delusional or aggressive for example. While most people go through some personality changes especially as they get older, with Alzheimer’s sufferers it can be quite sudden and very out of character.

Symptom 10: Loss of drive and initiative

Alzheimer’s disease can affect a person’s drive and imitative resulting in the individual becoming extremely passive and non-committal where they can for example sit in front of the TV for hours on end watching the same channel, sleep at unusual hours for long periods and generally look disinterested in everyday activities. This isn’t to be confused with depression, boredom or tiredness.

If you, a friend or a member of your family recognize one or more of the above symptoms then it is advisable that professional advice is sought as one of the key stages of treating Alzheimer’s is early detection.

Thyroid deficiency

Thyroid deficiency syndrome is a condition that is the result of low production of hormones by the thyroid gland and can cause memory loss.

Anaemia

Anaemia is a red blood cell deficiency disorder which results in a lack of oxygen carrying agents, causing tiredness, fatigue and other symptoms such as memory loss.

Depression

Depression is a form of mental illness that can induce a feeling of worthlessness, tiredness, fatigue, loss of concentration and memory lapses among other things.

Brain tumors

Brain tumors, abnormal growth of tissue or swelling, can cause memory loss symptoms and is the result of mutation in the DNA of brain cells.

Stroke

Strokes are the result of dead brain cells in a localized area of the brain due to poor blood flow and circulation to the brain. Strokes can cause paralysis, speech impairment and memory loss among other things.

Nutritional disorders

Nutritional disorders such as malnutrition or overnutrition can cause lapses in the memory.

Infectious diseases

Infectious diseases such as HIV or Aids can cause memory loss.

Head injury or trauma

Previous head injuries or brain trauma form a car crash or a bang to the head for example can cause memory impairment and other memory associated problems.