Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder named for German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906. Scientists have learned a great deal about Alzheimer’s disease in the century since Dr. Alzheimer first drew attention to it.

Alzheimer’s disease begins slowly. It first involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. People with AD may have trouble remembering things that happened recently or names of people they know. Over time, symptoms get worse. People may not recognize family members or have trouble speaking, reading or writing. They may forget how to brush their teeth or comb their hair. Later on, they may become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually, they need total care.

Symptoms of Alzheimer

People with Alzheimer’s experience difficulties communicating, learning, thinking and reasoning – problems severe enough to have an impact on an individual’s work, social activities and family life.

Loss of judgment. Solving everyday problems, such as knowing what to do if food on the stove is burning, becomes increasingly difficult, eventually impossible. Alzheimer’s is characterized by greater difficulty in doing things that require planning, decision making and judgment.

An impaired ability to carry out motor activities (such as combing their hair) despite intact motor abilities, sensory function and comprehension of the required task (apraxia)

Mood and behavior changes (rapid mood swings, emotional outbursts, personality changes, increased fear or suspicion)

Memory worsens, words are used more and more inappropriately, basic self-care skills are lost, personality changes, agitation develops, can’t recognize distant family or friends, has difficulty communicating, wanders off, becomes deluded and may experience hallucinations.

Language problems (forgetting the names of objects, mixing up words, difficulty completing sentences)

They begin to have problems speaking, understanding, reading, or writing. Later on, people with AD may become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually, patients need total care.

Disorientation — It’s normal to forget the day of the week or where you’re going. People with Alzheimer’s disease can become lost on the street where they live, forget where they are and how they got there, and not know how to get back home.

Misplacing Items — Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or key. A person with Alzheimer’s disease may put things in unusual places — an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.

Causes of Alzheimer

Family history is another risk factor. The disease does seem to run in some families. However, fewer than 10% of cases of Alzheimer disease are familial. Familial Alzheimer disease often occurs at a younger age, between ages 30 and 60 years. This is called early-onset familial Alzheimer disease.

Possible role of tangles: The internal support structure for brain neurons depends on the normal functioning of a protein called tau. In people with Alzheimer’s, threads of tau protein undergo alterations that cause them to become twisted. Many researchers believe this may seriously damage neurons, causing them to die.

Environment to learn what role they might play in the development of this disease. Scientists are finding increasing evidence that some of the risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low levels of the vitamin folate, may also increase the risk of AD. Evidence for physical, mental, and social activities as protective factors against AD is also increasing.

By: Corwin Brown

About the Author:

When Alzheimer’s Disease is mentioned many people think of President Ronald Regan who struggled with the illness privately during the last years of his life. Because of Regan’s struggle, a lot of information has been disseminated about Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is thought of as an “old people’s disease” but it can strike people of all ages. Early-onset Alzheimer’s refers to someone who is diagnosed with the disease and is under 65 years old.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s slowly destroys memory, reasoning and ability to communicate and handle daily activities. In the later stages of the disease, those suffering from Alzheimer’s may be agitated, anxious and delusional and totally dependent on a loved one or caregiver.

Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia, an illness that gradually destroys brain cells. This explains why Grandma may have remembered where she put her purse yesterday but forgot today.

There is not specific test for Alzheimer’s. A doctor usually diagnoses a patient with Alzheimer’s after ruling out other causes for their behavior.

No two Alzheimer’s patients are alike. For some the disease progresses rapidly. Some see it progress slowly, sometimes taking up to 20 years before the disease is in its final stages. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, most patients will go through seven stages:

Stage 1. No impairment
Stage 2. Very mild decline
Stage 3. Mild Decline
Stage 4. Moderate decline (mild or early stage)
Stage 5. Moderately severe decline (moderate or mid-stage)
Stage 6. Severe decline (moderately severe or mid-stage)
Stage 7. Very severe decline (severe or late stage)

The Alzheimer’s Association has compiled a list of warning signs. Memory loss is the most well-known sign. Forgetting names or appointments every so often is normal, but forgetting information that was just given you may be a red flag that something is wrong.

Alzheimer’s patients may not be able to cook their own dinner or they may forget the way to the grocery store. Every day tasks become a struggle for the Alzheimer’s patient.

Alzheimer’s patients may also forget what day it is and where they are. An Alzheimer’s patient may forget how to get home and need assistance.

Many Alzheimer’s patients do things that a normal person would consider erratic. This is why telemarketers prey on the elderly–their lack of judgment may lead them to purchase a siding job for their brick home.

Family members of Alzheimer’s patients may come home and find the patient’s shoes in the oven. it is common for Alzheimer’s patients to misplace things or put them in an unusual place.

Alzheimer’s patients may also spend a lot of time sitting on the couch or may not get out of bed until late in the afternoon. The disease robs them of their desire to be around people. Their mood changes may also affect the Alzheimer’s’ patient’s social relationships, since many have rapid mood swings. These personality changes may happened quickly, leading the Alzheimer’s patient to become dependent on a family member or caregiver.

Anyone who thinks they or their loved one is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease needs to contact their doctor immediately. Doctors have yet to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. Scientists are constantly researching the disease to find new treatments. Until a cure is found, family support and good medical care seems to improve the quality of life for those affected by Alzheimer’s.

By: Riley Hendersen

About the Author:

I know what it is & stuff, but how can it KILL someone?

They seem to be forgetting how to play baseball on a major league level.

John Q. Trojanowski, MD, phd, and Virginia MY. Lee, phd, MBA, lead efforts to understand Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias, Parkinsons, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), and related neurological disorders at the University of Pennsylvania Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (CNDR).

Solicitation of donations are to be forwarded to the AA care&cure center PO box7012 in albert lea MN 56007-8012.Is this a bogus organization or not?

Meeting youtubers *****. They always screw with me because of my Alzheimer’s. How am I supposed to keep track of a bunch of young white people that all wear green shirts? They all start to look alike after a while. Except for that mouth ring ***** in the beginning. Her name is momodelicious. Thanks to themightythor1212 (who is the wedding crasher of youtube gatherings) for giving me the names here: www.youtube.com bear www.youtube.com www.youtube.com www.youtube.com www.youtube.com www.youtube.com www.youtube.com Note- second upload with additional scenes. The first version got squished from letterbox. PS I don’t really have Alzheimer’s. It’s called prosopagnosia (sometimes known as face blindness) — a disorder of face perception where the ability to recognize faces is impaired, while the ability to recognize other objects may be relatively intact. The term usually refers to a condition following acute brain damage, but mine is a congenital form of the disorder. Most of my brain damage has resulted in insanity not this disease.

Early onset alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition that attacks brain function, slowly taking away a person’s ability to recognize those around them and impacting their ability to perform daily living skills. This can be especially difficult for family members or friends to deal with as they watch their loved one struggle to remember simple things.

Age is a major factor in early onset alzheimer’s disease. Most people who have been diagnosed with this disease are 65 or older. Your risk for developing Alzheimer’s doubles every five years after the age of 65. By the age of 85, the risk of having Alzheimer’s disease is 50%. Alzheimer’s is a brain disorder; it is not a normal part of aging. Other biological risk factors include a family history of Alzheimer’s disease and genetic links. Those people who have had a family member who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are significantly more likely to develop the disease themselves.

There are some steps that you can take to reduce your risk of developing early onset alzheimer’s disease:

o Make sure that you protect your head by using precautions such as a helmet when you are doing activities like riding a bike. This reduces risk for brain damage if you have an accident.

o Make an effort to lead a healthy life. Give your brain the power it needs to stay healthy and strong.

o Eat right, get rest, drink plenty of water and get regular exercise. By giving your body and brain a solid foundation, you help reduce the risk of brain damage.

o Keep sharp by exercising your mind as well as your body.

o Use memory techniques like puzzles, memorizing lists or doing math problems to give your mind a good workout.

Early onset alzheimer’s disease the leading cause of dementia in the United States. It can be a frightening diagnosis to hear, but there is hope with current medications and ongoing research.

By: Thomas A. Klein

About the Author:

My granny was diagnosed in 2007 in Dec of 2008 was uncle took her to a property lawyer and had
her sign over her home to him in Life Estate? He claims that he now owns the property , we think this is illegal. My mom is now the conservator of my granny and we need to sell the property to be able to pay for her at a Memory Care Facility? Will he get in trouble for doing this and do we need a lawyer?

Need a gift for man in the nursing home for Christmas! He has alzheimers!