2. WHAT IS AD?
Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain
disorder.
It related to changes in nerve cells that result in the death
of brain cells.
It is a disease that forms plaque in the brain.
It forms abnormal clumps called amyloid plaques and
tangled bundles of fibers called neurofibrillary tangles in
the brain.
Nerve cells die in areas that are important for memory
and simple tasks that need to be performed.
The levels of the chemicals which carry the messages
across the synapses from neurons decrease.
3. THE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
It was discovered by Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German doctor,
in 1906.
It is believed 4.5 million older Americans have AD.
The average age that people get Alzheimer’s is after the age
of 60.
For every 5 years over the age of 65 the risk doubles.
Nearly half over 85 may have the disease, yet it is not a
normal part of getting older.
4. WHAT CAUSES AD?
Age
Family history
High blood pressure(hypertension),
Diabetes
Possibly elevated blood cholesterol.
An accumulation of the protein A-Beta.
5. INITIAL SYMPTOMS
The initial symptoms include
mild forgetfulness and
having trouble remembering recent events,
activities
names of people.
The AD patient might not be able to solve simple math
problems.
These symptoms may not be enough to cause alarm.
6. ADVANCED SYMPTOMS
As the disease progresses the symptoms are more easily
noticed.
They may not be able to think clearly and may fail to
recognize familiar people or places.
People with AD can become
anxious or aggressive or wander away from home.
7. ADVANCED SYMPTOMS
Patients may wander,
be unable to engage in conversation,
erratic in mood,
uncooperative,
lose bladder and bowel control.
In late stages of the disease, persons may become totally
incapable of caring for themselves.
10. HOW IS AD DIAGNOSED?
Someone who thinks they may have AD can go to a
specialized center where doctors can diagnose “probable”
AD using tools such as:
Asking questions about the person’s general health, any past
medical problems, and the ability to do daily activities
Memory tests, problem solving strategies, attention, counting,
and language
Tests of blood, urine, or spinal fluid
Brain scans
11. HOW DOES AD AFFECT THE BODY?
The brain literally deteriorates, which can affect a
person’s ability to speak, be independent, balance
themselves, and understand directions.
For older people, AD can cause falling, which can be
serious and damage the brain even more.
Some patients are unable to control basic bodily
functions and can need fulltime care.
12. HOW IS THE PERSON’S DAILY LIFE
AFFECTED BY AD?
Walking, getting out of bed or a chair, writing, and using
utensils are no longer easy to perform for a person with
AD.
Their sense of smell can be damaged and they may lose
their appetite as a result.
Daily and simple tasks might have to be performed with
the help of a caregiver.
13. A NORMAL BRAIN AND AN AD
AFFECTED ONE
In the normal brain there is a
lot of healthy brain tissue in
the language area. In the AD
affected brain there is little in
that area.
There are many differences
between the two brains
including the memory, sulcus,
gyrus, ventricle, and language
areas. In the AD brain, these
are either shrunken or
stretched out to unhealthy
measures.
14. CURES OR TREATMENTS
There really is no cure or treatment for AD but there are
some things that can slow it down or prevent it. Those
include exercising daily, being intellectually active,
having positive emotions, playing games, reading,
dancing, and more.
15. CURRENT RESEARCH FOR A CURE
OF TREATMENT
According to a recent study, diet may affect the
risk of getting AD.
A study showed that Americans who followed
the Mediterranean Diet (MeDi), consisting of
lots of fruits and vegetables, legumes, cereals,
some fish and alcohol, and little dairy and meat,
had a significantly reduced risk for Alzheimer's
disease as they got older.
16. GENERAL SAFETY CONCERN
The following general principles may be
helpful,
Think prevention: Checking the safety of your
home will help you take control of some of the
potential problems that may create hazardous
situations.
Adapt the environment : It is more effective to
change the environment than to change most
behaviors.
Minimize danger :By minimizing danger, you can
maximize independence. A safe environment can
be a less restrictive environment where the
person with AD can experience increased
security and more mobility.
