Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible progressive brain disorder that causes brain cells to degenerate and die. It is the most common cause of dementia, which is a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral, and social skills that disrupts independent functioning. The disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who first identified characteristic brain changes of abnormal clumps and tangled bundles of fibers in a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. Alzheimer's progresses through mild, moderate, and severe stages, and causes memory loss, mood changes, difficulty communicating, and other cognitive declines. While the exact causes are unknown, age and genetics are major risk factors. Current treatments cannot cure the disease but aim to slow symptoms and maintain quality

2. Alzheimer’s Disease
Rani Summeya Seme 33

3. What is Alzheimer’s?
Irreversible progressive
disorder
causes brain cells to
degenerate --- die
common cause of
dementia
• a continuous decline in
• thinking,
• behavioral
• social skills
disrupts a person's ability
to function independently
60 to 80% dementia cases

4. Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s
Dementia & Alzheimer’s used interchangeably
two conditions aren’t same
Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia.
Dementia is a broader term for conditions with symptoms relating to
memory loss such as forgetfulness and confusion e.g.
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• traumatic brain injury

5. History
 Disease named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer
 noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman
 who had died of an unusual mental illness
 symptoms
 memory loss,
 language problems
 unpredictable behavior
 After she died—examined -- brain --found many abnormal clumps & tangled bundles of fibers
 plaques & tangles in brain main features of disease
 loss of connections between nerve cells in the brain
 damage initially appears be in the hippocampus

6. Symptoms
Memory loss
Decreased
personal hygiene
Mood and
personality
changes
Trouble with
speech or writing
Difficulty in
remembering
newly learned
things
Thinking &
reasoning
Making
judgment &
decisions

7. Stages
• Preclinical: before
symptoms appear
• Mild Cognitive
Impairment: when
symptoms are mild
• Dementia
The
progression
of
Alzheimer's
divided
into three
main stages:

8. Early onset Alzheimer’s
typically affect people age 65Y <
• It can occur in people in early 40s or 50s
• called early onset, or younger onset,
Alzheimer’s
• affects about 5% of all people with the
condition
Symptoms include
• mild memory loss
• trouble concentrating or finishing
everyday tasks
• hard to find the right words
• Mild vision problems

9. Late onset Alzheimer’s
most
common
type
typically
affecting
people age
65 and older
Symptoms
usually worsen
more slowly
than in early-
onset
It may run in
families
but scientists
have not
found
specific
genes
Familial
Alzheimer’s
disease:
This rare type
results from
genetic changes
passed down
from parent to
child.
Familial
Alzheimer’s
makes up less
than 1% of cases
overall but about
60% of early-
onset cases.

10. Causes
exact causes aren't fully
understood
>1% caused by specific
genetic changes
• that fail to function normally
• disrupt the work of neurons
• unleash a series of toxic events.
problems with brain
proteins
Neurons are damaged
lose connections to each
other
eventually die

11. Continue…
The damage most often starts in the region of the brain that controls memory
but the process begins years before the first symptoms
The loss of neurons spreads in a predictable pattern to other regions of the brains
By the late stage of the disease, the brain has shrunk significantly
Researchers are focused on the role of two proteins
• Plaques are deposits of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid that build up in the spaces between
nerve cells
• Tangles are twisted fibers of another protein called tau that build up inside cells

12. Risk Factors
Age
Family History & Genetics
• apolipoprotein E gene (APOE)
• variation of the gene, APOE e4– increase the risk of disease
Down syndrome
Sex
Mild cognitive impairment
Past head trauma
Poor sleep patterns
Lifelong learning and social engagement
Lifestyle and heart health

13. Diagnosis
taking a medical history
They may ask about
your:
• symptoms
• family medical history
• other current or past health
conditions
• current or past medications
• Diet
• alcohol intake
• other lifestyle habits
From there, your doctor
will likely do several tests
to help determine if you
have Alzheimer’s disease

14. Doctors may:-
Ask the person & close relatives Qs about overall health
• use of prescription , medicines, Diet, past medical problems, ability to carry out daily activities, changes in behavior and
personality
Conduct tests of
• memory, problem solving, attention, counting, and language
Carry out standard medical tests
• such as blood and urine tests
• to identify other possible causes of the problem
Perform brain scans, such as CT, MRI, PET
• to rule out other possible causes for symptoms
These tests may be repeated to give doctors information about how the person’s memory and
other cognitive functions are changing over time

15. Preventing Alzheimer’s
Just as there’s no
known cure for
Alzheimer’s, there
are no foolproof
preventive
measures. However,
researchers are
focusing on overall
healthy lifestyle
habits as ways of
preventing cognitive
decline.
The following measures
may help:
• Quit smoking.
• Exercise regularly.
• Try cognitive training exercises.
• Eat a plant-based diet.
• Consume more antioxidants.
• Maintain an active social life.

16. Treatment
no treatment that cures
Alzheimer’s disease is complex, and it is unlikely that any one drug or other intervention
can successfully treat it.
Current approaches focus on helping people
• maintain mental function
• manage behavioral symptoms
• slow down certain problems e.g. memory loss
Researchers hope to develop therapies targeting specific genetic, molecular, and cellular
mechanisms so that the actual underlying cause of the disease can be prevented

17. Statistics
The statistics
surrounding
Alzheimer’s
disease are
daunting. 1 M in cases of
dementia in
Pakistan
10 M people get
dementia every
year globally
Someone is
diagnosed with it
after every 3s.
6th most common cause
of death among U.S.
adults.
It ranks 5th among
causes of death for
people 65 years
and older.
A study found that 4.7 million
Americans <65 years had
Alzheimer’s disease in 2010. Those
researchers projected that by
2050, there will be 13.8 million
Americans with Alzheimer’s.

18. Counseling
Providing information
Helping the individual
cope with decreased
cognitive abilities
addressing the emotional
feelings that are
with having a serious
illness
Improve cognitive function
and performance

19. Support Group
Alzheimer
Pakistan
Alzheimer
Association
ALZ
Connected
Alzheimer's
Navigator
a web tool
that creates
customized
action plans,
based on
answers you
provide
through short,
online
surveys.