Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease Symptoms
- 21 Feb 2023
- #Alzheimer
- #Medanta Blogs
- #Medanta Hospitals
- #Neurology
The exact causes of Alzheimer’s disease are not known. It results from a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Where genetic factors are involved, they may be passed down from generation to generation.
What we do know is that Alzheimer’s affects brain cells called neurons. The changes that are seen in the brain of an individual with Alzheimer’s disease include - Shrinkage of brain mass, the buildup of a protein called amyloid plaques, and the formation of tangles by another protein called Tau inside the neurons.
In mild disease, the person seems healthy but has a progressing sense of loss of touch with the world around him/her. The realization may simply be that something is wrong. This stage lasts between two to four years. Some common signs include:
This is the stage when the person starts needing supervision and care, increasing the effort on family members. This stage can last between two and ten years. Some common signs and symptoms are:
This is the stage where communication ceases and the person becomes completely dependent on care. Frequently, aspiration pneumonia becomes a terminal issue, because the person is unable to swallow properly without getting food or water into the lungs. Some of the signs and symptoms include:
Almost everyone gets mild memory loss with normal aging. The main factor that separates someone with Alzheimer’s is that they have trouble with sequential day-to-day tasks and planning daily activities.
Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, there are medications that reduce symptoms and allow for better functioning or slow down the progression of the disease. Dementia may also be due to other factors that may be treatable. It is important that you speak to a medical professional and be better prepared for handling the condition as the disease progresses.
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