Memory loss is the most common symptom that impacts people as they age. Memory loss and behavioral changes are symptoms that are part of Alzheimer's disease. Alois Alzheimer had first discovered this memory loss disease in 1906. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disease that worsens as people age. It is the most common dementia and it is affecting about 24 million people worldwide. Those numbers could be higher today because this prevalence was based on a 2011 scholarly article (Ballard et al., 2011). There are risk factors that may be influencing the risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, creating irreversible symptoms that cannot be cured. Alzheimer's disease has two-main leisure's that occur in the brain, these are the amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (Ballard et al., 2011). The amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are the causes of neurons not functioning properly which then causes brain death. Amyloid plaques are made up of beta-amyloid proteins that were clumped together (Méndez et al., 2016). These plaques affect neurochemical balances and cause neurons to die over time. According to Ballard et al., "The amyloid cascade hypothesis has also been more fundamentally challenged; for example, increases in Aβ might result from neuronal damage caused by another process (Ballard et al., 2011)". The causes of amyloid plaques are still difficult to understand but it is certain that they are a cause of brain impairment. The other main leisure in
Throughout this line of study, Alzheimer’s disease is a specific form of dementia. According to Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability that is severe enough to hinder daily life. Memory loss is a symptom of dementia and the most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s. One of the most common and severe symptom of Alzheimer’s is difficulty remembering newly learned information. The changes of Alzheimer’s normally begin in the part of the brain that affects learning (Overview Alzheimer's Association). Some other symptoms of Alzheimer’s include gradual memory loss, the decline in capability to carry out everyday tasks and the loss of their language skills. According to Bialystok the rate of
Alzheimer’s disease is incurable, but there are many stages, warning signs, and risk factors that can serve as detection devices for those who have older adults in their lives. One of the most common early signs of this form of dementia is memory loss. While it is normal for people to occasionally forget things, such as appointments and names, people with Alzheimer’s tend to forget these things more often and are not able to recall them even after a period of time. Other signs that signify a possible case of Alzheimer’s is difficulty performing familiar tasks (cooking, brushing teeth), problems with language (using odd words, failing to remember correct words), disorientation (forgetting where one lives, not knowing how he got to a certain place), problems with abstract thinking (forgetting what numbers represent), misplacing items (putting a hair brush in the freezer), moodiness, personality changes (confusion, suspicion, fearfulness), and loss of initiative
Alzheimer’s is a disease in the brain that affects a person’s memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common form of dementia and is common in adults older than 65. More than five million Americans are being affected by Alzheimer’s at this moment. Alzheimer’s comes in three stages; early, middle, and advanced. The disease is caused by the shrinking of the brain due to many risk factors and genetics.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disease which slowly destroys thinking and memory skills. These changes are severe enough to interfere with day to day life. This irreversible disease is the most common cause of dementia amongst the elderly, with an appearance of first symptoms after age 60.
Alzheimer 's is a slow and debilitating disease that generates multiple problems with cognitive skills including; memory, thinking and behavior. (MedlinePlus, 2015) It is especially painful for friends and family members who see their loved ones progressively lose their memory and ability to function as they normally have. Symptoms typically develop gradually and progressively get worse over time, becoming severe enough to put the person afflicted with the disease unable to complete daily tasks and placing themselves at risk. (MedlinePlus, 2015) Alzheimer’s is the most common diagnosed condition of dementia. (MedlinePlus, 2015) Sixty to eighty percent of dementia cases are designated as Alzheimer’s. (MedlinePlus, 2015) Although the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s is increasing age, it is not considered a normal part of aging. The majority of those diagnosed with Alzheimer 's are approximately sixty-five and older. However, Alzheimer’s is not just a disease affected by the older age populations. About 5 percent of people with Alzheimer’s experience early symptoms and the onset Alzheimer 's and most often appears in their forties or fifties. As stated above, Dementia or Alzheimer’s symptoms gradually worsen over time. In the early stages, it is common to experience mild memory loss. Eventually, the ability to carry on a conversation is lost. The sixth leading cause of death in the United States is Alzheimer’s. After Alzheimer’s symptoms become publicly
It is an irrevocable brain condition that affects a person's memory, thinking, and other abilities. It is one of the most common forms of dementia in persons whose age is 65 and over. The most common and early symptom of this is easily forgetting things or recent events. Some of the studies indicate that Alzheimer's may start attacking the brain long before the symptoms can be seen or discovered. Over 5.2 million Americans are estimated to have that illness. But despite all of this Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging (Fritz, 1999).
Alzheimer’s, the most relevant cause of Dementia, is a disease that affects as many as 4.5 million Americans per year (WebMD 2005-2014). Alzheimer’s is a disease that is an irremediable, continuous brain neuron degenerative disease that can be asymptomatic at first and then overtime becomes symptomatic. Alzheimer’s is a gradual disease that advances in three phases: mild, then moderate, and, finally, severe (1). Symptoms appear after the age of 60 and include: the slow destruction of memory and thought processes, and ultimately ends with the absent ability to do normal everyday duties. These symptoms can be anything from forgetting a recent event, or can be as problematic as forgetting the name of a family member. There are many daily
In the United States, a total of 10% of adults aged more than sixty five have Alzheimer's that is the most common form of dementia. (Powers, 2003) Dementia is merely a classification that combines together a variety of symptoms. It should be noted that these symptoms can be caused by many other diseases or could even be mistaken as signs of aging. The disease is quite debilitating and leaves the person incapable of doing the simplest tasks in life. Dementia leads to behavioral upsets and personality changes that the caregivers of the patient should definitely know about.
Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most commonly known form of dementia, which is a broad term used to describe types of memory loss that affect day to day life (National Alzheimer’s Association). As the disease progresses the symptoms worsen to the point individuals can no longer react to and engage with their environment. Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. At this time, there is no known cure for this disease.
Experts know little about the true causes of AD (Alzheimer’s disease), however they have proposed the amyloid hypothesis to explain how the disease begins. In people afflicted with AD, lethal transformations are happening in the brain. A buildup of amyloid plaque (β-amyloid clumps), caused by the
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can be described as a neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive physical and cognitive decline.1 AD which is mostly seen in the elderly, is the most common form of dementia. Dementia can be described as the loss of the brain’s ability to function in multiple ways in a person who is awake or alert. Dementia includes memory loss and also affects a person’s ability to speak, read, write, listen, and complete certain tasks.1 Dementia can have a tremendous impact on one’s behavior and emotions and can range from being a mild case to being totally disabling. There are several types of dementia with AD being the most common, which primarily affects the elderly and is usually irreversible and non-curable. Although not all dementia is AD, it does however account for up to fifty to seventy-five percent of dementia cases.2 Over 5 million Americans have AD, and it is estimated that by the year 2050 this number will have increased up to 14 million.2 One out of every ten people, ages sixty-five years and older develops AD and some may even develop the disease in their forty’s and fifty’s.2
Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It is also a progressive disease with no cure. Alzheimer’s disease was first discovered by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1906. He noticed changes in brain tissue of a woman who died of an unusual mental illness. Although there are many types of dementias, Alzheimer's is the most common. It accounts for 60-80% of dementia causes. Aging is a normal process but Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of the aging process. Early onset Alzheimer’s affects 5% of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and it appears between the ages of 40’s and 50’s. Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. There are many symptoms that come along with Alzheimer’s
Dementia is a disease that affects mental capabilities in which memory loss is one of the key features of this disease. Memory loss creates difficulty in completing every day tasks. Most people who suffer from the disease need assistance with their activities of daily living. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60% to 70% of cases of dementia. It is a long lasting neurodegenerative (progressive damage of the neurological nerve cells) disease that usually starts gradually and gets worse over time.
Alzheimer’s disease is a very slowly progressive disease that occurs inside the brain in which is characterized by damage of memory. Also this type of disease can lead into interruption in language, problem solving, planning and perception. The chance of a person developing Alzheimer’s disease increases enormously after the age of 70 (Crystal, 2009). Also people who are over the age of 85 have over a 50 percent chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This type of disease is not at all normal in the aging process and is also not something that happens out of no where in a person’s life.
Memory loss in elderly people is the fourth leading cause of death in elderly people; there are around 4 to 5 million Americans and more than 8 million people all over the world have been suffering from this disease. So, what is dementia in the elderly people? The disease is called Alzheimer's disease (AD) which is a disorder characterized by memory impairment and yet disorders in reasoning, planning, speaking, and understanding.