Types And Symptoms Of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer 's disease is a disease in which the neurons of the brain are degenerated and deteriorated. It is progressive and slowly gets worse. It is the most common type of dementia. This disease messes with the brain 's ability to think. It also causes loss of memory, language skill, and abnormal behavioral changes. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than five million Americans are living with this disease, and every 67 seconds, an American develops Alzheimer 's. It is also the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S with approximately 500,000 people dying each year. Also reports that almost two thirds of Alzheimer 's patients are women. (Alzheimer 's Foundation of America, 2014; Alzheimer 's Association, 2014).
The brain contains …show more content…
Early onset Alzheimer 's is a rare case in which an individual develops Alzheimer’s before the age of 65. This type appears to have a connection with a defective chromosome number 14. Muscle spasms and twitching are usually seen in this type of Alzheimer’s as well, whereas it is not seen in late-onset Alzheimer 's, and neither is the defected chromosome 14. Late onset Alzheimer 's, mostly seen in individuals over the age of 65, is the most common form of Alzheimer 's and accounts for %90 of cases. This form may or may not be hereditary depending on the individual and his familial history. Late onset Alzheimer 's is also known as sporadic Alzheimer 's disease. Finally, the third form of this disease is called familial Alzheimer 's disease (FAD). In this case, the individual would have retrieved the disease entirely from heredity. It can be seen in families who have had two or more affected generations. This form is rare, and accounts for only %1 of the diagnosed cases. It also takes place at a much earlier age, and that is often in the 40s (WebMD,2014).
The signs and symptoms for Alzheimer 's disease are obvious. The first sign is memory problems, although it is important not to associate all memory problems with the presence of Alzheimer 's. A person in the early stage of Alzheimer 's may find it difficult to remember things, ask the same questions over and over again, lose objects or place them …show more content…
There are also medications that can help with behavioral symptoms such as violence, depression, and inability to sleep. While these medications may work for some people, they do not work for everyone. There are currently four medications that can help maintain memory and speaking skills for a while. For people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, donepezil (Aricept®), rivastigmine (Exelon®), or galantamine (Razadyne®) may be administered, and Memantine (Namenda®), can be used to treat symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s. These medications may cause unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite, so it is important to monitor the use of these drugs and make sure that no abnormal side effects are occurring (National Institute of Healthcare, 2014).
Alzheimer 's disease is a progressive disease that cannot really be prevented. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. It mostly occurs in individuals over the age of 65, specifically women. This disease is caused by the blockage of neuron connections in the brain and occurs in different stages: early, late, and familial or hereditary. It is important that this disease be diagnosed correctly and that the patient is treated for the symptoms as soon as possible. The patient may see different specialists to try and slow down its