HUMAN DISEASE

Alzheimer's Disease



Alzheimer 's Disease

Introduction

Dementia is a disorder chronic and progressive in nature characterised by deterioration of cognitive functioning and acquisition of knowledge. The ability to process thought, analyse situation and memorise is extremely affected. The detrimental effects on orientation, comprehension, learning capacity and judgement prone a person to become disable and dependent for survival. Dimented disorders consist of Alzheimer's disease, caused by neurological insufficiency as a result of injury or an organic insult to brain tissues and its substance.

Discussion

The Mode of On Set of Alzheimer's

The gradual and insidious onset of the disease impairs intellectual capacity that is unexpected for a normal ageing physiology. The morbidity is accompanied by impairement in emotional control, social withdrawal and disturbance in behaviour and attitude. The retro grade amnesia, poverty of speech and psychological anomalies are special features of Alzheimer's.

Among the older people world wide, the disease has been a burden for only for the sufferer but also for the care givers attending him. The lack of awareness and correct understanding of Alzheimer's results in stigmatization socially as well as in getting diagnosed and treated on time. A disease of older people, mostly effecting people of ages 55 to 75 years, Alzheimer's impacts differently each person in its causation, progression and severity.

Signs and Symptoms

The early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's are often not taken into serious account as the onset of the disease is gradual. The symptoms of forgetfulness, disorientation for place, person and time, and tendency to get lost in familiar environments are commonly depicted. During the middle stage of the illness, the symptoms become restricted and precise as the patient begin to have difficulty in recalling recent memories and names of people, has increasing difficulty in communication with others, need help and assistance in self care and also at this stage he starts to experience changes in behaviour such as repeated questioning.

The late symptoms of Alzheimer's comprise of total dependence of the individual and immobility. Memory disturbance becomes critical and the sufferer finds difficulty in recognizing relatives and friends. Aggression and violent behaviour may elicit as the disease becomes chronic.

Treatment

There is no potential treatment available for Alzheimer's to change its progressive course of spread. New clinical trials are under way in order to find cure for this deteriorating disorder. The principle therapy regiment for demented diseases can be to identify and treat behavioural and psychological symptoms and optimizing cognition, activity and well being.

Prevention

Preventive measures are entirely based on research based evidence for future implications. Targeted places for inflicted risk factors are to minimize the dependency and immobility this disorder causes.

Prevalence

For unknown reasons women in England suffer more in prevalence of Alzheimer's as compared to men. According to Alzheimer's society, that the dementia affects around 650,000 persons in England with Alzheimer comprises of 62 percent of the cases. If occurred below the age of 65 years Alzheimer's is regarded as early onset dementia and is less common in UK. Only 2 percent of cases are of early ...