Alzheimers

Dementia a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases

Alzheimers a form of Dementia that worsens with time

affects memory thinking and behavior

Is a type of Senile Dementia

Slow Develop

Diagnosis

No single definitive cause so diagnosis; make diagnosis difficult

Assessing past and present functioning

Determining classic patterns

These help doctors indicate whether it is Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia

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APP on chromosome 21 Presenilin 1 PSEN1 on chromosome 14 Presenilin 2 PSEN2 on chromosome 1

Are there any symptoms or effects on the body

Routinely places common objects in odd places

Forgetting names of relatives

Forgetting names of common objects

Rapid mood swings with no reasonable cause

Getting lost in familiar places

Forgetting entire conversations

Forgetfulness for the elderly is common but massive memory loss is not

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Possible causes

Head trauma Epilepsy

Parkinson’s Disease Kidney or Liver Failure

Malnutrition Alcohol, drug, and substance abuse

Medication side effects Depression

Chronic sleep deprivation infections like syphilis and meningitis

Anemia Can be caused genetically

Genetically caused Alzheimer’s usually develops at younger ages

Early Alzheimer’s is usually caused by 3 mutations

the APP gene found on chromosome 21

the PSI gene on chromosome 12

and the PS2 gene on chromosome 1

Thyroid Disease

Vitamin Deficiency

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Can it be treated

Alzheimers can not be treated or cured but it can be prevented

Consuming a low fat diet

Eating cold water fish at least 2-3 times a week

Reduce linoleic acid intake my reducing margarine, butter, dairy product consumption

Increase antioxidants

Maintain normal blood pressure

Stay mentally and socially active throughout your life

Consider taking no steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen

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What demographic does it typically effect

The elderly are most at risk for alzheimers as the risk increases with age

People with heart disease high cholesterol diabetes or high blood pressure

Substance Abusers

Age family history and genetics can put you at higher risk

How common is it

the alzheimers association estimates that 62million people out of the 350million in the us have alzheimers with is also ⅙ of the us population

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(11.3%) age 65 and older has Alzheimer's disease. The percentage of people with Alzheimer's dementia increases with age: 5.3% of people age 65 to 74, 13.8% of people age 75 to 84, and 34.6% of people age 85 and older have Alzheimer's dementia

Discovery

First discovered by Dr Alois Alzheimer in 1906

Alzheimer had a patient in her fifties who suffered from what seemed to be a mental illness

But when she died an autopsy revealed neurotic plaques outside and around the nerve cells in her brain

Inside the cells were twisted strands of fiber, or neurofibrillary tangles

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