In the preceding blog, I wrote about the Chinese elderly and the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on the senior population. As part of a three-person team, I will be working on this social challenge in Beijing for one month starting this week. Our work is completely sponsored by IBM’s Corporate Service Corps (CSC) program.
Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease. It hollows out a person’s brain and destroys his identity developed over a lifetime. The disease has already overtaken cancer as the second largest cause of death in England and Wales. This can very well happen in China sooner than we think.
In this blog, I will share some key facts about Alzheimer’s disease with you. I have taken material from Mayo Clinic On Alzheimer’s Disease. Ronald C. Petersen, Ph.D, MD. Medical Editor, and In Pursuit of Memory by Joseph Jebelli.
The Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) or Alzheimer’s is a terminal neuro-degenerative disease. Alzheimer’s course may run from two to twenty years after the first signs and symptoms appear.
AD is not a part of the normal aging process.
There’s no cure for this disease.
In fact, there’s no single definitive test for Alzheimer’s today.
AD destroys the brain’s most basic components – the nerve cells (neurons) that rely on messages within the brain and between the brain the rest of the body. As the brain’s nerve cells degenerate and break down, cognition becomes more impaired.
People with AD ultimately lose some or all of their ability to communicate; recognize familiar objects and their loved ones; control behavior, for example, they become short-tempered and hostile; and satisfy basic physical urges, such as the need to eat or to urinate.
Eventually, the basic functions, such as speaking or chewing and swallowing food, may become seriously impaired or lost altogether.
In the final stages of AD, the patients are bedridden and dependent on others for care. Death generally occurs from the complications of being immobile and unable to eat and drink properly.
How Does Alzheimer’s Affect The Brain?
Alzheimer’s results in black stains in the brain called plaques and tangles. Plaques, by interrupting the electrical signals between neurons, start to destroy the brain’s ability to generate new memory in the hippocampus, the area critical for memory. As the plaques grow in number these start the formation of tangles – deformed proteins that completely destroy neurons’ internal transport mechanism. Brain’s immune system attempts to correct the neurotoxicity but fails as the damage is irreversible. The neurons start to fail one by one. In a few years after the symptoms start, the neurons in the frontal lobe and cerebral cortex will perish. This will disrupt mood, spatial awareness, face recognition and long-term memory.
Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Dementia involves a sharp decline in memory and other cognitive skills that prevents people from being able to carry out the most basic tasks of daily living
AD is the most common cause of dementia primarily those older than 65.
Dementia is not a disease. It is a syndrome, which means it is a collection of signs and symptoms caused by the disease. Having dementia means a person has significant problems with at least two cognitive functions. For example, dementia could be signaled by memory loss with impaired language use or with extreme personality changes (or with both).
However, if a person is exhibiting memory loss, he or she may or may not have dementia. Several other causes can give rise to dementia-like symptoms. A person needs a specialist’s careful interpretation of signs and symptoms and study of the family history to confirm dementia.
Some Other Causes of Dementia
The following conditions can also induce dementia-like symptoms. But the major difference is that treatment can reverse or stop the cognitive impairment from progressing. Therefore, it is important to consult your doctor if you or someone is suffering from memory-related symptoms.
- Infection. Inflammation of brain tissue from infections such as meningitis and encephalitis can damage brain cells and cause dementia-like symptoms.
- Reaction to medication. The side effects from some drugs can cause temporary problems with memory and concentration.
- Metabolic or endocrine imbalances. Diseases of the thyroid, kidney, pancreas, and liver can upset the chemical balance of blood, causing delirium or dementia.
- Normal-pressure hydrocephalus. A buildup of cerebrospinal fluid can compress brain tissue even though the fluid pressure remains normal.
- Brain tumors. Certain tumors can cause dementia symptoms, for example, if a tumor presses against brain structures that control hormone levels.
- Subdural hematoma. The collection of blood between the brain’s surface and its thin outer covering can cause dementia-like symptoms.
- Heart and lung problems. Conditions such as heart disease, emphysema, and pneumonia can deprive the bloodstream of oxygen, causing cell death and possibly dementia.
- Nutritional deficiencies. Deficiencies of nutrients, such as the B vitamins, may cause dementia-like symptoms.
- Chronic alcoholism. Complications such as liver disease and nutritional deficiencies can lead to dementia.
- Substance abuse. Misuse of prescription drugs, such as sleeping pills and tranquilizers, and the use of street drugs, especially in high doses may cause dementia symptoms.
- Poisoning. Exposure to toxic solvents or fumes can damage brain cells and ultimately lead to dementia.
How Can We Diagnose Alzheimer’s?
A definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer’s generally cannot be made until autopsy, when examination of brain tissue yields direct evidence of the abnormalities characteristic of the disease.
A whole team of medical professionals may be involved in diagnosing a neurodegenerative disorder. The basic evaluation includes a medical history, a physical exam, a neurological evaluation. And cognitive and neuropsychological tests.
It is also important not to self-diagnose, either by checking a symptoms list of taking a screening test – the kind found online or at the drugstore. Such tests are inaccurate, and the results can be easily misinterpreted, causing either undue worry from a low score or a false sense of security from a high score.
It bears repeating that no single test can unequivocally determine whether a person has dementia due to Alzheimer’s. It is important that this person works with her/his doctors and the other recommended specialists.
How Can We Prevent Alzheimer’s?
Various studies indicate that several lifestyle habits may reduce the risk of developing AD, such as,
- Keeping your heart healthy. The latest research shows that what’s good for your heart is good for your brain. So, it pays to keep your heart and blood vessels healthy. The following habits can help
- Regular physical exercise
- Stopping smoking
- Drinking alcohol in moderation
- Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables
- Getting enough sleep
- Managing stress. Determine the major stressors and come up with simple ways to tackle them. Maybe you need to let go of the ones that you cannot control. Pursue activities that bring meaning to you. Try relaxation techniques, for example, meditation.
- Engaging in mentally stimulating activities. Lifelong learning and mental exercise may promote the growth of neural connections and delay the onset of dementia.
- Staying socially connected
The Journey Forward
I will come to know more about Alzheimer’s in the coming days. I am excited to work directly with the caregivers and patients’ families.
Looking forward to sharing my experience with you in my upcoming blogs.
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