More than 100 years ago, the German physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer treated a woman with an unusual mental illness, and after her death he discovered certain changes in her brain. Today scientists know that these pathologic changes are amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and lost connections between neurons concerned with memory and learning.
Dementia
Alzheimer's disease is one of several forms of dementia, which is a decline in cognitive function that prevents the patient from managing his or her activities of daily living. Vascular dementia is another type in which there is insufficient blood flow to the brain, and strokes are the result. Alzheimer's disease is the most common of all dementias in the elderly population and currently affects 5.3 million Americans.
Thirty years ago, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in the United States was less than half that amount.
Scientists do not know the exact cause of Alzheimer's disease, and there is no available cure. Moreover, there is no specific method to prevent it although physicians recommend that everyone follow the rules of good health. Those rules include adequate sleep, a well balanced diet, exercise, and management of stress. Nevertheless, research provides very few guidelines for the prevention or management of this disease.
One must understand that Alzheimer's disease is not a natural or normal part of aging. It is more likely to occur in women than in men. Though a greater proportion of Caucasians has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease than of other racial or ethnic groups, research suggests that elderly African-Americans and Hispanics are at higher risk for the development of the condition than are elderly Caucasians.
The older a person is, the more likely he or she is to develop Alzheimer's disease.
The condition may occur in middle-aged adults, but it usually affects people who are at least 60 years old. After the age of 65, its occurrence doubles every five years. There seems to be a genetic origin of this disease which is the seventh leading cause of death among American adults. Medicare and Medicaid costs from Alzheimer's disease during 2010 were $123 billion.
Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible and progressive brain disease which, over a period of many years, impairs memory, thought, and language. Patients may live for 3 to 10 years after the diagnosis, but this will depend on how old he or she is at the time of confirmation of the disease and the presence or absence of other medical problems.
The disease is present, however, many years before a physician makes the diagnosis and before there are symptoms of memory problems. In fact, the changes in the brain take place as long as 10 to 20 years before symptoms become obvious to anyone.
Medications which the Food and Drug Administration has approved will lessen the symptoms for these patients, but none of them is curative.
Other Causes of Memory Problems or Dementia
There are several other medical conditions which can account for memory problems or dementia. Stress, anxiety, and depression will make a patient forgetful or not able to concentrate, but this does not indicate that the patient has Alzheimer's disease. Side effects from medications, alcoholism, tumor or infection of the brain, blood clots in the brain, deficiency of vitamin B12, dehydration, fever, and disorders of the thyroid, kidney, or liver are other possibilities.
It is important that patients and family members plan in advance for the financial and legal consequences of Alzheimer's disease. These concern end-of-life decisions, power-of-attorney, health insurance, monetary assets, and other matters.
References
Centers for Disease Control. (2010). Alzheimer's disease. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2010). Alzheimer's disease. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
Michael Koger - Dr. Koger obtained his medical education at Meharry Medical College and specialized in Internal Medicine.
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