What Do You KNow About Alzheimers

One of the most noted behavior disorders I have seen as a care giver is that of dementia. Dementia can affect people of all ages. The most noted cause of dementia in the senior population is Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's initially affects the part of the brain that controls thought, memory and language. Currently there is no known cause or cure of Alzheimer's disease. It is estimated that approximately 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease. While this is such a high number Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging.

The Dr. that studied the disease so thoroughly was gifted with the disease named after himself. Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German Doctor first noticed changes in brain tissue of woman who died of an unusual mental illness in 1906. The abnormal clumps (amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers ( neurofibrillary tangles) were located in the studied women's brains. The plaques and tangles are now considered signs of A.D

While the cause is yet to still be found many risk factors of Alzheimer's are known. These risk factors include

• Many are over the age of 65 with the number of diagnosed individual doubling every 5 years there after
• Genetics may play a role in many cases. Early onset familial AD is a rare form of AD and can occur between ages of 30 to 60 and is believed to be inherited. 
• Some scientist are finding proof that individuals with risk factors for heart disease and stroke are also at risk of Alzheimer's. 

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's helps doctors to treat the symptoms. Early diagnosis helps the best chances to treat the symptoms of the disease. Diagnosies may be built on a few different qualities

• medical history looking at both general, past issues and ability to carry out daily activities 
• Memory test in problem solving, attention and language help to demonstrate mental function.
• Brain scans, blood test, urine and spinal fluid test are all means of physically diagnosing