OVERVIEW
What is Alzheimer's disease?
Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia that impairs memory, cognition, and behavior. Symptoms eventually become severe enough to interfere with daily activities. The pronunciation of Alzheimer's is "alz-HAI-mers." It's a brain-related neurodegenerative disease. This indicates that it gradually deteriorates and kills brain cells. Memory and language are among the cognitive functions that patients with AD eventually lose. The most frequent cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. The onset of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which are protein accumulations in the brain, is the first sign of Alzheimer's disease. Over time, this results in the death of brain cells and the shrinkage of the brain. In the US, 6.9 million people 65 and older suffer with Alzheimer's disease. Over 70% of them are 75 years of age or older. Alzheimer's disease is thought to account for 60% to 70% of the more than 55 million dementia sufferers worldwide.
Globally, Alzheimer's disease affects over 24 million individuals. It affects one in ten adults over 65. AD affects almost one in three adults over 85.
Alzheimer's disease has no known cure, however medical professionals can recommend therapies to control its symptoms. If you think you or a loved one may have AD symptoms, speak with a provider.
01
Diagnosis
There are several methods used by medical professionals to diagnose Alzheimer's disease. Talking about your medical history and present state of health is the first step. You and your loved ones will have a conversation with your provider. They will question you about your daily life and health. If you have any risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, let your healthcare practitioner know.
Your loved ones will be asked if they have noticed any changes or symptoms in you that you might not be aware of. They might inquire about your:
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Capacity to perform your regular tasks
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Alterations in your disposition, conduct, and character
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Present-day drugs
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Health history
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General well-being
Additionally, you will receive a thorough neurological and physical examination from your specialist. Other illnesses that cause comparable memory problems and other symptoms will be ruled out.
Additionally, your provider will employ a few tests, such as:
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Blood examinations
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MRI of the brain
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Cognitive assessments
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CT scan
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PET scan
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Mental and psychiatric assessments
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Tests of urine
In order to determine whether amyloid proteins have harmed your brain, your doctor can use these tests to check for their presence.
Your healthcare professional will collaborate with you and your loved ones to create a personalized treatment plan. They will assist you in establishing reasonable objectives for both your immediate and long-term well-being.
Diagnostic test futures
Biomarker testing have been shown to measure biological indicators of brain illness. Once symptoms start to appear, the tests can be performed in conjunction with other diagnostic techniques to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease. These tests aren't being utilized on patients who don't have symptoms, even though they can detect Alzheimer's symptoms before they appear. Biomarker test availability can vary greatly. For the majority of persons who may develop Alzheimer's disease, genetic testing is not advised. However, individuals who have a family history of early-onset Alzheimer's disease could think about getting tested. Before undergoing a genetic test, discuss the advantages and disadvantages with a genetic counselor.
02
Risk Factors
Everybody is affected by Alzheimer's disease differently. However, generally speaking, it can reduce or even eliminate your:
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Recollection
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Reasoning
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Words
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Personality and behavior
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Knowledge of space
Individuals who suffer from memory loss or other symptoms of Alzheimer's disease may find it challenging to identify changes in their own bodies and minds. Family members may be more aware of these symptoms. As time goes on, the symptoms will progressively worsen. If you or a loved one exhibit any dementia-like symptoms, get help from a healthcare professional immediately.
Memory
The most prevalent sign of Alzheimer's disease is memory loss. It may impact your short-term memory, which is your capacity to recall recent events, or your long-term memory, which is your ability to recall past events.
You could find it difficult to recall:
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Names or faces
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Information
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Where you are, even if it's somewhere familiar, like home
Occasionally forgetting where you left your phone or questioning whether you closed the door when you got home are not the same as the more severe memory problems associated with AD.
Reasoning
A person suffering from Alzheimer's disease may appear disoriented or exhibit exceptionally slow decision-making. This may have an impact on your capacity to:
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Choose your next course of action.
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Stick to a recipe.
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Make plans.
Language
Alzheimer's disease can cause aphasia, which is a difficulty speaking, reading, or understanding language. You could:
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Talk or communicate less than you once did.
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If you speak multiple languages, mix and match them.
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Go back to using the language you spoke the most as a child.
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Use or say the incorrect word
Personality and behavior
When someone has Alzheimer's disease, you may observe changes in their demeanor or temperament. They could:
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Be more wary of others, especially those they've known for years.
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Have mood fluctuations, such as acting more aggressively than normal.
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Experience heightened anxiety, suspicion, or delusions
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Strop having faith in oneself or loved ones
Everybody has terrible days and gets frustrated occasionally. However, Alzheimer's disease-related mood and personality changes are more severe or abrupt than normal irritability or grumpiness.
The reason why some people develop Alzheimer's disease while others do not is unknown to researchers. Among the risk factors could be:
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Being Latino or Black
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Environmental influences (anything related to your residence, place of employment, or areas of high concentration)
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Genetic alterations
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Being affected by a traumatic brain injury
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Smoking
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Your age (those above 65 are typically affected by AD)
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Your general well-being
Your chance of developing Alzheimer's disease may be raised by certain medical disorders, such as:
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Heart-related conditions
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Diabetes
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Trisomy 21 causes Down syndrome.
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Elevated blood pressure
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Elevated cholesterol
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Being overweight
03
Treatment
Treatment recommendations will be made by your healthcare professional to reduce the rate at which dementia develops. Alzheimer's has no known cure, but there are therapies that can help control symptoms as they arise and limit the disease's course.
The greatest method to keep your brain healthy throughout your life is to begin treatment as soon as possible. But as of right now, Alzheimer's disease cannot be stopped or reversed by any medication.
Speech and language therapy can assist in addressing the wide range of issues that dementia causes. Our speech-language pathologists can assist people with dementia who have issues with voice and speech, communication, swallowing, and attention and listening.
Deficits in communication are typical in AD. As issues arise with language use and all facets of functional communication, the patient's ability to communicate decreases from the very beginning of the illness. The capacity to express wants and thoughts is lost, and social interaction and maintaining close bonds with family, friends, and caretakers become more challenging. It is understandable that patients feel irritated by their inability to communicate themselves, and research has shown a substantial correlation between the emergence of serious behavioral issues and poor communication. In general, inadequate communication significantly increases the burden of sickness and causes caregiver stress.
At 1SpecialPlace, we support individuals with Alzheimer’s who face communication difficulties by providing personalized speech and language therapy tailored to their needs. Our expert therapists work on strengthening memory, improving word-finding abilities, and enhancing conversational skills through evidence-based strategies. We also guide families and caregivers with practical techniques to create supportive communication environments at home. By focusing on both verbal and non-verbal methods, our goal is to maintain independence, reduce frustration, and improve overall quality of life for those living with Alzheimer’s.
04
Tips for Caregivers
Certain risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, such as age and heredity, are beyond your control. However, you might be able to control other elements to lower your risk. Preventing cognitive decline in your brain can be achieved by maintaining your general health. You could attempt:
Adhere to a healthy diet: Your brain and general health can be maintained by eating a range of nutrient-dense foods. Your doctor may advise you to adhere to a particular diet, such as the DASH or Mediterranean diets.
Engage in a lot of physical activity: Engaging in physical activities and exercise can boost the health of your brain cells by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Staying active doesn't need you to be a professional athlete. Any activity that requires you to move your body, such as biking, gardening, or walking, can be a fantastic way to keep active.
Continue to be mentally engaged: Play board games, read, solve crossword puzzles, play an instrument, or engage in other pastimes that push your cognitive limits and teach you new abilities.
Maintain your social connections: Talk to your loved ones and community members on a regular basis. Participating in group activities, such as volunteer work in the community, reading clubs, fitness courses, or religious services, can help keep your mind active.
If you are concerned that Alzheimer's may run in your biological family, discuss genetic testing with your healthcare physician. They can check you for the genes or genetic alterations that could make you more susceptible to AD.