The Latest On Research For Alzheimer’s Disease
Posted by admin on 02/17/10 in Alzheimer's
About Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder named after German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in the year 1906. Dementia is a general term used for the depicting loss of memory and other intellectual abilities which are serious enough to interfere with daily life.
Alzheimer’s Disease: The Most Common Form of Dementia
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among older people. Alzheimer’s disease first causes progressive cognitive deterioration which involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. It is later accompanied by declining activities of daily living and by neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral changes. People suffering from Alzheimers disease often find it difficult to remember names of the people they know and tend to forget recent happenings. They might not recognize even their family members and may have trouble doing activities like speaking, reading or writing. Sometimes the condition of Alzheimer patients becomes so severe that they wander away from home.
The human brain contains 100 billion nerve cells or neurons. Each of these nerve cells communicates with each other to form a network like structure. These nerve cell networks coordinate the neural activities such as thinking, learning, remembering, smelling, hearing & seeing. To do their work, the brain cells operate like tiny factories. In Alzheimer’s disease, parts of the brain cell’s factory stop functioning properly. Scientists are still unsure as to where exactly the trouble starts from.
Alzheimer’s Disease : Causes
The greatest known cause for Alzheimer’s disease is increasing age. The statistics reveal that the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease doubles about every five years after age 65. The other major cause of Alzheimer’s disease is family history or heredity (genetics). When Alzheimer’s disease tends to run in families, either heredity (genetics) or environmental factors or both may play a major role. Alzheimer’s disease may also be caused by a serious head injury or severe heart diseases that damage the heart or blood vessels.
Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
There are no medical tests currently available to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with definite accuracy. The first step in following up on the symptoms is to go and see a doctor with whom the patient feels comfortable. The patient’s mood and mental status is evaluated along with a detailed review of the patient’s medical history. Later on a couple of clinical diagnostic tests are performed to ascertain conclusive evidence on whether the patient suffers from Alzheimer’s disease or not.
Home Care and Treatment for Alzheimer’s disease
At present, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are looking for new treatments and care techniques to alter the course of the disease and improve the quality of life for people suffering with Alzheimer’s disease. It is important to take ample care of yourself if you have to take care of someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease because taking care of Alzheimer patients can be quite challenging and overwhelming. You can talk to other people who have taken care of Alzheimer disease patients within their own family. But the most viable option is to get in touch with professional caregivers who are specialized in providing home care support to people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Assisted-living facilities especially for people with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Assisted-living facilities for people with Alzheimer’s disease are often referred to as “Special Care Units (SCUs).” SCUs are staffed with individuals who are specially trained to work with people who have Alzheimer’s disease. As such, the environment is designed to be very safe and comfortable, and the activities are designed to benefit the person with Alzheimer’s disease.
SCUs can differ in the level of care they provide along the continuum of the disease. For instance, some assisted living facilities will accept people with Alzheimer’s until they need skilled care (nursing home care) whereas others will only accept people who are in the early stages of the disease.
Get Help.
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What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Question by bad_banking: How can doctors tell an Alzheimer’s patient suffered a stroke, and estimate the time?
A family member with Alzheimer’s experienced increased muscle weakness over a few days, but rather sudden permanent inability to walk at all. Doctors said he had experienced a stroke 5 days before and also 5 or 6 yrs ago. I want to know how a CAT scan indicating a stroke in an Alzheimer’s patient would differ from just plain Alzheimer’s brain. Is it different densities or something? Also, how do they know how long ago the stroke was? The 5yr thing especially seems strange since he was still working then…
Best answer:
Answer by versantly
no difference. the doctor can tell the approximate age of injury to the brain by the scan. ask the doctor these questions next time!
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s: A Groundbreaking Approach for Everyone Dealing with the Disease
- ISBN13: 9780618485178
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More than four million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s, and as many as twenty million have close relatives or friends with the disease. Revolutionizing the way we perceive and live with Alzheimer’s, Joanne Koenig Coste offers a practical approach to the emotional well-being of both patients and caregivers that emphasizes relating to patients in their own reality. Her accessible and comprehensive method, which she calls habilitation, works to enhance communication between carepartners and p
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kaykko | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
“Knock knock.”
“Who’s there?”
“Dave.”
“Dave who?”
Dave holds back tears as he realises his mother’s Alzheimer’s is getting worse.
chrissline77 | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
I think I might have Alzheimer’s, but I can’t remember.
mpgars | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
@amine9876 cock
TrueDominguez | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
how do i avoid this or delay it or something my mom is sying she might have alzheimers n it worrys me to think so help any advice or something please replys all appreciated
beforethestormx31 | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
@redoscar21 I’m so sorry. I know how you feel unfortunately. How’s she doing?
caregiverscan | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
One of the BEST videos I have seen in explaining the disease in a clear way. Great job!
caregiverscan | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
One of the BEST videos I have seen in explaining the disease in a clear way. Great job!
shaggythestewie | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
I think i may have seen this before but i’ m not sure.
1RadicalOne | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
Some corrections to this video – the back of the brain is purely for visual processing and recognition. All memories are stored either in the frontal lobes – consciously accessible ones – or the amygdala – unconscious, emotional ones recorded early in life.
And language is processed in an area near the back of the frontal lobes, a bit above and behind where this video shows.
And lastly, emotions are not processed by the top area of the brain; the limbic system does that.
shahad1982 | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
Its really sad, Thank you for this Video
ketsueki | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
Very informational video. Well done. While I do not know anyone personally with the disease, I do hope that a cure is found soon and that no one has to suffer from this horrible disease.
viperreturns | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
My grans got Alzheimers, Its not nice too see her that way at all. I wish there was a cure to stop people suffering and there familys
DVH123BLAH | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
Return to dakota’s website after viewing.
DVH123BLAH | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
hey actionalz
can use your video in a science project
i am in grade eight and am doing a project on alzheimer’s and gene testing
respond back thanks
jesusfreak05488 | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
I think my mother has early onset.
matjesworld | Feb 17, 2010 | Reply
My grandmother has Alzheimer’s disease at an advanced stage, and every day she goes away a little step more. In my opinion, the biggest mistake would be to compare the status quo with the good old days. We should enjoy every day as good as possible, before its too late. There are not much things we can do against this illness, but we have to preserve the dignity of those people till the end.
dementiaconnection | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
The number of persons who’ve watched this video is incredible…..there is so much more for everyone to learn about this illness….I’ve worked with families struggling for 30 years with Alzheimer’s and dementia. As a clinician even I have a hard time keeping up with all the new research….stay informed! Susan Scanland MSN, CRNP, GNP Dementia Connection LLC
mettabee | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
i just started working in a long term facility and most of the patients have alzheimer’s. they look like they’re constantly in a state of terror, it is so sad and no way to live.
Pokefan5719 | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
alzheimers disease is shit.
bofohandsome | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
I love my mom and I don’t want her to have this disease,I am so sorry for the moms of all of you guys…good luck!…: (
MysteryWizard | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
Alzheimer’s is NOT a disease.
I challenge it is not a disease.
Leon Wagoner
Call Joe Nicassio, 714-600-0640
leonwagoner@gmail.com
KWBookClub | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
For those worried about having the gene for Alzheimer’s, there are many studies done on preventing the onset of early Alzheimer’s symptoms. That is our best bet until there is a cure. New book by former CNN health correspondent about her research on prevention methods.
OneMustyDog | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
i may have Alzheimer’s but atleast i don’t have Alzheimer’s.
goldfish4breakfast | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
What an excellent video for clearly describing Alzheimer’s without any technical jargon – a great source of information for people who want to know about the disease.
anebt | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
“GSK-3b appears to participate in the production of neurofibrillary tangles, which are a key feature found in Alzheimer’s patients. Lithium was shown to reduce the levels of GSK-3b. ” Lithium used to be more abundant in our diets in the form of seafood (via seaweed) and mineral waters. Today we drink poisonous water.
Lithium has been found to increase neuronal growth and prevent neuronal death. Bipolar people use it, but not all. It is not a med for bipolar–it is a mineral salt..
poppy1 | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
Hi Bad, My dad has this terrible disease. He also had a stroke about 6 years ago and some what they call mini strokes at least 4 of those. When they scan the Alzheimer patient for the disease where they have had regular strokes and mini strokes they show on the scan in different color. I have seen this on my dad’s brain. They pointed out where the mini strokes were and the one he had 6 years ago. Different color tells them different things about the different strokes. It all makes sense if you can see the scan while they are doing it. It’s really weird the way these medical people can pin point things wrong with us.
A Friend.
poppy1
Lady Wildwood | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
My father has Alzheimers and also suffered a few mild strokes. I will tell you what his doctor told us.
They can tell when a person has a stoke because a stroke damages the brain tissue. The areas of the brain affected by the stroke will show up on their equipment differently than the rest of the brain. With my dad they showed up as brighter white spots with dark areas near them (thats the now dead part of the brain)
Just like when you break a bone a stroke will leave scar tissue. (the damaged areas of the brain) The doctors can tell you basically when you broke a bone even if it happened as a child. Same thing with a stroke and the damage it caused. They can look at the tissues and see how much rewiring around the areas has happened, they know how fast the parts of the brain heal or rewire, so they can pinpoint when a stroke happened. The closer to the occurance time the better the “when it happened” diagnosis. Thats why the difference between 5 days and 5 or 6 years. People can have small strokes that effect them at the time, but they can recover from those. However those strokes should be seen as warning signs and be followed up by a doctors exam and monitoring.
texellence "texellence" | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
Hanging on for dear life,
If you are experiencing this disease with a loved one, then you know the loneliness and frustration of trying to be all the person you care for needs. My sister bought this book, read it overnight, highlighted and post-it tabbed the most important parts, mailed it to me priority mail, and i have used it at night as a touchstone for salvation. It is indeed a bible for HOW to treat your loved one. I use it to get what I need to know in terms of sensitivity to what my cared for relative needs. I would be lost without it…it will help keep you on a path of the right relationship with your loved one that you will want to live up to. I promise you ,read it, highlight it, and you will not ever look back and regret anything you did, if you follow its advice. A true gift.
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|Daniel Kuhn | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
The person with Alzheimer’s come first, not the symptoms,
Those new to Alzheimer’s disease will find this book to be a helpful guide. Even those who are familar with caring for someone with the disease will find nuggets of wisdom in the middle section, “The Five Tenets of Habilitation.” It is here where Joanne Koenig Coste is at her best in describing how to preserve the personhood of those with dementia. This section alone makes the entire book worthwhile. It’s about time Joanne put her thoughts into a book–she has been helping people navigate their way through the choppy waters of Alzheimer’s for over 20 years!
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|Anonymous | Feb 18, 2010 | Reply
A must-have,
I ran out and bought this book after hearing the author on NPR’s Talk of the Nation last week. I have a family member who was recently diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s and have been very scared about it. This book, though, makes me feel that there is something I can do to keep my aunt in my life for as long as possible. The author’s simple tips and ideas for continuing to relate to patients are great, and I know this will help a lot in the coming months for our family. This is the only book I’ve seen that gives me real hope.
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