After she died, he examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps now called amyloid plaques and tangled bundles of fibers now called neurofibrillary, or tau, tangles. Another feature is the loss of connections between nerve cells neurons in the brain.
Neurons transmit messages between different parts of the brain, and from the brain to muscles and organs in the body. This damage initially takes place in parts of the brain involved in memory, including the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus.
It later affects areas in the cerebral cortex, such as those responsible for language, reasoning, and social behavior. Eventually, many other areas of the brain are damaged. Many more under age 65 also have the disease.
Unless Alzheimer's can be effectively treated or prevented, the number of people with it will increase significantly if current population trends continue.
As the disease becomes more advanced, symptoms above become more pronounced. According to the Alzheimer's Society, people may also experience: 4.
That is the billion-dollar question of dementia research. Risk factors include:. Instead, doctors may use a number of diagnostic methods, per the Alzheimer's Association: 8.
Doctors listen to the heart and lungs and examine other relevant areas. They may also collect blood and urine samples for lab testing and perform additional assessments to help identify ailments like depression , untreated sleep apnea , delirium, certain vitamin deficiencies , side effects of medication, thyroid problems , and excess alcohol use that may cause dementia-like symptoms.
This testing assesses memory, ability to solve simple problems, and other cognitive skills. During a test called the Mini-Cog, for instance, the person is asked to remember and, a few minutes later, repeat the names of three common objects. People of any age can be free of any signs of cognitive or functional decline or associated changes in behavior or mood.
One-half or more of older adults ages 65 and older believe their memory is slipping a bit — that they have more trouble remembering names than they used to, for instance. Memory problems are subtle but significant enough for close friends and family to notice.
The person might ask the same question repeatedly or have trouble acquiring new skills or performing multi-part tasks. People at this stage may become increasingly unable to handle the more complex demands of daily life, such as ordering off a menu at a restaurant.
The basic demands of everyday life, like picking out clothing suitable for the weather, become difficult. People may not be able to remember the name of the president or count backwards from 20 by twos. People may have trouble walking or putting on their clothing correctly, and become reliant on caregivers for help with bathing and using the toilet. The end of this stage is marked by incontinence and inability to speak.
Speech is essentially lost. People lose the ability to walk and sit up independently, to smile, and to hold their heads up without assistance. Physical rigidity sets in. Before healthcare providers prescribe medication, they generally start with nonpharmaceutical approaches. Counseling, involvement in a support group, and activities like dancing that combine social, mental, and physical engagement can all have a positive effect on mind and body, notes the Alzheimer's Society.
The U. But scientists are continuing to explore new interventions, according to the National Institute on Aging. But there has been no research confirming that this helps cognition, notes the Alzheimer's Association. One common complication is difficulty swallowing dysphagia , which can result in food or drink being aspirated breathed into the lungs, potentially causing pneumonia.
A growing body of research suggests it can. An estimated 5. This number includes 5. Sign-up for our email newsletter. It is the leading cause of dementia—the loss of memory and thinking ability that interferes with everyday function—and is universally fatal, usually within 10 years of onset.
Cognitive function declines as brain cells neurons malfunction, due to a buildup of plaques made of the protein amyloid-beta and tangles made of the protein tau, and eventually die.
Symptoms typically include memory loss beyond what is expected for normal aging, such as forgetting recent events or repeating questions that were answered a few minutes ago; difficulty carrying out usual tasks, such as driving a motor vehicle or balancing a checkbook; and, as the disease progresses, the potential for irritability and suspiciousness.
Older age is the number one risk factor. The disease also may have a genetic component. A person with a first-degree relative parent or sibling with the disease has double the lifetime likelihood of developing it. Cardiovascular factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol, may be additional risk factors. Although new diagnostic methods are being developed, diagnosis still relies on a doctor spending time with the patient and a family member to get a detailed medical history as well as conducting a neurologic examination and evaluation of memory, concentration, and other cognitive functions.
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