Description of Alzheimers Disease - Term Paper Example

of Paper: Alzheimer’s disease # BIO206 - Disease of the Human Body Stephanie List 15-Nov-11 Alzheimer’s disease: Description of the disease: The most common form of dementia (a loss of brain functions which occurs with certain diseases), Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disease of the brain which leads to an irreversible loss of neurons and intellectual abilities such as memory and reasoning. With time Alzheimer’s disease gets so bad that it interferes with everyday functioning and causes problems in judgment, decision-making abilities, and memory. Alzheimer’s disease is also called Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type (SDAT). (Nordqvist, 2009) (American Health Assistance Foundation, 2011) Etiology: The two major reasons for Alzheimer’s disease are family history and age. Although developing Alzheimer’s disease is not a part of normal aging, it has been proven that age increases the risk of developing this disease (Crystal). Family history also plays a major role in Alzheimer’s disease and having a close blood relative such as mother, sister, and brother etc who developed Alzheimer’s disease increases the risk of developing this disease. Other unproven causes of this disease include: a history of head trauma, long standing high blood pressure, and female gender (Nordqvist, 2009). There are two major types of Alzheimer’s disease which have been identified according to the age of the patients: Early Onset Alzheimer’s: This type is not very common and is said to occur when a patient displays symptoms of the disease before reaching the age of 60. (Kantor, 2010) Late Onset Alzheimer’s: This type of the disease is very common and is said to occur when a patient age 60 or higher displays symptoms of the disease. (Kantor, 2010) Signs and Symptoms: The basic symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are language and memory problems (forgetting familiar names, words, routes etc), flat moods, and personality changes (Kantor, 2010). A more in-depth discussion about the signs and symptoms can be found under the next heading. Diagnostic Procedures: Many medical professionals use a 7 stage diagnostic framework to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease because it is very hard to diagnose. The framework is as follows: 1st Stage - No Impairment: The first stage of Alzheimer’s shows almost no symptoms of the disease i.e. no cognitive and memory problems appear on the surface. (Nordqvist, 2009) 2nd Stage – Minimal Impairment: The second stage of Alzheimer’s begins when the patient begins to show very mild cognitive decline such as forgetting very familiar words occasionally or forgetting where he/she kept a certain object etc. (Nordqvist, 2009) 3rd Stage – Early Confusional: The third stage of Alzheimer’s begins when the decline in the patient’s memory and cognitive ability start impacting his/her everyday functioning such as planning, remembering recent information, and learning etc. The patient may also start to remain depressed and become moody. (Nordqvist, 2009) 4th Stage – Moderate Cognitive Decline: The fourth stage of Alzheimer’s disease begins when the patient displays a reduced memory of personal history along with an evidently decreased memory of recent events. At this stage the patient is still able to identify familiar names and people but has difficulty in performing sequential tasks such as driving, shopping alone, reading and selecting what is in a menu at a restaurant etc. (Nordqvist, 2009) 5th Stage – Moderately Severe Cognitive Decline: The fifth stage of Alzheimer’s disease begins when the patient’s cognitive decline becomes a serious problems and he has problems remembering personal history such as where they used to work, telephone numbers etc. The patient also faces a lot of problems in performing calculations and is even confused about what month, year, or day it is. (Nordqvist, 2009) 6th Stage – Sever Cognitive Decline: The sixth stage of Alzheimer’s disease begins when the patient displays a considerable change in personality and cannot survive without help. His memory of recent experiences is virtually non-existent and he loses the ability to remember the names of family members (although usually patients still remember their own name). (Nordqvist, 2009) 7th Stage – Very Severe Cognitive Decline: The seventh stage of Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a complete loss of functioning abilities by the patient. The patient loses his ability to respond to the environment, to speak, and to control his own movement. At this stage the bodily functions start to fail as well and the patient becomes almost completely bedridden. Patients in the 7th stage of Alzheimer’s disease require round the clock care. (Nordqvist, 2009) Recently, a new method for diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease has been discovered which helps diagnose the disease even when the symptoms have not surfaced. This method utilizes a new compound called Flutemetamol. This compound highlights the affected areas of the brain when scanned (Reilly, 2011). Treatment: Alzheimer’s is unfortunately a terminal disease i.e. up till now it has no cure. Different medications can, however, be used to slow down the progression of the disease, to improve the different symptoms of the disease such as depression, anxiety, insomnia etc. The following medications are used to treat Alzheimer’s disease: Cholinesterase inhibitors: This form of medication contains a special chemical which inhibits the cholinesterase enzyme from breaking down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine - resulting in an increase in both the neurotransmitter's level and duration of action. The purpose behind prescribing cholinesterase inhibitors is to deal with memory, language, and thought process related problems. Different cholinesterase inhibitors include: Donepezil (Aricept) Galantamine (Razadyne) Rivastigmine (Exelon) (Nordqvist, 2009) Memantine: The purpose of prescribing memantine is to limit the damage caused by glutamate, a chemical messenger. Memantine also improves attention, memory, and language. (Nordqvist, 2009) Ace Inhibitors: ACE inhibitors that affect the brain by crossing the blood-brain barrier may reduce inflammation that could contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. (Nordqvist, 2009) Prognosis and Prevention: Alzheimer’s disease is a terminal disease and once diagnosed it can only be controlled in order to prolong the life of the patient. This disease is still an enigma and there is no sure shot way to prevent it. The following steps however are worth taking if someone has a history of dementia in the family: 1. Consume a low-fat diet 2. Watch your blood pressure and make sure it stays normal 3. Increase intake of antioxidants 4. Stay mentally and socially active throughout your life. Even in old age. 5. Consider taking Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), Sulindac (Clinoril), or Indomethacin (Indocin). Statin drugs, a class of medications normally used for high cholesterol, may help lower your risk of AD. (Kantor, 2010) Works Cited American Health Assistance Foundation. (2011, September 26). About Alzheimer's Disease. Retrieved November 15, 2011, from Alzheimer's Disease Research: http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/ Crystal, H. (n.d.). Alzheimer's Disease. Retrieved November 15, 2011, from MedicineNet.com: http://www.medicinenet.com/alzheimers_disease_causes_stages_and_symptoms/article.htm Kantor, D. (2010, April 10). Alzheimer's Disease. Retrieved November 10, 2011, from PubMed Health: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001767/ Nordqvist, C. (2009, July 31). What Is Alzheimer's Disease? What Causes Alzheimer's Disease? Retrieved November 15, 2011, from Medical News Today: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159442.php Reilly, R. (2011, November 13). Red glow test that could catch Alzheimer's before it strikes. Mail Online . Read More