What is Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia. Dementia is a brain disorder that affects a person’s ability to perform daily activities.
It is a serious, degenerative disorder, meaning that the brain damage progresses over time and is irreparable. The damage is caused by the gradual loss of cells in the brain.
Subsequent parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. Alzheimer’s disease usually progresses permanently and are common Total disability. It can cause infection or failure of other body systems and also the patient’s death. This usually happens within a period of 15 years.
What causes Alzheimer’s?
The exact cause of AD is unknown. However, there are some risk factors that may increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s.
What is Alzheimer’s symptoms?
The disease can appear in various forms, and may not be noticeable until the disease has already evolved somewhat.
The following symptoms may make you think in the presence of Alzheimer’s disease:
- Loss of memory: forgetfulness of things that just do (eg do not know they have eaten)
(However, it is important to note that between 25% and 50% of people over 65 is subjective problems of memory loss. This does not necessarily mean you will develop dementia in the future. )
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks: for example problems for management of common appliances, management of which was previously known
- Language difficulties: for example difficulty in finding the right words to express
- Disorientation in time and space: for example forget the day, lost in his own house and so on.
- Decrease the trial: for example making incorrect decisions about the clothing that must be activated for time that you make and so on. (coat on a hot sunny day)
- Problems with abstract thinking: for example problems of using numbers to make simple calculations.
- Dislocation of things: for example put shoes in the washer.
- Abrupt and unmotivated changes in mood or behavior
- Changes exaggerated personality
- Loss of initiative
What are the risk factors?
Since the cause of Alzheimer is still unknown, it is very difficult to establish risk factors. But it is known that the combination of two or more of these factors increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease:
- Age over 65 years
- Relatives suffering from Alzheimer’s
- Lack of mental activity
- Occupational exposure to pesticides, fertilizers and solvents
- Vascular risk factors (hypertension, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation)
Tags: Alzheimer, Alzheimer's, body, body systems, brain, Definition, Dementia, Loss of memory
