Alzheimer's Disease Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that occurs in the brain. In 1906 a German doctor Alois Alzheimer first identified this disorder and it was considered to be very rare however today it is estimated that one in every ten people over the age of sixty five will be affected with Alzheimer's disease. When Alzheimer's disease was fist discovered the cause could not be pin pointed this holds true till today. Extensive has been conducted for many years yet the exact cause of Alzheimer's in still unknown. Doctors suspect some causes could be age, family history, certain genes, abnormal protein deposits in the brain and environmental factors.

Symptoms

Since the cause of Alzheimer's is unknown the documented symptoms vary from case to case. The most common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include memory loss, difficulty performing simple tasks, problems speaking, disorientation of time and place and a major change in personality. These symptoms may resemble other diseases therefore it is very important to have the patient taken to a specialist as quickly as these symptoms are seen. Alzheimer's specialists have no comprehensive way to diagnose this disease therefore it is necessary for doctors to use the process of elimination therefore diagnoses are only ninety percent accurate.

Treatments

Unfortunately there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease however there are many clinical trials and medications to deal with the chronic symptoms. Since it is not possible to reverse the damage already to done to the dead never cells the clinical trials attempt to slow the progress of Alzheimer's disease. Medications that are available through prescription can improve the symptoms of depression, sleeplessness and mood swings however currently medications and clinical trials are not effective in curing Alzheimer's. Hopefully a cure will be discovered so Alzheimer's patients can survive and live a happy life.

Sources

Alzheimer, Association. "What is Alzheimer's?" 6/18/2008 19 Jan 2009 http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_alzheimers_disease.asp.

National Health Institute, "Alzheimer's Disease." Mediline Plus 1/13/2009 19 Jan 2009 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html.

Crystal, MD, Howard, William C. Shield Jr., MD, FACP, FACR, and Jay W. Marks, MD. "Alzheimer's Disease." Medicine Net 1/19/2008.