Alzheimer's disease is a common progressive neurological disorder that causes the destruction of brain cells. It causes a gradual decline in thinking, memory and behavioral functions, and symptoms gradually manifest themselves with age. In the initial stage, the disease manifests itself only with simple forgetfulness, but when it reaches advanced stages, it can leave the person in need of care. Not all forgetfulness is Alzheimer's and there is no definitive treatment.
Although Alzheimer's disease appears to be an age-related and senile disease, it is actually a type of disease that can be seen in everyone. It is a brain disease that leads to the destruction of cognitive abilities. It is a process that starts with forgetting only small situations at first and then progresses to not remembering larger situations. Every person may forget things from time to time, but this is temporary. In people with Alzheimer's disease, however, this condition can be permanent. As the disease progresses, the person cannot continue their life on their own, but with the help of someone else.
In most people, Alzheimer's symptoms progress slowly. Symptoms may not be noticeable at first. Sometimes only family members can look back and realize when the symptoms started. Early diagnosis is significantly treatable. Medication can be administered by a specialist to treat the disease. This delays the progression of the disease and at the same time helps the brain to adapt and may slow down the likelihood of the patient becoming dependent on someone.
What are the symptoms of Alzheimer's?
First of all, Alzheimer's symptoms start with forgetting small things for a short period of time, then this progresses and continues with the forgetting of permanent information (names, addresses, special days). In the last stage, the person becomes unable to fulfill the requirements of daily life on his/her own and becomes dependent on another person, a helper. Some of the common symptoms of Alzheimer's (Alzheimer's) are as follows;
Impaired Memory and Thinking: The person has difficulty remembering and learning new things. In advanced stages of the disease, long-term memory loss occurs, meaning the person cannot recall personal information such as place of birth, occupation or names of family members.
Loss of sense of direction and confusion: People with Alzheimer's disease (Alzheimer's) may become lost when they go out on their own and may not remember where they are or how they got there. They may not recall places and events they used to know. They may not even remember familiar faces, what time of day it is or what year it is.
Losing things: They may forget where they put everyday items such as glasses, hearing aids or keys. They may also put things in strange places, such as putting their glasses in the refrigerator.
Abstract Thinking: These patients may find certain tasks, such as balancing a bank account, more difficult than before. For example, they may forget what numbers mean and what to do with them.
Difficulty with Routine Tasks: They start to have difficulty doing routine daily tasks such as eating, dressing and tidying up. They also cannot plan daily tasks.
Alzheimer's symptoms may not be recognized by the individual himself/herself. This situation should be recognized by the relatives of the individual. The requirements of this situation should be accepted and help should be sought under expert supervision. Also, in the early stages of the disease, the symptoms may be difficult to detect. The person experiences problems with memory, judgment and thinking, making it difficult to work and participate in daily life. The death of nerve cells occurs slowly over many years.
What are the types of Alzheimer's?
Types of Alzheimer's are the types into which this disease is divided. These types consist of three parts: early, late and familial;
Early-onset Alzheimer's: Early-onset Alzheimer's is a rare form of this disease and starts before the age of 65. People with Down syndrome are at risk of early-onset Alzheimer's because they age earlier. Usually, people with Down syndrome have the first symptoms in their late forties and early fifties. Younger people with Alzheimer's disease show brain abnormalities.
Early-onset Alzheimer's appears to be related to a genetic defect on chromosome 14; late-onset Alzheimer's is not. Myoclonus, twitching or spasm of a muscle or group of muscles, is more common in people with early-onset Alzheimer's.
Late-onset Alzheimer's: Occurs in up to 90% of people with Alzheimer's, starting after the age of 65. It occurs in about half of people over 85, may or may not be hereditary. Late-onset dementia is also called sporadic Alzheimer's disease.
Familial Alzheimer's Disease: A form of Alzheimer's that is completely genetic. It is present in at least two generations of the family. This very rare form occurs in 1% of Alzheimer's patients. It starts very early (in the forties) and is clearly genetic.
How is Alzheimer's diagnosed?
Since it is generally seen as a condition related to forgetfulness and old age, individuals do not think of Alzheimer's at first. Therefore, it is only possible to identify this disease in advanced stages. Forgetfulness progresses over time and at this stage, it is easier to detect this disease. For Alzheimer's treatment , the patient needs to be observed for a long time and the disease needs to be diagnosed correctly. After the diagnosis, the patient may be given medication to slow down the course of the disease and eliminate some of its severe symptoms.
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How is Alzheimer's treated?
Different types of medicines are used to treat Alzheimer's, memory loss, behavioral changes, sleep problems and other Alzheimer's symptoms. These medicines do not stop the disease, but they can slow down the symptoms for several months or even years. All these medicines have side effects that are noticeable in older people. 4 medicines from 2 classes are specifically approved for the treatment of this disease. Cholinesterase inhibitors are used for cognitive symptoms. They prevent the breakdown of a chemical transmitter in the brain called acetylcholine, which is important for learning, memory and attention. It is difficult to say which medicine will work better for whom.
Alzheimer's can be treated, even if it is detected late. In cases where it is detected early, treatment yields positive results, while in cases where it is diagnosed late, treatment can be successful. Alzheimer's patients are recommended to use medication for treatment. However, it should be known that treatment may not result in complete recovery. Only the course of symptoms is slowed down. The patient is enabled to carry out daily activities gradually and independently.
Patients should choose what works best together with their doctor. There is very little Alzheimer's therapy that includes treatment of behavioral and psychiatric symptoms associated with the disease, such as hallucinations, agitation and sleep problems . However, some medications can be given as an adjunct.
It is the treatment given to the patient to slow down and eliminate some of the symptoms of the disease. It is important to know that not all forgetfulness is Alzheimer's and there is no definitive treatment.