Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease symptoms affect a person’s memory, thinking, and behavior. The disease creates problems with language, judgment, the ability to make decisions, and personality.
Alzheimer’s disease is defined as a progressive disorder characterized by gradual deterioration of an individual’s mental state.
Most Alzheimer’s disease symptoms begin to show after age 60 (Late onset Alzheimer’s disease). Yet some may be affected before age 60 and as early as age 40 (Early onset Alzheimer’s disease). Patients who are affected by early onset of the disease tend to have a family history of the condition.
Alzheimer’s Disease Symptoms
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease begin as mild memory loss or forgetfulness. If a person over 60 is growing forgetful, it does not mean they have Alzheimer’s disease.
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a developmental step between natural forgetfulness and Alzheimer’s disease. Patients with MCI will have difficulty with memory, thinking, multi-tasking, and problem solving, but this difficulty does not interfere with their ability to carry out normal daily functions. Patients with MCI may or may not progress to Alzheimer’s disease.
Early Alzheimer’s disease symptoms may include:
- Difficulty with language, such as trouble coming up with the name for a familiar item
- Changes in personality
- Getting lost while traveling familiar routes
- Losing things
- Loss of interest in activities that used to bring pleasure
- Loss of desire to be social or social skills
- Difficulty performing tasks, such as playing games or balancing or check book
- Trouble learning new information
Moderate Alzheimer’s disease symptoms begin to show as the disease progresses and may include:
- Progressive forgetfulness about current events
- Progressive forgetfulness about past events
- Loss of awareness or confusion about who you are
- Disruption of sleep, or frequently waking at night
- Trouble reading and writing
- Confusion when speaking, such as choosing the wrong words or mispronouncing words
- Demonstrating poor judgment, such as an inability to recognize a dangerous situation
- Withdrawal or avoidance from social situations
- Hallucinations or having delusions
- Aggressive behaviors, such as starting arguments, striking out, or being easily agitated
- Paranoia
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks, such as cooking, housework, choosing appropriate clothing, and driving a vehicle
Severe Alzheimer’s disease symptoms may include:
- Inability to understand language
- Inability to recognize family and friends
- Inability to feed yourself, dress, and bathe
- Difficulty swallowing
Alzheimer’s Disease Causes
What causes the onset of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms is not fully understood. The cause may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Risk may increase with age and a family history of the disease. Researchers have found proteins that appear in cases of Alzheimer’s disease. Having a combination of genes for these proteins may increase the risk of developing the disease.
Some research points to chronic high blood pressure and a history of head trauma as possible risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. However, these factors have not been fully proven.
It was once believed that an accumulation of lead, mercury, aluminum, and related substances in the brain tissue could bring about the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms, but this theory is no longer strongly supported.
Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
A family member may be the first to notice symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The observation of symptoms should prompt an evaluation by a medical doctor. The diagnosis of the disease is based on the findings of the patient’s history, physical exam, neurological exam, and mental status exam.
The doctor may order tests (i.e. CT scan, MRI scan, blood tests) to determine if other medical conditions are present and contributing to the loss of mental functioning, such as a thyroid disorder, vitamin deficiency, brain tumor, stroke, reaction to medication, chronic infection, anemia, or severe depression.
Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment
There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Treatment is aimed at slowing the progression of the Alzheimer’s disease symptoms and managing behavior problems. Additional care may include modifying the home to accommodate any special needs and educating family caregivers.
Family members and friends of an Alzheimer’s patient should learn as much as possible about what to expect and how to cope with the disorder. If home-care becomes impossible, a residential health care facility will become necessary.
There are drugs that can be prescribed to slow the rate at which Alzheimer’s disease symptoms progress. However, the benefits of these medications may not outweigh the side effects. These medications should be discussed with the patient’s doctor to determine if they are worthwhile.
Other drugs may be prescribed to control behaviors that may be aggressive or dangerous.
Some medications may make Alzheimer’s disease symptoms worse, including cimetidine, certain painkillers, antihistamines, central nervous system depressants, and sleeping pills. Tell the patient’s doctor if any of these medications are being used.
There are no prominent home remedies to ward off Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, but some people take the herb ginkgo biloba, or vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin B12, or vitamin E to prevent or slow the disease. There is no strong evidence that these herbs and vitamins are effective with this disease and you should discuss these supplements with your doctor before taking them.
Related Articles:
- Alzheimer’s Disease Symptoms – Try Our Medical Symptom Diagnosis Tool Not sure what your symptoms mean? Try our free online tool which allows you to walk step-by-step through your symptoms to discover your own diagnosis.
- Dementia Symptoms - Could your loved one be suffering from another form of dementia? Some causes of dementia can be reversed.
- Depression Symptoms can mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Learn more about depression, its symptoms, causes, and treatments.
References:
- Aisen PS, Schneider LS, Sano M, Diaz-Arrastia R, van Dyck CH, et al. High-dose B vitamin supplementation and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2008;300:1774-1783. [PubMed]
- DeKosky ST, Williamson JD, Fitzpatrick AL, Kronmal RA, Ives DG, Saxton JA, et al. Ginkgo biloba for prevention of dementia: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2008;300:2253-2262. [PubMed]
- Mayeux R. Early Alzheimer’s disease. N Engl J Med. 2010 Jun 10;362(4):2194-2201.
- Alzheimer’s disease – PubMed Health. (n.d.). National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved August 2, 2011, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001767/
- Querfurth HW, LaFerla FM. Alzheimer’s disease. N Engl J Med. 2010 Jan 28;362(4):329-44.
Last update: August 2, 2011