Shreya’s father keeps on forgetting little things like wearing his chappal’s whenever going out for a walk or buttoning the last two buttons of his shirt. Similarly Kirti’s mother forgets the name of her grand-daughter or has trouble identifying what month of the year it is… these are just a few symptoms that can point towards Alzheimer's in old age.
So what is Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease that mostly affects those who are nearing their old age or are in their twilight years. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and is also known as ‘senile dementia of Alzheimer's type’.
Alzheimer’s is a cognitive degenerative disease that affects people as they reach their old age. It is named after German Physician Alois Alzheimer, who first discovered it in 1906. Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease that affects one’s brain and gradually decreases the ability to think, remember, recognize, recount etc. It usually affects adults above the age of 65 years of age and is caused due to the yet unexplained developments of plaques that build up between nerve cells present in the brain and also due to the tangles which are found to form within dying nerve cells, on the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which deal with learning and processing.
Are there any visible symptoms of Alzheimer's that can help identify whether my parent has Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer's is often left untreated in many cases for it is confused with dementia or senility which is a natural and gradual occurrence in old age. However there are some tell tale signs that if observed can help identify Alzheimer's early on.
- Difficulty in performing simple daily tasks that require co-ordination such as buttoning up a shirt, tying of shoe laces, cooking, dressing, bathing etc.
Forgetting recent happenings and names points towards Alzheimer’s in adults over 65 years of age. - Not being able to differentiate between day and night, disregard and confusion over time and places.
- Mild to severe personality changes such as flying into a rage suddenly from a peaceful and calm mood, without any reason.
- Misplacing things frequently or placing things such as car keys in the sink or dinner plates on the steps.
- Having problems with simple judgment such as clothing – wearing three shirts instead of one, wearing many layers of socks or not wearing a shirt or any other item of clothing are pointers towards Alzheimer’s in your parents.
- Adults affected by Alzheimer's are often found facing problems in stringing towards a coherent sentence often missing out on including or forgetting to add certain words or sentences altogether!
Even though Alzheimer’s is known for affecting women more than men with life expectancy decreasing gradually, the survival rates after Alzheimer's are more favorable for women. Less than three percent of the adult patients have a survival period of more than 14 years after diagnosis.
Can Alzheimer's be cured or prevented?
Alzheimer's is sadly a degenerative disease which cannot be cured even though more than 500 clinical trials have been done till date trying to pin point a possible treatment for it. In the year, 2006 alone, 26.6 million people were found to be suffering from it world over, the number is expected to grow steadily.
With no permanent cure yet on the horizon, prevention seems to be the best defense against Alzheimer's. However the best way to prevent Alzheimer's remains via a diet rich in anti-oxidants, which is still being considered an excellent means of delaying the onset or preventing Alzheimer's disease in old age.
Other ways of preventing Alzheimer's are by making sure that your parent indulges in intellectual activities such as playing chess, solving puzzles, playing a musical instrument along with regular social interaction. Also ensure that your parent does not take too much stress, as it is known to be a causative factor for Alzheimer's disease along with drug, alcohol or medication abuse.
Are there any treatments for Alzheimer's?
As mentioned above, there is no one treatment for Alzheimer's that will completely cure it. However the patient can be treated with both drug and non-drug treatments, which reduce the intensity of the symptoms.
Drug related treatments often see the administration of Cholinesterase inhibitors such as Donepezil and Rivastigmine, which are useful for slowing down the breakdown of acetylcholine (ACh) a neurotransmitter responsible for a person’s learning ability and memory.
Another drug compound used in the treatment of Alzheimer's is Memantine, which slows down the breakdown of Glutamate- a neurotransmitter responsible for the cognitive abilities such as learning, memory and recognition.
- Non – Drug related treatments:
Mostly non-drug related treatments used for the treatment of Alzheimer's make use of drugs along with a caregiver. Since patients lose their ability to self- care, they need a caregiver, an individual who will ensure that they take their medications, bathe them, make them exercise daily, initiate intellectual stimulation and mainly provide them with understanding, compassion, companionship and care, which they need especially when they are in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer’s being a non treatable and degenerative disease makes it imperative that you help your parent treat it and also overcome it, in the best possible means!
