Alzheimer's disease
Alternative Names
Alzheimer's Disease, Alzheimer disease (AD)What is Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is a seriously disabling neurodegenerative disease of the brain. It is characterized by impairment of memory and eventually by disturbances in reasoning, planning, language and perception. The likelihood of having Alzheimer's disease increases substantially after the age of 70 and may affect around 50% of persons over the age of 85. It was first described by German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was named after him.
Signs and symptoms
The most common symptoms of this disease include:
- Memory loss
- Sleeplessness
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Depression
Possible complications
There is a row of possible complications of Alzheimer's disease:
- Pneumonia
- Cognition disintegration
- Personality disintegration
- Inability to function
- Severe urinary tract infections
- Slow surgical recovery
What causes
The cause of Alzheimer's disease is unknown. Research indicates that this disease is linked with plaques and tangles in the brain.
Prevention
The scientists found out that lifestyle factors play a significant role in protecting your brain as you age. You can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease by eating right, exercising, staying mentally and socially active and keeping stress in check. By leading a brain-healthy lifestyle, you may even be able to prevent the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease entirely and slow down or even reverse, the deterioration of aging.
Treatment
There is no treatment for this disease which worsens as it progresses and eventually leads to death.
