Alzheimer

Alzheimer’s disease, one form of dementia, is a progressive, incurable disease of the brain caused by degenerative and eventual death of nerve cells of brain.  It affects memory, thinking, and behavior.

Memory impairment in one of the following areas must also be present: language, decision-making ability, judgment, attention, and other areas of mental function and personality.

Possible signs and symptoms

During early stages, the symptoms may subtle and resemble signs that people mistakenly attribute to “natural aging”.

Symptoms often include:-

repeating statements

getting lost on familiar routes

losing interest in things previously enjoyed

having trouble finding names for familiar objects

misplacing items

personality changes

difficulty performing tasks

In a more advanced state, symptoms are more obvious:

forgetting details about current events

forgetting events in your own life history, losing awareness of who you are

hallucinations, arguments, striking out, and violent behaviour

delusions, depression, agitation

difficulty performing basic tasks like preparing meals and driving

problems choosing proper clothing

Possible causes

In addition to age and family history, risk factors may include:

longstanding high blood pressure

high levels of homocysteine - a body chemical that contributes to chronic illnesses such as heart disease and depression

history of head trauma

female gender