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Alzheimer' s Disease
Medical Questions » Alzheimer' s Disease
| Name: Alzheimer' s Disease |
| Also known as: Second Childhood or Senile Dementia |
| The most common form of dementia in the elderly, but may start as early as the mid-fifties. |
Causes of Alzheimer' s Disease
A faster than normal loss of nerve cells in the brain, the exact cause of which is unknown, but studies suggest specific genes may predispose a person to the disease, and there is a familial tendency (runs in families from one generation to the next). |
Symptoms of Alzheimer' s Disease
Initially causes loss of recent memory, loss of initiative, reduced physical activity, confusion and loss of orientation (confused about place and time). Progresses to loss of speech, difficulty in swallowing which causes drooling, stiff muscles, incontinence of both feces and urine, a bedridden state and eventually the patient is totally unaware of themselves or anything that is happening around them. |
Tests for Alzheimer' s Disease
Reduced brain volume and wasting may show on a CT scan. The diagnosis is primarily a clinical one made by a doctor after excluding all other forms of dementia by blood tests, X-rays, electroencephalogram (EEG) and sometimes taking a sample of the spinal fluid. The progress of the disease can be followed by tests of skill, general knowledge, simple maths, etc. |
Treatment for Alzheimer' s Disease
Medication is useful for restlessness and insomnia, and a number of medications are now being used experimentally to slow the progression of the disease. In women, hormone replacement therapy after menopause reduces the incidence of Alzheimer' s disease, and slows its progress. Visits by the family general practitioner, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, home nursing care and health visitors are the main forms of management. Many claims have been made for various herbal remedies, but none have proved to be beneficial.
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Complications of Alzheimer' s Disease of its treatment
Some patients may not deteriorate for some time, then drop to a lower level of activity quite suddenly. Admission to a nursing home or hospital is eventually necessary. |
Likely Outcome of Alzheimer' s Disease
No cure, and treatments are aimed at keeping the patient content. From diagnosis to eventually death takes seven years on average. |
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