Is there medical treatment for Alzheimer's disease?
There's no cure for Alzheimer's, but there are treatments that may change disease progression, and drug and non-drug options that may help treat symptoms. Understanding available options can help individuals living with the disease and their caregivers to cope with symptoms and improve quality of life.
What is the first line treatment for Alzheimer's disease?
Cholinesterase inhibitor therapy with rivastigmine, donepezil, or galantamine is endorsed as standard first-line therapy in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.
What is the drug of choice to treat Alzheimer's disease?
There are three drugs of this type: donepezil (Aricept), galantamine (Razadyne), and rivastigmine (Exelon). Aricept is the only treatment approved by the FDA for all stages of Alzheimer's disease: mild, moderate, and severe.Jun 7, 2021
What are two drugs that have been approved to treat Alzheimer's disease?
Donepezil (Aricept®): approved to treat all stages of Alzheimer's disease. Rivastigmine (Exelon®): approved for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's as well as mild-to-moderate dementia associated with Parkinson's disease. Galantamine (Razadyne®): approved for mild-to-moderate stages of Alzheimer's disease.
What is the action of memantine?
Memantine is a clinically useful drug in many neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. The principal mechanism of action of memantine is believed to be the blockade of current flow through channels of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors--a glutamate receptor subfamily broadly involved in brain function.
What is the best drug for memory?
Prescription smart drugs, such as Adderall and Ritalin, have the strongest and most significant effects on memory and attention. Synthetic nootropic supplements like Noopept and piracetam are widely available, but research on their effectiveness in healthy adults is lacking.Jan 26, 2022
What does memantine do to the brain?
Memantine works by blocking the receptors in the brain that glutamate would normally bind to. This decreases the harmful effect of glutamate in the brain and may help improve your symptoms of dementia.
How long is donepezil effective?
Long term efficacy data suggest that improvements in cognition, global function or ADL are maintained for about 21 to 81 weeks with donepezil (10 mg/day in most patients). Donepezil is generally well tolerated with the majority of adverse events being mild and transient.
Why are blood tests important?
These tests, including blood tests, may improve the accuracy of diagnoses and enable earlier diagnosis before the onset of symptoms.
What is the difference between MRI and CT?
An MRI is generally preferred to a CT scan for the evaluation of dementia. Computerized tomography (CT).
How to help someone with Alzheimer's?
For someone with Alzheimer's, establishing and strengthening routine habits and minimizing memory-demanding tasks can make life much easier .
Can you get tested for Alzheimer's?
Genetic testing generally isn't recommended for a routine Alzheimer's disease evaluation. The exception is people who have a family history of early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Meeting with a genetic counselor to discuss the risks and benefits of genetic testing is recommended before undergoing any tests.
What is the purpose of a CT scan?
A CT scan, a specialized X-ray technology, produces cross-sectional images (slices) of your brain. It's usually used to rule out tumors, strokes and head injuries. Imaging of disease processes can be performed with positron emission tomography (PET).
What is the drug name for Alzheimer's?
Memantine (Namenda). This drug works in another brain cell communication network and slows the progression of symptoms with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. It's sometimes used in combination with a cholinesterase inhibitor. Relatively rare side effects include dizziness and confusion.
What are the best ways to support people with Alzheimer's?
Social interactions and activities can support the abilities and skills that are preserved. Doing things that are meaningful and enjoyable are important for the overall well-being of a person with Alzheimer's disease. These might include:
How to treat Alzheimer's disease?
A number of studies are exploring how best to build on this connection. Strategies under investigation include: 1 Current drugs for heart disease risk factors. Researchers are investigating whether drugs such as blood pressure medications now used to treat vascular disease may also be beneficial for people with Alzheimer’s or may reduce the risk of developing dementia. 2 Drugs aimed at new targets. Additional studies are looking more closely at how the connection between heart disease and Alzheimer's works at the molecular level to find new drug targets. 3 Lifestyle choices. Research suggests that lifestyle choices with known heart benefits, such as exercising on most days and eating a heart-healthy diet, may help prevent Alzheimer's disease or delay its onset.
What are the plaques in Alzheimer's?
Plaques are a characteristic sign of Alzheimer's disease. Strategies aimed at beta-amyloid include: Recruiting the immune system. Several drugs — known as monoclonal antibodies — may prevent beta-amyloid from clumping ...
What happens when tau twists into tangles?
A vital brain cell transport system collapses when a protein called tau twists into microscopic fibers called tangles, which are another common brain abnormality of Alzheimer's. Researchers are looking at a way to prevent tau from forming tangles.
Does Alzheimer's cause inflammation?
Alzheimer's causes chronic, low-level brain cell inflammation. Researchers are studying ways to treat inflammatory processes at work in Alzheimer's disease. The drug sargramostim (Leukine) is currently in research. It's thought that the drug may stimulate the immune system to protect the brain from harmful proteins.
Is dementia related to heart disease?
Growing evidence suggests that brain health is closely linked to heart and blood vessel health. The risk of developing dementia appears to increase as a result of many conditions that damage the heart or arteries. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high cholesterol.
Does estrogen help with memory?
In one study, taking estrogen-based hormone therapy for at least a year during perimenopause or early menopause appeared to protect thinking and memory in women with a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Is solanezumab good for Alzheimer's?
In studies, the monoclonal antibody solanezumab did not demonstrate any benefit for individuals with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease. It's possible that solanezumab may be more effective when given earlier in the course of the disease.
When is Alzheimer's Awareness Month?
June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month — the perfect time to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s. Help us provide compassionate care and support and advance critical research with a generous gift today.
Is there a cure for Alzheimer's?
There's no cure for Alzheimer’s, but one treatment may potentially delay decline from the disease, and there are drug and non-drug options that may help treat symptoms. Understanding available options can help individuals living with the disease and their caregivers to cope with symptoms and improve quality of life.
What are the best medications for dementia?
The classes of psychotropic medications used to manage the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia include: 1 Antidepressants 2 Anti-anxiety medications 3 Antipsychotics 4 Mood stabilizers 5 Medications for insomnia (sometimes called sleeping pills or hypnotics)
What to expect from Alzheimer's?
Knowing what to expect as Alzheimer's progresses can help you understand behavior and recognize its source as the disease, rather than the person. This can provide more compassion and reduce frustration.
How to help Alzheimer's patients?
Getting up and going for a walk, participating in a group aerobic activity class, or doing some stretching exercises can help meet this need. 1 In addition, exercise has the potential to improve cognition for some people. 6 Ways That Exercise Helps Alzheimer's Disease.
Is there a cure for Alzheimer's in 2021?
Updated on June 29, 2021. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, you may feel scared, frustrated, and more. While there is no cure for Alzheimer's at this time, there are many ways to treat the symptoms and even help manage the disease's progression. Treatment options for the behavioral and psychological symptoms ...
What supplements can help with Alzheimer's?
Even so, supplements like caprylic acid, CoQ10 enzyme, coral calcium, Ginkgo biloba, Huperzine A, and omega-3 fatty acids have all been proposed as possible alternative therapies. 13.
How long does it take for Alzheimer's to progress?
Researchers estimate that for about 50% of people with Alzheimer's who take cholinesterase inhibitors, progression of Alzheimer's symptoms is delayed for an average of six to 12 months. There are three cholinesterase inhibitor medications currently approved and prescribed to treat Alzheimer's disease: 4. Aricept (donepezil): Approved ...
Does ginkgo biloba slow down Alzheimer's?
Other CAM options that have been studied include ginkgo biloba, which has no conclusive evidence of preventing or slowing Alzheimer's disease, and curcumin, which doesn't have enough research yet conducted to support its use.
How to choose a treatment plan for a syphilis?
Your doctor will help you choose the best treatment based on a few things about you, including: 1 Your age, overall health, and medical history 2 How severe your disease is 3 How well a medicine or therapy will work for you and your lifestyle 4 Your preferences or those of your family or caregivers
What is the FDA approved drug for?
The FDA has approved the drug aducanumab-avwa (aduhelm) as the first therapy that targets the fundamental pathophysiology of the disease by reducing amyloid beta plaques in the brain. It is not without controversy because of concerns it may cause swelling of bleeding in the brain.
Is there a cure for Alzheimer's?
Right now, there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease. Once a person starts showing signs – memory loss and problems with learning, judgment, communication, and daily life -- there aren’t any treatments that can stop or reverse them. But there are medicines that can ease some of the symptoms in some people. They can slow down how quickly the disease ...
Does vitamin E help with Alzheimer's?
But so far, there’s no evidence that they have any effect.
What are the side effects of a syringe?
Common side effects are usually mild for these medications and include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, insomnia, loss of appetite, and weight loss. There are three drugs of this type: donepezil ( Aricept ), galantamine ( Razadyne ), and rivastigmine ( Exelon ). Aricept is the only treatment approved by the FDA for all stages ...
How long does acetylcholine last?
They may slow down how fast symptoms get worse for about half of people who take them. The effect lasts for a limited time, on average 6 to 12 months.
Can omega 3 fatty acids help with Alzheimer's?
The results of studies on omega-3 fatty acids have been mixed, and scientists are doing more research to look into their effects on Alzheimer’s. Scientists continue to look for ways to diagnose Alzheimer’s earlier, before symptoms appear, which could help people start treatment sooner.
What is the most common type of dementia?
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss and possibly leading to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment. Alzheimer’s disease involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. ...
How often do people get Alzheimer's?
Younger people may get Alzheimer’s disease, but it is less common. The number of people living with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65. Symptoms of the disease can first appear after age 60, and the risk increases with age.
Is there a single cause of Alzheimer's?
There likely is not a single cause but rather several factors that can affect each person differently. Age is the best known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Family history—researchers believe that genetics may play a role in developing Alzheimer’s disease. However, genes do not equal destiny.
What are the symptoms of Alzheimer's?
In addition to memory problems, someone with symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease may experience one or more of the following: Memory loss that disrupts daily life, such as getting lost in a familiar place or repeating questions. Trouble handling money and paying bills.
Does a healthy lifestyle help with Alzheimer's?
However, genes do not equal destiny. A healthy lifestyle may help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Two large, long term studies indicate that adequate physical activity, a nutritious diet, limited alcohol consumption, and not smoking may help people.
Is memory loss a sign of Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. Memory problems are typically one of the first warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. In addition to memory problems, someone with symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease may experience one or more of the following:
Is there a cure for Alzheimer's?
Medical management can improve quality of life for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and for their caregivers. There is currently no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Treatment addresses several areas: Helping people maintain brain health.
What is the disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills?
What Is Alzheimer's Disease ? Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with the disease—those with the late-onset type —symptoms first appear in their mid-60s.
How many people have Alzheimer's?
Estimates vary, but experts suggest that more than 6 million Americans age 65 and older may have Alzheimer’s. Many more under age 65 also have the disease. Unless Alzheimer's can be effectively treated or prevented, the number of people with it will increase significantly if current population trends continue.
When does Alzheimer's disease start?
In most people with the disease—those with the late-onset type —symptoms first appear in their mid-60s. Early-onset Alzheimer’s occurs between a person’s 30s and mid-60s and is very rare. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. The disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer.
What are the main features of Alzheimer's disease?
These plaques and tangles in the brain are still considered some of the main features of Alzheimer’s disease. Another feature is the loss of connections between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. Neurons transmit messages between different parts of the brain, and from the brain to muscles and organs in the body.
What are the early signs of Alzheimer's?
Memory problems are typically one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s, though initial symptoms may vary from person to person. A decline in other aspects of thinking, such as finding the right words, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment, may also signal the very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
What is the MCI of Alzheimer's?
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition that can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s, but not everyone with MCI will develop the disease. People with Alzheimer’s have trouble doing everyday things like driving a car, cooking a meal, or paying bills.
What is the National Institute on Aging's ADEAR Center?
The National Institute on Aging’s ADEAR Center offers information and free print publications about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias for families, caregivers, and health professionals. ADEAR Center staff answer telephone, email, and written requests and make referrals to local and national resources.
What is the best medication for Alzheimer's?
Three common drugs with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to treat these symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are: donepezil (Ari cept), to treat all stages. galantamine (Razadyne), to treat mild-to-moderate stages. rivastigmine (Exelon), to treat mild-to-moderate stages.
What is the diagnosis of Alzheimer's?
To receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, a person will be experiencing memory loss, cognitive decline, or behavioral changes that are affecting their ability to function in their daily life. Friends and family may notice the symptoms of dementia before the person themselves.
How many people are affected by Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological condition in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline. It is the most common type of dementia, accounting for around 60–80% of cases of dementia in the United States. Alzheimer’s disease affects around 5 million people.
What are the different types of dementia?
Other types of dementia include Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. A person can have more than one type of dementia.
What are the elements of dementia care?
The following are important elements of dementia care: effective management of any conditions occurring alongside Alzheimer’s. activities and daycare programs.
What happens to the brain when you die from Alzheimer's?
In a person with Alzheimer’s, the brain tissue has fewer and fewer nerve cells and connections, and tiny deposits , known as plaques and tangles, build up on the nerve tissue. Plaques develop between the dying brain cells.
Is Alzheimer's disease a progressive disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition, meaning that the symptoms get worse over time. Memory loss is a key feature, and this tends to be one of the first symptoms to develop.
What are the symptoms of BPSD?
The symptoms of BPSD can include: 1 increased agitation 2 anxiety 3 wandering 4 aggression 5 delusions and hallucinations
What is BPSD in dementia?
In the later stages of dementia, a significant number of people will develop what's known as behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). The symptoms of BPSD can include: These changes in behaviour can be very distressing for both the person with Alzheimer's disease and their carer.
How does memantine work?
It works by blocking the effects of an excessive amount of a chemical in the brain called glutamate. Memantine is used for moderate or severe Alzheimer's disease. It's suitable for those who cannot take or are unable to tolerate AChE inhibitors. It's also suitable for people with severe Alzheimer’s disease who are already taking an AChE inhibitor.
Is there a cure for Alzheimer's?
There's currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease. But there is medicine available that can temporarily reduce the symptoms. Support is also available to help someone with the condition, and their family, cope with everyday life.
What is the best medication for Alzheimer's?
If coping strategies do not work, a consultant psychiatrist can prescribe risperidone or haloperidol, antipsychotic medicines, for those showing persistent aggression or extreme distress. These are the only medicines licensed for people with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease where there's a risk of harm to themselves or others.
What is the drug that increases acetylcholine?
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. These medicines increase levels of acetylcholine, a substance in the brain that helps nerve cells communicate with each other. They can currently only be prescribed by specialists, such as psychiatrists or neurologists.
What are the side effects of a syringe?
Side effects can include headaches, dizziness and constipation but these are usually only temporary. For more information about the possible side effects of your specific medicine, read the patient information leaflet that comes with it or speak to your doctor.
Summary
- In many cases, the diagnosis of AD is made with considerable accuracy on the basis of history and mental status examination. AD, however, is only one of many disorders capable of interfering with cognitive function. We still await the availability of a clinical test for AD that is very accurate, widely available, and covered by insurance, but the diagnostic tests described here are very usef…
Treatment
- Current Alzheimer's medications can help for a time with memory symptoms and other cognitive changes. Two types of drugs are currently used to treat cognitive symptoms: 1. Cholinesterase inhibitors. These drugs work by boosting levels of cell-to-cell communication by preserving a chemical messenger that is depleted in the brain by Alzheimer's disease. The improvement is m…
- Requires assistance adjusting the temperature of the bath water. At approximately the same time as Alzheimers patients begin to lose the ability to put on their clothing properly without assistance, but generally, just a little bit later in the disease course, patients start to require assistance in handling the mechanics of bathing (Figure 7). Difficulty adjusting the temperature …
- Create a relaxing bedtime ritual. Take a hot bath, do some light stretches, write in your journal, or dim the lights. As it becomes habit, your nightly ritual will send a powerful signal to your brain that its time for deep restorative sleep. Quiet your inner chatter. When stress, anxiety, or negative internal dialogues keep you awake, get out of bed. Try reading or relaxing in another room for tw…
- The DSM-5 does not specify treatment options for Alzheimer's Disease (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Detection of Cognitive impairment can b detected by a protocol developed by the Alzheimer's association for Medicare annual wellness visits in a primary care setting, for possible early detection of AD (Cordell, et al, 2013) There are a number of cholinesterase inhibit…
Symptoms
- Half or more of the population of persons over the age of 65 experience subjective complaints of cognitive and or functional difficulties. The nature of these subjective complaints is characteristic. Elderly persons with these symptoms believe they can no longer recall names as well as they could 5 or 10 years previously. They also frequently develop the conviction that they can no long…
- If nightly sleep deprivation is slowing your thinking and affecting your mood, you may be at greater risk of developing symptoms of Alzheimers disease. The vast majority of adults need at least 8 hours of sleep per night.
- A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain. While we tend to associate them with convulsions, seizures can sometimes manifest with subtle symptoms, such as changes in behavior, movement, feelings, or levels of consciousness.
- The brain changes associated with Alzheimer's may begin a decade or more before a person begins experiencing symptoms, Hyman said.The most common early symptom of Alzheimer's is difficulty remembering newly learned information, such as recent conversations, events or people's names, according to the Alzheimer's Association. But not everyone has memory proble…
Diagnosis
- A key component of a diagnostic assessment is self-reporting about symptoms, as well as the information that a close family member or friend can provide about symptoms and their impact on daily life. Additionally, a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is based on tests your doctor administers to assess memory and thinking skills.Laboratory and imaging tests can rule out oth…
- In the absence of complicating medical pathology, the diagnosis of AD can be made with considerable certainty from the beginning of this stage; Studies indicate that the duration of this stage of mild AD is a mean of approximately two years.
- There are diagnostic rule-outs for Alzheimer's Disease which the clinician must consider, In the DSM -5, disorders such as Major Depressive Disorder, and other medical conditions which impact cognitive clarity, such as thyroid dysfunction (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Other differential diagnostic considerations according to the DSM-5 and other sources are: CBD (Corti…
- Not everyone with Alzheimers disease will experience seizures. Of those who do, seizures can be difficult to diagnose since the behaviors one presents can often mimic those of the disease itself. This is especially true with partial complex seizures. The diagnosis of Alzheimer's-related seizures is often an inexact science and one that may require input from a specialist known as epileptolo…
Cause
- Alzheimers is a complex disease with multiple risk factors. Some, like your age and genetics, are outside your control. However, there are six pillars for a brain-healthy lifestyle that are within your control.
- Beyond the biochemical causes of Alzheimer's-related seizures, there are other factors that can place a person at an increased risk. Among them:
- The cause of Alzheimer's disease is unclear, but researchers suspect the disease is triggered by a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain over time.Getting older is the biggest risk factor for developing Alzheimer's. Early-onset Alzheimer's affects people under age 60, and some forms may be inherited. But early-onset disease represents less than 10…
- The causes of Alzheimers disease are not fully understood, but theyre thought to include a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
Prognosis
- Various terms have been suggested for this condition, but normal aged forgetfulness is probably the most satisfactory terminology. These symptoms which, by definition, are not notable to intimates or other external observers of the person with normal aged forgetfulness, are generally benign. However, there is some recent evidence that persons with these symptoms do decline a…
- Chronic or persistent stress can take a heavy toll on the brain, leading to shrinkage in a key memory area, hampering nerve cell growth, and increasing the risk of Alzheimers disease and dementia. Yet simple stress management tools can minimize its harmful effects.
- Following the diagnosis, both women were placed on anti-seizure medications. While one woman had to stop treatment due to intolerable side effects, the second had an almost total elimination of her diagnosed symptoms (garbled speech, confusion) after one year. The only lapse occurred, interestingly, when she forgot to take her seizure medication.
- Alzheimers typically attacks people over the age of 65. Early-onset Alzheimers disease can affect anyone under the age of 65, and in rare cases it affects people in their youth. There are no known cures for Alzheimers disease. Early diagnosis is key in extending the life of the affected individual. There are a number of different medications, but none have shown any ability to delay or comple…
Research
- Neurosurgery is less commonly pursued in people with Alzheimer's since the seizures are primarily associated with the hyperproduction of APP rather than a brain injury. Some researchers have hypothesized that there is an inherent, rather than incidental, the association between Alzheimer's disease and seizures, specifically undetected or \"silent\" seizures. Unpinning the th…
- Alzheimer's research has expanded significantly in the past decade, Hyman said. Dozens of clinical trials are aimed at finding treatments to slow the disease progression or prevent it altogether, he said.Previous clinical trials focused on preventing the increase in plaques in the brain, but those experimental therapies failed to produce dramatic results, Hyman said. That out…
- The research interests of the fund are rather transparent, and funded research projects are catalogued on the organizations website.
- Because caregivers and the settings in which they provide care are diverse, more studies are required to define which interventions are most effective for specific situations and how these programs are successful [364], [365], [366], [367]. Improved tools to personalize services for caregivers to maximize their benefits represent an emerging area of research [368], [369], [370], […
Pathophysiology
- In many patients, this rigidity appears to be a precursor to the appearance of overt physical deformities in the form of contractures. Contractures are irreversible deformities which prevent the passive or active range of motion of joints (Figure 14). In the early seventh stage (7a and 7b), approximately 40% of AD patients manifest these deformities. Later in the seventh stage, in imm…
- Alzheimer's disease is caused by the gradual accumulation of a protein, known as beta-amyloid, in the brain. As the protein molecules begin to stick together, they create lesions (plaques) that interrupt the nerve pathways central to cognitive and motor function. Beta-amyloid is actually a fragment of a larger compound known as an amyloid precursor protein (APP). As APP is broken …
- AD's core neuropathologic findings include extracellular amyloid plaques, intracellular NFTs, synaptic deterioration, and neuronal death.1 Granulovacuolar degeneration in the hippocampus and amyloid deposition in blood vessels (congophilic angiopathy) may also be seen on tissue examination, but are not required for the diagnosis.4 The \"amyloid cascade\" hypothesis posits …
- The accumulation of the protein fragment beta-amyloid (called beta-amyloid plaques) outside neurons and the accumulation of an abnormal form of the protein tau (called tau tangles) inside neurons are two of several brain changes associated with Alzheimer's. Beta-amyloid plaques are believed to contribute to cell death by interfering with neuron-to-neuron communication at synap…
Prevention
- By identifying epilepsy early, it may possible to control the seizures and mitigate some of the ups and downs that characterize Alzheimer's disease.
- There are currently over 400 trials of new Alzheimers medications. Hopefully new treatments will be available soon. Until then, prevention is one of the best options. Here are 12 easy ways to help prevent Alzheimers disease. To help reduce your risk of Alzheimers disease, be sure to eat plenty of fish. The Omega-3 fatty acids in fish have been shown to slow the progression of t…
- 4. You can modify some risk factors. The risk factors you can control are known as lifestyle factors, like smoking, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar, says Schulz. A large waist circumference is another risk factor, as is sustaining a traumatic brain injury. \"Wearing seat belts while driving, and helmets while biking or skiing, are ways to reduce the risk of such an injury, he …
Definition
- At any age, persons may potentially be free of objective or subjective symptoms of cognition and functional decline and also free of associated behavioral and mood changes. We call these mentally healthy persons at any age, stage 1, or normal.
- Originally described by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1907, Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia.1,2 AD is defined pathologically by plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) in the cerebral cortex. Plaques and tangles are associated with synaptic dysfunction, neuronal degeneration, and progressive cognitive decline (AD dementia).Back to Top...
- The following definitions were adapted from the position statement of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (9):Dementia is a clinical syndrome characterized by global cognitive decline with memory and one other area of cognition affected that interfere significantly with the person's ability to perform the tasks of daily life and meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual …