Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures

I chose this topic to enhance my understanding of the condition especially in regards to the facts of the disorder.

It will improve my capacity to take care of my ageing grandmother who is developing certain symptoms such as forgetfulness which I suspect to be pointing out to Alzheimer.

B. Definition

Alzheimer is a progressive disorder that causes brain cells commonly known as neurons to degenerate or waste away and eventually die.

Alzheimer is one variant of dementia. Dementia describes a group of symptoms related to a decline in memory or other cognitive skills serious enough to interfere with the daily performance of activities.

Dementia is a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills that interferes with an individual’s capacity to function independently (Dekker et al., 2015).

The early signs of the disease include forgetting recent conversations or events.

As the condition develops, an individual suffering from Alzheimer will experience severe memory impairment and lose the ability to perform daily duties.

C. History

The condition is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer.

After examining a woman who had died of a rare mental disorder, Dr. Alzheimer discovered abnormal changes in the brain tissue.

She showed signs such as unpredictable behavior, language and loss of memory.

Following her death, Dr. Alois found amyloid plaques (abnormal clumps) and neurofibrillary (tangled bundles of fibers) in her brains (Plassman et al., 2017).

Many symptoms in most people with the condition start to show in their mid-60s, depicting late-onset-type.

Rare cases of individuals in their 30s and mid-60s developing the illness can occur leading to early-onset Alzheimer (Alzheimer’s, 2015).

The brain tissue will have shrunk substantially and damage widespread by the time Alzheimer is in its final stage.

Contents

A. Statistics/Epidemiology

1. Statistical Prevalence

It is estimated that over 8.5 million Americans who are aged 65 years and above may have Alzheimer.

More than 90% of people who have Alzheimer do not notice any symptom until they are over 60 years old (Plassman et al., 2017).

Alzheimer is the leading cause of dementia accounting for 60 to 80 per cent of dementia cases.

Both genders are at equal risk of developing the condition, but more women have been diagnosed with the disease simply because women live longer than men.

2. Types of distribution

When diagnosed, an individual aged over 80 years can live for three to four years and if a person is younger can live for 10 or more years.

Alzheimer is the sixth cause of death for adults in the U.S. and fifth among causes of death for people aged 65 years and older (Alzheimer’s, 2015).

3. Types of determinants

The Main risk factors of the disease include:

Ø Age- the supreme known risk factor of the condition is the increasing age. As a person grows older, the likelihood of developing Alzheimer increases even though Alzheimer is part of the normal ageing process (Dekker et al., 2015).

Ø Family history- if an individual has a first-degree relative with Alzheimer; such an individual is at higher risk of developing the condition.

Ø Genetics- mutation of the gene apolipoprotein E increases the risk of the disorder although everyone with this mutated gene does not develop the illness.

Ø Down syndrome- many individuals with Down syndrome are likely to develop Alzheimer. People with Down syndrome have three copies of chromosome 21 and consequently, three copies of the gene for the protein that leads to the creation of beta-amyloid.

Ø Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) - they are individuals whose thinking skills or memory decline than it would be expected of a person of that age but still the decline does not prevent them from performing their daily activities. These people tend to have MCI who have a significant chance of developing Alzheimer (Plassman et al., 2017).

Ø Lifestyle and heart health

Ø Past head trauma

B. Financial costs

1. Costs to the individual

Alzheimer is an expensive disease both to the patient and society.

Since it has no cure, Alzheimer is treated symptomatically to delay its emergence or progression (Plassman et al., 2017).

As such, it becomes expensive because certain symptoms may require specific medications respectively.

2. Possible costs to the society

To ease the public suffering, the government of the United States spends substantial amount by offering incentives to produce cheap medications.

The government also spends heavily to facilitate research about the disease in an attempt to find the cure.

It is estimated that in the provision of care to Alzheimer and dementia patients, it costs the government and patients combined close to $300billion (Alzheimer’s, 2015).

3. Loss of productivity

Another cost of the disease is incurred in the form of lost productivity.

Individuals with Alzheimer lose their ability to perform daily chores and also participate in social life.

Additionally, they require caregivers to assist them to undertake their duties. These caregivers are individuals who give up their duties in the economy building to take care of the patient leading to loss of productivity (Jarmolowicz, Chen & Panegyres, 2015).

C. Anatomy and Physiology

1. The normal and abnormal structure & function

The normal structure of the brain contains billions of neurons which are nerve cells. Each neuron combines with many other neurons to form a communication network.

Nerve cells are grouped according to their special functions; some are involved in remembering, learning and thinking, seeing, hearing and smelling (Dekker et al., 2015).

Plagues and tangles attack hippocampus resulting in the death of nerve cells specialized to remember leading to Alzheimer.

Plagues are leftover fragments of apolipoprotein, and when they come together, they become toxic to neurons interfering with the communication between cells.

Tangles come forth when tau proteins change shape and arrange themselves into structures known as neurofibrillary tangles. They disrupt the neurons’ transport system (Jarmolowicz, Chen & Panegyres, 2015).

Since the grouped cells are interdependent, a breakdown in one group causes problems in other areas.

2. Causes of the disease

Alzheimer disorder is caused by a combination of environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors that affect the brain in many people.

Although the real cause of the condition is yet to be fully comprehended, it is believed that brain proteins that fail to function properly are the core problem.

The proteins interfere with the functioning of the neurons leading to their ultimate death which results in Alzheimer (Alzheimer’s, 2015).

D. Diagnosis/Treatments/Prognosis

1. Diagnosis

History- self-reporting about the symptoms and information that can be provided about the symptoms and their effect on daily life by a close relative.

Neurological and physical tests

Lab tests which include blood tests to examine vitamin deficiencies or thyroid disorder as they are possible causes of confusion and memory loss.

Brain imaging to show visible abnormalities associated with the disease. Brain structure imaging includes computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Rabinovici et al., 2008).

2. Treatments

a) Traditional medical treatment

There are two main drugs used to treat cognitive symptoms; Memantine which slows the progression of Alzheimer and Cholinesterase inhibitors which boost communication between cells (Rabinovici et al., 2008).

b) Alternative methods of treatment

Particular supplements, vitamins and herbal remedies are widely promoted as they support cognitive health, prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer. They include Ginkgo, curcumin, omega-3 fatty acids and huge quantities of vitamin E (Rabinovici et al., 2008).

3. Prognosis

Ø There is no cure for Alzheimer. Thus patients are likely to experience deterioration of their daily task and social life.

Ø For individuals aged 80 years and more with Alzheimer, they may live three to four years after diagnosis, and if they are younger, they can live for ten or more years (Alzheimer’s, 2015).

Conclusion

Alzheimer is a complicated disease whereby some factors are still unknown. The known fact is that the disease continues to worsen as the time ticks.

Available treatment can only assist in managing symptoms and enrich the living standards.

References

Alzheimer’s, A. (2015). 2015 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures. Alzheimer’s & dementia: the journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, 11(3), 332.

Dekker, A. D., Strydom, A., Coppus, A. M., Nizetic, D., Vermeiren, Y., Naudé, P. J., ... & De Deyn, P. P. (2015). Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in Down syndrome: Early indicators of clinical Alzheimer’s disease?. Cortex, 73, 36-61.

Jarmolowicz, A. I., Chen, H. Y., & Panegyres, P. K. (2015). The patterns of inheritance in early-onset dementia: Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias®, 30(3), 299-306.

Plassman, B. L., Langa, K. M., Fisher, G. G., Heeringa, S. G., Weir, D. R., Ofstedal, M. B., ... & Steffens, D. C. (2017). Prevalence of dementia in the United States: the aging, demographics, and memory study. Neuroepidemiology, 29(1-2), 125-132.

Rabinovici, G. D., Seeley, W. W., Kim, E. J., Gorno-Tempini, M. L., Rascovsky, K., Pagliaro, T. A., ... & Weiner, M. W. (2008). Distinct MRI atrophy patterns in autopsy-proven Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias®, 22(6), 474-488.