Alzheimer’s disease is an insidious disease that gradually impairs memory, thinking and the ability to perform normal activities. What are its symptoms and how to recognize its arrival?
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that mainly affects the elderly. It is characterized by the gradual loss of brain cells and the associated deterioration of cognitive functions. Unfortunately, there is still no drug that can completely cure this disease, but early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can significantly improve the quality of life of the patient and his family.
How do you know you have Alzheimer’s disease? Watch an interesting YouTube video on the Johns Hopkins Medicine channel:
Source: Youtube
Strongly familiar with Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a silently creeping thief of memories. It develops gradually and its symptoms may differ for each affected individual.
“Alzheimer’s” is the most common cause of dementia.
In 1907, the German doctor Alois Alzheimer described this disease in more detail, and at that time it was considered a very rare disease. Over the past more than 100 years, however, the incidence of this serious disease has increased significantly and, unfortunately, is getting higher. Today, so-called “Alzheimer’s” is the most common cause of dementia. What are the most common signs and symptoms?
Memory disorders
One of the main signs is forgetfulness of recent events, which affects the ability to perform normal work tasks and life responsibilities. It can be, for example, forgetting the names of close people or important numbers, but also where the person in question put the keys a while ago. Loss of orientation in time and space is also a manifestation.
Problems with performing normal activities
People who develop the disease are often distracted and have difficulty with the normal tasks they used to perform in their daily lives. For example, when cooking, when they put something to cook in a pot and remember this ingredient only when they are after the meal, which is without the prepared ingredient that belonged to the dish. Often, sick people also cook food, but forget to serve it on the table, or worse, they completely forget that they cooked anything at all.
Problems with speech
Alzheimer’s disease is also manifested by difficulties in expressing oneself properly due to a poor ability to recall the appropriate word. The affected person often forgets even simple words or replaces them with incorrect ones, and his sentences then do not make sense. The same questions are often repeated.
Poor rational judgment
A common symptom is also the fact that the affected individual gets involved in some activity and completely forgets, for example, about the grandchild he is currently taking care of. In worse cases, they even forget that they have any grandchildren. In the same way, they can dress senselessly in the eyes of others and put on, for example, several sweaters at once.
Difficulty with abstract thinking
The disease is also manifested by complications with abstract thinking, which manifests itself, for example, when paying bills or keeping track of bills. It is a loss of understanding of what these things actually mean. Such actions and similar situations are either more complicated for patients, or completely unsolvable.
Mood and behavior changes
All of us are in a bad mood sometimes, but a person with Alzheimer’s disease is subject to sudden changes in mental mood. He may suddenly and unexpectedly cry or, on the contrary, fall into a fit of anger, although he actually has no adequate reason for it. He is often irritable, sometimes even aggressive, or completely apathetic.
What to do if you notice symptoms
If you notice the above symptoms in yourself or someone close to you, do not hesitate to see a doctor. The earlier Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can be started and its progression slowed. The doctor will perform a thorough examination, including a neurological examination and memory tests.
Prevention
Although genetic factors play a significant role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, there are also factors that we can influence. These include a healthy lifestyle with regular physical activity, a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and reducing stress. It is also important to stimulate the brain sufficiently and engage in, for example, reading, learning new things, doing crosswords or Sudoku and engaging in social activities.
Resources: www.dr.max.cz, www.nia.nih.gov, www.alz.org
