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Effects of the Alzheimer s Disease on My Grandmother

June 1, 2011

2 Alzheimers disease is one of the most frequent causes of dementia (weakmindedness) at elderly and senile age. Dementia is characterized by the expressed decline of intellectual functions of the person with ability disorders of surrounding conditions and independent actions. The disease is called by the name of A. Alzheimer, who described this form of illness in 1906. In the absence of treatment the disease steadily progresses and leads to the destruction of all mental functions. The etiologies of Alzheimers disease are not finally found out. There is a lot of data, testifying to the hereditary nature of the disease. However, there are the cases not caused by the hereditary predisposition, especially at later onset of the disease. Alzheimers disease can begin after the age of 50, but more often arises after 70 and especially after 80. Alzheimers disease is the disease connected with the destruction of brain cells and leading to a heavy frustration of memory, intelligence, other cognitive functions, and also to serious problems in emotional and behavioral spheres. Alzheimers disease is the most common cause of dementia. It now afflicts nearly 4 million Americans. These numbers are expected to increase dramatically as the U.S. population ages. By the year 2050 approximately 14.5 million people will suffer from Alzheimers disease (Handy: 1998) Alzheimers disease is insidious and develops gradually. It affects not old and full of strength people. The first signs of disease are memory and attention disorders. New information is perceived worse. A person becomes forgetful, absent-minded, current events are substituted by the revival of memoirs in the past. As a rule, early stages of the disease are marked by time orientation disorders. The representation about time sequence of events is broken. In other cases illness begins with changes in character of the elderly person. He becomes rough, selfish, apathetic, inherent earlier personal features are erased. The first displays of Alzheimers disease can be delirium, hallucinations and long depressions. At an

3 early stage of Alzheimers disease patients seldom consult the doctor, especially if there are no mental disorders. As a rule, relatives of the patient consider memory disorders and character changes as displays of natural aging. Meanwhile, the treatment begun at an early stage of Alzheimers disease is the most effective one. At present there are methods of the neuropsychological and tool examination, allowing diagnosing correctly even at early stages of Alzheimers disease. At the further progressing of Alzheimers disease the symptoms of dementia become obvious. Patients do not know the date, month and year; can be easily lost in a familiar place, and not always understand, where they are; do not learn acquaintances and close people. Orientation is gradually broken. Patients cannot name their age, forget the key facts of life. A shift to the past is quite often observed: they consider themselves either children or young people, assert that the dead parents are still alive. Habitual skills are broken: patients lose ability to use household appliances, cannot dress or wash independently. The realized actions are substituted by the stereotypic wandering and senseless collecting of things. In progressive stages of Alzheimers disease patients completely lose ability to exist without assistance; speech and impellent activity is limited to the senseless shouts and stereotypic movements within bed. Members of a family and close friends are more sensitive to the early signs of Alzheimers disease than traditional screening tests. The researchers from the University of Washington have developed the alternative approach to diagnostics of this disease which is based on questioning of the family or relatives of the patient. Such a questionnaire takes only some minutes and allows estimating cognitive changes which cause difficulties in accomplishment of daily activities. It is proved by the researches on the presence of biomarkers, such as abnormal levels of certain factors in a spinal liquid or Alzheimers plaques which have been found out while brain scanning. Thus,

4 the results of questioning correlate with the presence of biomarkers stronger than traditional cognitive tests.

5 Works Cited Draper, Brian. Dealing with Dementia: A Guide to Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. Publisher: Allen & Unwin. Place of Publication: Crows Nest, N.S.W.. 2004. Fox, Patrick J., Max Wendy B. Cost and Caring: Policy Challenges of Alzheimer's Disease. Generations. Volume: 33. Issue: 1. 2009. Page Number: 53+. American Society on Aging. Handy, Ronald C, James M Turnbull, Joellen Edwards, and Mary M Lancaster, eds. Alzheimer's Disease: A Handbook for Caregivers. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 1998.