Alzheimer's Facts
I hope that some of you may find the following information to be useful.
There is a wealth of information out there pertaining to Alzheimer's and on this site I am
going to provide you with the information that I wish I had known about when mom first started to
exhibit her signs of dementia.
Statistics
According to the Alzheimer's Association, an estimated 4.5 million Americans
currently have Alzheimer's.
By 2050 it is estimated that between 11.3 and 16 million Americans will have this
disease unless a cure or prevention is found by then.
The United States spends at least $100 billion a year for Alzheimer's care.
Facts
Alzheimer's disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer of Germany. In 1906 he
found unusual changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental
illness.
It is a disease in which nerve cells located in the brain die. Once this occurs,
the brain's signals are not able to be transmitted properly.
Diagnosis
Currently the only "definitive" way to diagnosis Alzheimer's is to have an autopsy
done. A pathologist has to examine the patient's brain for the telltale changes associated with
this disease.
The pathologist will look for "plaques" or "tangles" in the brain tissue...two tell tale signs of
Alzheimer's disease.
However, your doctor can help at least to determine whether the person's symptoms
are probably due to Alzheimer's or whether they are due to some other disorder which may mimick
some of the same symptoms as Alzheimer's.
The physician should do a very thorough neurological, psychiatric, and medical examination of
the patient.
Many times such conditions as thyroid problems, depression, a head injury, certain chemical
imbalances and even the effects of some medications may produce symptoms that are mistaken for
Alzheimer's. This is why it is so very important to see a physician at the very first signs!
Most of these other conditions are treatable. I personally have known people who were
diagnosed as having Alzheimer's when indeed, it was something else which could have been treated!
The United States spends at least $100 billion a year for Alzheimer's care.
Cures
Although there is research going on as we speak, scientists do not as yet have a
cure nor do they know for sure what causes it.
bravenet.com
