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ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. By olufolakunmi kehinde pre-md 1. Disease overview :. INTRODUCTION TO ALZHEIMER’S SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS BRAIN ABNORMALITIES RISK FACTORS DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT PREVENTION. WHAT IS ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE?.
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ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE By olufolakunmi kehinde pre-md 1
Disease overview: • INTRODUCTION TO ALZHEIMER’S • SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS • BRAIN ABNORMALITIES • RISK FACTORS • DIAGNOSIS • TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT • PREVENTION
WHAT IS ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE? • Alzheimer’s disease can be described as a progressive brain disorder characterized by an irreversible decline in mental activity such as memory, language skills, reasoning ability and perception of time and space.
What really happens? • Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease (a gradual process of brain cell death) that happens over a course of time. • Brain cells (neurons) meet at points known as synapses. Tiny burst of chemicals known as neurotransmitters (e.g. gaba, acetyl choline) travel across synapses to other cells carrying electrical signals. • Alzheimer’s disease is known to affect the function of the neurotransmitters (majorly the acetyl choline), leading to learning difficulties and memory problems.
discovery It was first described in 1906 by a German Psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer. It is the common cause of loss of mental function in those aged 65 and over (late-onset). Alzheimer’s disease in people in their 30s, 40s and 50s is referred to as early onset. It is usually as a result of genes or family history.
Alzheimer's vs. dementia • Alzheimer’s is often mistaken for Dementia. • Although dementia is similar in effects to • Alzheimer’s, but dementia is a symptom • caused by Alzheimer’s disease. • In a few cases, dementia is reversible if the cause is quickly detected and treated (thyroid causes or vitamin deficiencies) but Alzheimer’s is irreversible.
Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease: • Since Alzheimer’s disease is progressive, the symptoms diagnosed in early onset get worse as the individual ages. • Difficulty in taking in and remembering new information. • Impairments to reasoning, complex tasking and exercising judgment. • Impaired visuospatial abilities. • Impaired speaking, reading and writing. • Changes in personality and behavior e.g. loss of empathy and social withdrawal.
Risk factors: • Risk factors can generally be divided into two: unavoidable and potentially avoidable factors • Unavoidable factors • Age: incidence is higher in older people than younger ones. Higher percentage in 85y and above than 65yrs and above. • Family history: family history and inheritance of genes. • Possession of the Apolipoprotein E gene or APOE increases the risk of Alzheimer's. • Females are at risk of Alzheimer's compared to males. • Children with Down’s syndrome are prone to early-onset Alzheimer’s.
Risk factors: • Potentially avoidable factors • Factors that cause increase in blood vessel e.g. hypertension and high cholesterol can lead to stroke (which can lead to another type of dementia). • Prior head injury: traumatic brain injury can increase the risk for Alzheimer's. • Chronic alcoholism
Diagnosis of Alzheimer's • Alzheimer’s is positively diagnosed by viewing the brain tissue of a patient under a microscope after death (autopsy): • Autopsy shows the build up of a protein called beta amyloid (amyloid plaques) found in between the dying cells causing a plaque formation. • Also, the disintegration of another protein called tau leads to tangles of the neurons.
Diagnosis of Alzheimer's • Diagnosisof Alzheimer’s disease in a living patient involves the narrowing down of the possible diseases (differential diagnoses) by a physician to arrive at Alzheimer’s • Doctors can: • take patient’s history • check neurological function e.g. senses and reflexes • performing brain scans like CT-scan and MRI • carrying out blood and urine tests • asking cognitive questions
Diagnosis of Alzheimer's • Image showing the build • up of amyloid plaques • around on the • neuron (white-coloured • plaques).
TREATMENT OR MANAGEMENT: • Since Alzheimer’s cannot be treated the symptoms associated with it are rather managed e.g. by adult daycare programs • Drug therapy can also be adopted to manage the symptoms and improve the quality of life of the patient. Drugs like: • Donepezil (brand name Aricept) • Alantamine (Reminyl) • Rivastigmine(Exelon) • Tacrine(Cognex).
prevention • Decreasing the risk of Alzheimer’s by reducing the risk of cerebrovascular diseases like stroke. • Stop smoking. • Reduced alcohol consumption. • Eating a healthy balanced diet. • Constant monitoring of blood pressure.
References • www.medicalnewstoday.com • Encarta premium 2009 • www.alz.org • www.mayoclinic.org • www.nhs.uk