Cures and current research.

There is currently no effective cure for Alzheimer's disease but there is medication to help control the symptoms and slow the effects of the disease. 

"There are four drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), called cholinesterase inhibitors, that are designed to regulate and manage Alzheimer's disease symptoms. People suffering from the disease have low levels of acetylcholine, an important brain chemical involved in nerve cell communication. Cholinesterase inhibitors slow the metabolic breakdown of acetylcholine and make more of this chemical available for communication between cells. This helps slow the progression of cognitive impairment and can be effective for some patients in the early to middle stages." (1).

"Namenda® (memantine) was the first drug approved by the FDA to treat the symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease. It appears to protect the brain's nerve cells against excess amounts of glutamate, a messenger chemical released in large amounts by cells damaged by Alzheimer's (and some other neurological disorders). When glutamate attaches to cell surface "docking sites" called N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, calcium can flow freely into the cell, which may lead to cell degeneration. Namenda may prevent this destructive sequence by adjusting the activity of glutamate." (1). 

Researchers are still looking for a cure but have only found ways to slow or regulate the symptoms.  The disease is believed to be irreversible due to its nature.  Since it breaks down the brain and basically put holes in it there is no known way to repair what has been lost and damaged.

Source:

1.  http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/treatment/common/  (Alzheimer's disease research)

What causes the disease?

There are many factors that researchers believe can lead to Alzheimer's disease.  These include:

"-Chemical factors:  Neurotransmitters or chemical messengers help in transmission of information from nerve endings of the brain. Any hindrance in the action of these messengers will have a detrimental effect on the functioning of the brain.

-Vascular disturbances: Diminished blood supply to the brain caused by aging or injury may be a causative factor of dementia and neurological conditions.

-Pre-existing conditions: Illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol have all
been linked as causes of Alzheimer’s.

-Genetic predisposition: Down’s syndrome and history of dementia are the two genetic factors that predispose a person to Alzheimer’s disease.

-Autoimmune diseases: These diseases trigger the response that causes the body’s immune system
to attack its own cells by producing antibodies. It is postulated that inflammatory conditions also attack brain tissue."  (1)

Currently there is no single cause for Alzheimer's disease.  It is believed to be a combination of many factors. 

Source:

1.  http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ou.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=10e47a0d-111d-478e-836f-9e7305c818e5%40sessionmgr11&vid=7&hid=3  (Informa Healthcare).

Alzheimer's today.

 

"The 2009 World Alzheimer Report, released by Alzheimer’s disease International, estimated the global prevalence of dementia to be more than 35 million in 2010 and predicted that this will double every 20 years to 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050." (1).  Alzheimer's disease is a rapidly growing disease that as of yet has no known cure.  "According to the report, 57.7% of individuals with dementia worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries, but this percentage is estimated to rise to 70.5% by 2050." (1).

"Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States and the only cause of death among the top 10 in the United States that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed." (2). "Average per person Medicare payments for an older person with Alzheimer’s or other dementias are nearly 3 times higher than for an older person without these conditions. Medicaid payments are 19 times higher. These costs will only continue to soar in the coming years given the projected rapidly escalating prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease as the baby boomers age." (2).

Sources:

1.  http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.ou.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=10e47a0d-111d-478e-836f-9e7305c818e5%40sessionmgr11&vid=7&hid=3  (Informa Healthcare)

2.  http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_facts_and_figures.asp?type=alz-homepage-link (Alzheimer's association)

Symptoms of the disease.

There is a difference between mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.  People with mild cognitive impairment have problems with memory and thinking, but these problems do not usually interfere with everyday routine. 

Early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can include:  language problems, such as finding the names for familiar things.  Getting lost an a daily route.  Losing interest in things previously enjoyed.  Misplacing items. Personality change and losing social skills. (1).

As the disease worsens, the symptoms become more obvious and the person can no longer care for themself.  Later symptoms are:  Change in sleep patterns,  depression, difficulty reading or writing, forgetting events in own life history, and withdrawing from social contact. (1).

People with severe Alzheimer's disease can no longer understand language, recognize family members, or perform basic activities of daily living such as eating and dressing. (1).

Source:

1.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001767/  (PubMed Health)

What is Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease is a form of dimentia that is rapidly increasing across the world. Dimentia is a "decline in cognitive function or mental ability - thinking, reasoning, and remembering." (1). 
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dimentia and although the disease can sometimes be managed, it is irreversible.

"Progressive mental deterioration in old age has been recognized and described throughout history. However, it was not until 1906 that a German physician, Dr. Alois Alzheimer, specifically identified a collection of brain cell abnormalities as a disease. One of Dr. Alzheimer’s patients died after years of severe memory problems, confusion and difficulty understanding questions. Upon her death, while performing a brain autopsy, the doctor noted dense deposits surrounding the nerve cells (neuritic plaques). Inside the nerve cells he observed twisted bands of fibers (neurofibrillary tangles). Today, this degenerative brain disorder bears his name, and when found during an autopsy, these plaques and tangles mean a definite diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease" (2)

Sources:

 1. http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/understanding/adanddementia.html (Alzheimer's disease research)

2. http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/understanding/history.html (Alzheimer's disease research)

Alzheimer's disease

A healthy brain vs. one affected by Alzheimer's disease.