Alzheimers Disease

You have to begin to lose your memory, if only in bits and pieces, to realize that memory is what makes on lives. Life without memory is no life at all, just as an intelligence without the possibility of expression ..is not really an intelligence. Our memory is coherence, our reason, our feeling, even our action. Without it, we are nothing.

What about the people who have lost it completely....

What is ...

Alzheimer's is a progressive, degenerative disorder that affects the brain. It damages the brain cells responsible for intellectual functioning in the brain, including memory, intelligence, judgment, and speech. Alzheimers leads to the loss of mental and physical functions.

Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia in older people. It affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language

The Causes...

it is not clear why these changes in the brain occur, but research to discover the cause of Alzheimer's disease is ongoing. Although most people who develop Alzheimer's disease do not have a family history of the condition, you are at increased risk for the condition if a member of your family has it.

The symptoms

* Memory loss.

* Inability to use judgment and make decisions.

* Confusion about what time and day it is.

* Getting lost in familiar places.

* Difficulty learning and remembering new information.

* Difficulty expressing himself or herself.

* Decreasing ability to perform everyday tasks like cooking a meal or paying bills

Undersatandin changes

Alzheimer's disease occurs in stages. Each stage may bring about changes in some aspects of your daily life.

The more likely changes are in the

Daily Activities

Communication

Decision Making for the Future

Roles and Relationships

Behavior

Changes in communication : communication is essential to our ability to stay connected with others .alzheimers does not change the desire or need to communicate. However, it may affect the ways in which we communicate

Behavior : unusual behaviors can be a part of alzheimers.. Mood swings, angry outbursts, restlessness, anxiety and depression are some of the symptoms that occur

Changes in the BRAIN

Alz..causes number of changes in the brain. To understand the changes let me tell you how the brain works.

The human brain is made up of billions of nerve cells ,called neurons.the neurons are the ones that transmit impulses.

Dendrites receive while axon transmits......This relaying of impulses from neuron to neuron in the brain is what makes it possible for us to carry out mental and physical tasks.

neurons and the spaces between them become clogged with protein deposits. These deposits are called plaques and tangles. Plaques and tangles develop as part of the normal aging process. But in people with Alzheimer's disease, there are many more of them.

Plaques and tangles prevent the neurons from sending impulses to each other.

The protein that makes up plaques is found in the body naturally. But plaques are abnormal, sticky clusters of this protein. They are found in the spaces between the neurons. They can disrupt the pathways that carry signals from one neuron to the other.

Tangles are also made up of a protein that is found in the body naturally. But the protein gets "tangled" up. Tangles look like threads wrapped around each other. They are found inside the neurons. Tangles can clog the neurons and keep