WEEK 2 - WHAT IS ALZHEIMER?

Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking and eventually the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer's, symptoms first appear in their mid-60s. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia among older adults.

The disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, he noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems and unpredictable behavior.After she died, he examined her brain and find many abnormal clumps and tangled bundle of fibers.

Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging. The  greatest known risk factor is increasing age,and majority of people with Alzheimer are 56 and older. but Alzheimer is not just a disease of old age. Approximately 200,00 Americans under the age of 65 have younger onset Alzheimer disease (known as early-onset Alzheimer)

Alzheimer worsen over time. Alzheimer is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's individuals lose the ability ti carry on conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Those with Alzheimer's live an average of 8 years after their symptoms become noticeable to others, but survival can range from 4 to 20 years,depending on age and other health condition.

Symptoms:

1. Worsened ability to take in and remember new information.
2. Impairment to reasoning, complex tasking, exercising judgement.
3. Impaired visuospatial abilities 
4. Impaired speaking, writing and reading.
5. Changes in personality and behavior.