Alzheimers Disease, more commonly known as a memory loss disease, is a medical condition that affects not only the person grappling with the condition but also the people around them. A person suffering from Alzheimers Disease, the brain cells progressively degenerate and wipe out the person’s memory. It is usually common in people over the age of 65. The symptoms of Alzheimers Disease can at first go unnoticed. It is a disease that gradually affects your brain and diminishes your capabilities to remember or think. For a person suffering from Alzheimers Disease, it becomes difficult to remember things or at times, even their loved ones.
How does Alzheimers Disease affect the brain?
The brain is the most integral part of the human body. The brain has a unique way of performing, it is the control centre of the body. It allows us to think and store information in an incredible way. The neurons in the brain are responsible for carrying out major processes in the body. Hence, it’s essential that they survive and are well functioning. Alzheimers Disease doesn’t hit you all at once, slowly over time it starts impairing your brain. While ageing the brain usually shrinks but it does not lose as many neurons as compared to a person with Alzheimers Disease syndrome. For a human with Alzheimers Disease, there is a drastic loss of neurons, which leads to cognitive impairment.
Ageing is one of the causes of Alzheimers Disease. Another factor can be genetics. If Alzheimer’s runs in your family, you’re at a risk of it developing in you too. Neurological problems, such as stroke, head injuries, and other health conditions too, can affect the brain and lead to Alzheimer’s. The flawed nerve cells cause this brain disease. Neurofibrillary tangles and Beta-amyloid plaques are mainly responsible for the damage caused to the brain cells, wherein, the brain eventually shrinks and its normal way of working is impeded. Depending upon the intensity and severity of the disease, there are three types of Alzheimers Disease – mild, moderate, and severe. A person goes through each of these stages as time passes.
At first, the neurons start to degenerate or get destroyed. Their connection with parts of the brain responsible for memory is hindered. This is the first stage or the mild stage. A person may develop problems with remembering minor things such as dates, phone numbers, forgetting to pay the bills, etc. The patient may find themselves wandering around, being in a state of confusion, feeling detached from the world.
In the moderate stage, it is the cerebral cortex which is affected, a part of the brain that is responsible for language, senses, reasoning, and consciousness. It is the stage where all the major things in life slowly fades away from the person’s memory. A person struggles with recognizing friends or family members, faces confusion, and has a greater loss of memory. Coping or adjusting to new situations may get tougher day by day, and the person may go through stages of paranoia.
The third stage is the severe stage where things may escalate and get out of hand. Here, the brain’s ability to operate is tampered. The patient is unable to leave the bed and is totally dependent on someone.
Some symptoms of Alzheimers Disease
The symptoms of Alzheimer’s may appear slowly and hence, can be unnoticeable. In most cases, symptoms are visible in the early 60s however, in some rare cases, the symptoms may start showing up in the late 30s. The symptoms may occur as mild at first but eventually, they intensify. Some of the moderate symptoms include-
- Lack of energy or the zest to work
- Forgetting to carry out simple tasks
- Withdrawal from social life, signs of depression
- Trouble understanding or interpreting words, symbols, etc.
- Struggling in solving problems, remembering directions
- Slurred speech, and trouble putting words to thoughts
- Confusion about the time and place, difficulty in remembering faces.
- Wandering
- Delusions
As the time passes, the symptoms of Alzheimers Disease start getting worse and the person may get irritated with their condition. They have a hard time remembering and thus they may develop trust issues. The neurons in the brain rapidly degenerate at the severe stage and the person starts to lose control of their condition.
Some of the symptoms are-
- A constant state of confusion and mix up of the past and present events
- Weightloss, seizures, etc.
- Lost control over bladder and bowel movement (due to damaged brain cells)
- Trouble with swallowing food
- Hallucinations and extreme mood swings.
“The thing about Alzheimer’s is that it’s it’s sort of like all these little, small deaths along the way, before they actually physically die”. –Lucinda Williams
Alzheimer’s can be difficult to deal with since the brain’s ability to remember is lost. A person undergoes a number of mental and behavioural changes. Dealing with everyday life, forgetting the little things, and knowing that your memories are going to fade away can be very frustrating. Hence the role of family members and friends is the most crucial here. With their love, care, and support, dealing with Alzheimers Disease can get easier.
Also Read:
Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis
Alzheimer’s disease treatment
Why Do Elders Suffer From Alzheimer’s?
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