Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one form of dementia that progressively worsens over time. Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. This illness affects memory, thinking, and behavior. AD patients will suffer from memory impairment along with problems with language, their ability to make rational decisions, judgment skills, and their personality. The cause of AD is not known, but doctors believe it involves both genetic and environmental factors. The disease is also incurable.
Risk Factors Age and family history are risk factors for AD. AD is not part of normal aging and risk is usually increased when you have a close blood relative who has developed the disease.
Types of AD There are two types of AD- early onset and late onset. In early onset AD, symptoms affect patients who are younger than 60. It is much less common than late onset AD and tends to progress rapidly. In late onset AD, the more common form of the disease, patients to be 60 and older.
Symptoms Early symptoms of AD can include:
- Language problems, such as trouble finding the name of familiar
objects - Forgetfulness
- Personality changes and loss of social skills
- Losing interest in things one previously enjoyed
- Difficulty performing tasks that take some thought, but used to
come easily, such as balancing a checkbook
As AD becomes worse, symptoms are more obvious and interfere with
the patient’s ability to take care of himself. Symptoms can include:
- Forgetting details about current events
- Forgetting events in one’s own life history
- Change in sleep patterns
- Difficulty reading or writing
- Poor judgment
- Using the wrong word, mispronouncing words, speaking in confusing
sentences - Withdrawing from social contact
- Having
hallucinations, arguments, and violent behavior - Depression
- Agitation
- Having difficulty doing basic tasks, such as preparing meals
People with severe AD can no longer:
- Understand language
- Recognize family members
- Perform basic activities of daily living, such as eating and
bathing
To learn more about Alzheimer’s disease, please visit www.alz.org
