Alzheimer's disease. Signs and symptoms, treatment, medications, folk remedies at home

Each year, 8 million. elderly people suffering from an increasing number of nervous disease, whose symptoms are manifested in the decrease in cognitive capabilities and irreversible loss of the knowledge gained. This disease is named after the German scientist Alzheimer's. Today, it is incurable.

Alzheimer's disease - what is it

In elderly people over 60 years due to the dying off of brain cells there are cases of forgetfulness. They remember the information memorized far in the past, and recently received the concept may not hold in memory. So it begins to manifest Alzheimer's disease.

The first symptoms (may occur after 45 years) is not so terrible. However, over time the disease develops rapidly. The man begins to lose long-term memory, higher brain function.

This leads to such practices:

• loss of the opportunity to navigate in the environment;
• speech impairment;
• the collapse of the intellect;
• lack of thinking.

In this state, a person is not able to secure a proper care. For 7 years the body dies.

Most often this disease affects people with low intellectual abilities. Knowledge workers less fall into this category, since they have a greater number of connections between nerve cells. Lost dead neurons function support previously untapped.

Causes of

Scientists of the world of medicine have been many studies but significantly the causes of the disease have not been studied. Consideration is being given about 10 theories. The main factor of predisposition to disease is old age and heredity.

Also, the appearance of asthma is influenced by the following factors:

• thyroid disease and heart (heart attack);
• transferred before serious skull injury;
• exposure to electromagnetic radiation;
• very belated birth of the mother.

pathophysiology

Doctors consider such hypotheses put forward the causes of asthma:

• cholinergic - lack of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in patients which takes effect in the active transmission of nerve impulses in the cells. Based on this hypothesis, to create a drug that returns its level in the body to normal. Symptoms decreased, but complete recovery of patients, doctors do not have;
• amyloid - primary, based on the destructive effects of amyloid in neural connections leading to cell necrosis. The formed plaques increase the amount of calcium in them, which becomes fatal;
  
• tau-hypothesis - another type of fat in the tissues of the brain are neurofibrillary tangles. The reason for their occurrence is not revealed.

neuropathology

Alzheimer's disease, the symptoms of which are characterized by loss of neurons in the cerebral cortex, irreversibly evolving.

Consequently atrophy affected areas, and cease to function:

• Land in the area of ​​plumb, the crown;
• front side.

Very dense and absolutely insoluble compounds and tangles within neurons grow, becoming indestructible weave fibers.

Biochemistry

During the development of the pathology abnormally folded proteins accumulate in the brain tissue. For unknown reasons, while beta-amyloid is divided into peptides, which are formed in the existing gaps between the cells.

All neurons are composed of microscopic particles, which move nutrients. In AD cells transport system is not working because of the clumping of tau protein.

The pathological mechanism

Doctors find it difficult to answer, as a violation of the synthesis and accumulation of peptides provoke pathology.

However, they cause:

• homeostasis of calcium ions in the cell;
• pushing the appearance of apoptosis;
• It slows down the work of some neurons, using glucose.

Most of the pathological mechanisms play a role:

• small information molecule;
• inflammatory processes (which occurs when tissue damage).

Genetics

Geneticists has been tested more than 400 genes for effects of mutation on asthma development. It was revealed that the changes are only 3 types of the gene leads to pathology. About 12% of patients up to 62 years were the reasons associated with such surgeries.

Forms of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (symptoms in people regardless of age) is divided into three forms:

• BA to early start - rare, only 10% of people suffering from this disease, diagnosed before the age of 60 years. The risk group includes patients with Down syndrome, who already in the 45 - 50 years appear the first signs of the disease. It is associated with genetic changes on chromosome 14;
• late-onset - the most common form, which is fixed at 90% of people over 65. After 85 years of age BA appears almost always like this. Often associated with this kind of heredity;
• family - very rare, marked by this kind of only 1% of the patients, genetically inherited and occurs in 2 generations. Suffer from several members of the family of 40 years.

Risk factors

Age is the main risk factor for the disease. Approximately 2-5% of the population between 65 and 70 years, victims of asthma. Every 5 years this figure doubled. After 85 years, the number of patients increases to 30-45%.

Scientists say more factors likely to have the illness:

• heredity;
• genetics - if more than one family member had the disease;
• the emergence of a rare gene - are diagnosed in the early stages (30, 40).

Determine how high chance of having asthma, genetic testing will help. However, an early form is extremely small.

The first signs of Alzheimer's

The first signs of asthma are often associated with forgetfulness and go unnoticed by patients. They explain the bad memory of the age characteristics of an organism or fatigue. However, if the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, the symptoms of malaise will be amplified.

It becomes difficult:

• learn new information;
• Know your name, date of birth;
• remember the location of familiar things;
• keep in mind the recent developments.

The next warning sign is apathy.

Disappears desire:

• do what he likes;
• meet friends;
• to go out for a walk;
• look after themselves (hygiene, change of clothes).

Should be wary and start to take action if there is:

• disorientation in time and space - under repeated inability to sleep immediately after the set the day of its location;
• speech disorders - hard to find the right word, misunderstanding what he heard;
• difficulty in the perception of space (distance, misrecognition of family members, it is difficult to find the way home);
• frequent shifting of objects not in the usual place for them (for example, a bag in the refrigerator);
• appearance hallucinations, panic attacks;
• mood swings - aggressive reaction to minor things;
• difficult to solve simple questions (tea brewing, payment of purchase), and plan for the future;
• wrong decisions - pointless buying clothes out of season.

At the first suspicion of disease should contact their general practitioner or neurologist.

stage

Alzheimer's disease (symptoms depending on the individual human personality) provokes a progressive destruction of brain cells. This causes it to decrease in size, and then to complete the termination operation. Proceedings disease are divided into four periods.

Preddementsiya

Preddementsiya - this is the stage of the disease, in which there are slight signs of forgetfulness. And these symptoms can last from 5 - 8 years old, but he justifies their fatigue, stress. Man alone can determine the symptoms and seek help from a neurologist.

The main feature is a violation of short-term memory. When events can not be restored yesterday, there is a need in a notebook.

Also pay attention to the following points:

• inability to acquire new knowledge;
• lack of understanding of the values ​​of the previously known word;
• violation of abstract thinking;
• asking the same questions, forgetting dates and promises;
• it is difficult to focus.

At this stage, says the sense of indifference to everything, it remains stable psychiatric familiar throughout the disease.

Early or initial stage of Alzheimer's

At the initial stage of memory impairment and various kinds of perception progresses. Less exposed to distortion of old memories, long-known facts. Recently happening is not memorized. In some patients, distorted speech, movement. They are very slow, much poorer their vocabulary.

It may be noted more symptoms:

• impaired fine motor skills of hands;
• difficulty in planning motion (while drawing);
• poor coordination (at laying things).

Although the person in dialogue may well operate on a simple fact. Most everyday tasks it performs its own, it does not depend on outside help.

moderate type

At this stage of the disease symptoms increase. Lost the ability to do without the support of others.

There have pronounced these signs:

• senile dementia;
• speech disorder - trying to find the right words, the patient is more doing it wrong;
• lost reading and writing skills;
• broken terrain orientation - in contact with the street, people suffering from asthma can not figure out where they are. They do not remember the address, and the route home.

There is a huge change with asthma do not recognize their relatives. The disease affects already-volatile memory, so people do not know simple things, such as when you need to eat.

Also, there are neuropsychiatric manifestations as vagrancy (especially at night). Increased irritability, frequent changes of mood. May develop enuresis. During this period, the patient requires care. Only a small amount of action he can perform on their own.

Severe stage of Alzheimer's disease

At the stage of severe dementia patients are able to communicate by simple short phrases or single words. Although this is well understood speech directed to them. Sufferers can not do without help.

Their condition is characterized by:

• apathy;
• aggression;
• exhaustion;
• physiological loss of process control (departure urine and feces);
• lose weight and move with great difficulty.

In the most recent period, patients lose the ability to move or swallow. Food is supplied into the stomach by gavage.

Patients do not die from the disease as much as from:

• pneumonia;
• septic and necrotic processes;
• pressure ulcers.

Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is individual, and the symptoms are very diverse and depend on the stage of the disease.

Table №1. General classification of asthma symptoms:

name of deviation	Features displays
The growing forgetfulness	Gaps in the short-term and long-term memory in the future complete amnesia.
Disorientation in time and space	Confuses left and right side, ceases to recognize themselves in a mirror. Leaving the house, she does not find the way back.
personality change	The sudden lack of confidence, lack of motivation. Aggressive state and the emergence of cases epipripadkov.
The weakening of intellectual abilities	Hard following the progress of a long conversation, do not make plans, not versed in the home. Not able to make inferences.
Difficulties with communication and speech	Forgets the meaning of words, and then not entirely talking.
physical symptoms	Concerned about seizures, hardened muscles. Loss of control over the work of the gastrointestinal tract. People comfortably stay in a fetal position. At the end of his life, there is a complete lack of motor ability.

early diagnosis of the disease problems

At an early stage to make a diagnosis of the disease is not always possible, because during this period the person does not attach much importance to small variations in health. If the rest of forgetfulness, confusion, operation is not restored, then you need to hurry up an appointment with a neurologist or family physician. This may be the first signs of asthma.

Doctors have completely cured the patient still can not, but to ease his condition with medicines and proper care to them under the force. And though the primary ages of disease falls on the 65 - 70 years, his early manifestation of medicine were recorded in 40 years.

Already at this stage of AD in cells deposited amyloid plaques that lead to its destruction. A reliably detect the presence of their doctors can only after the patient's death.

Difficult to diagnose the following factors:

• co-infections;
• a high degree of intelligence of the patient;
• the initial period of perspective.

Diagnosis in the early stages makes it possible to extend human life.

diagnostic criteria

Medical institutions have developed criteria to facilitate the formulation of a doctor diagnosis of asthma and to make this a standard mechanism.

The scientists found that the irreversible changes in the brain affect 8 sections:

• memory;
• design capabilities;
• self-service;
• adequate perception of the environment;
• language skills and ability to solve problems;
• perception of self.

methods of diagnosis

Alzheimer's disease, whose symptoms begin to show up in memory impairment and failure of mental abilities, able to diagnose the family physician or neurologist. These patients should consult with their close relatives, which will help significantly to describe a picture of developments and changes in the patient's behavior.

It should be as close as possible to respond to a number of medical issues:

• duration of perspective;
• how much has changed human behavior;
• Are mood swings is (joy, aggression);
• Does similar with other family members;
• when whether the patient first symptoms appeared and costs without assistance;
• major events that disturb;
• concomitant diseases and medications employed.

Often, a regular survey makes it impossible to draw conclusions about existing illnesses. Symptoms often resemble ordinary dementia. For a more accurate diagnosis is necessary to conduct a series of tests.

Test for Alzheimer's Disease

Testing helps to rule out other conditions and accurate diagnosis person.

With it, the doctor will determine:

• ability to orient in space and time;
• some memory and attention;
• ability to plan.

The highest possible score - 30. If the result is less than 24, and we can talk about dementia. For testing total extent of the disease is diagnosed.

During the event the patient is invited to:

• Remember and repeat a few words;
• carry out mathematical calculations;
• read and retell the content of the text;
• seen repeat patterns;
• find similarities in different subjects.

In the absence of pathology all tasks are easily performed. However, when man began deviations difficult to cope with the tasks.

neuroimaging techniques

Common symptoms are similar in nature in a variety of mental and physical diseases. Therefore, for reliable conclusions spend instrumental methods of examination - magnetic - resonance and computed tomography.

The most effective kind of a diagnosis of asthma is MRI. It allows the doctor to detect the presence of inclusions and failures in metabolic processes.

In order to accurately trace the dynamics of the ongoing changes in the patient's body examination administered again after 1 month. CT less conveniently carried out in this kind of disease. It is used already in the late stages of disease development. Defined brain structures change (decrease habitats recess convolutions).

Additional methods of diagnostics

Still not found a single method of examination of people with asthma. Therefore, doctors use several types of research. Along with a discussion with the patient's symptoms and the drafting history, relatives survey conducted urine and blood tests.

This will help to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms:

• Parkinson's disease;
• anemia;
• decreased thyroid functioning;
• lack of vitamins.

The most modern method of examination is positron emission tomography. This type of diagnosis allows you to see the changes from the very beginning of the disease. However, with careful use of it to the people suffering from diabetes.

Treatment

Scientists have so far found no drugs for complete victory over the terrible disease. BA Treatment is aimed at slowing down the destructive processes in the brain cells. The earlier the diagnosis and initiated procedures to control the disease, the longer the person himself can secure independent care.

drug therapy

Doctors have developed effective therapies suspension of the disease in the human body, alleviating symptoms.

Isolated group of drugs that reduce the rate of the pathological deposits in brain cells:

• donepezil and galantamine - available in the form of tablets, effective at the initial stages, soften and improve cognitive change memory. Side effects - a nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite;
  
• memantine - indicated for moderate to severe degree of disease. In rare cases, possible undesirable effects: hallucinations, dizziness, and fatigue;
• aktovegin - useful for improving circulation;
• glycine - recommended for patients psychoemotional overexertion.

Such drugs selects only the family doctor or neurologist, taking into account the individual characteristics of the disease.

psychosocial intervention

Psychosocial assistance is in addition to medical treatment.

It is divided into these types:

• emotional - the method used memories, helps people get used to the new state. Using old photographs, sound recordings. Reduced the level of anxiety;
• stimulator-oriented - painting, dancing. Use contact with animals, are mild exertion;
• behavioral - determined the cause and consequence of the patient's actions, then soften the symptoms;
• cognitive - help a person navigate through time, it offered him a mathematical problem solving.

This work is carried out as a single person and a group of people.

Care and supervision

Since asthma is an incurable disease, the patient care will be long and exhausting. This is generally loved ones. It is necessary to be patient and assist in daily activities are affected. In the early stages he will be able to make love for themselves, and only in the later stages needed round the clock care.

It is important to consider the fact that a person with such a terrible disease are not always able to express their concerns, he speaks slowly and in short sentences.

People who provide care, you must:

• speak in a friendly tone, to calm patients, if necessary;
• to give time to think, because thinking process has slowed down;
• monitor the patient's condition;
• place the house brief instructions on the use of objects;
• fed through a tube in case of problems with swallowing.

If one can not fail to care for, and their relatives is not possible to provide care, it is advisable to put the patient in a special clinic. Social Services will help in this matter. Whereabouts is important to make as comfortable as possible, similar to home. To do this in the room you can place photos of previous years, personal belongings.

complications

As the course of disease often develop complications. This is due to low physical activity and poor self-care.

Such diseases can be:

• teeth and mouth;
• respiratory, ocular infections;
• violation of the digestive tract works;
• bedsores.

With proper attention from the people making care, such troubles can be avoided. However, when they occur, be sure to seek help from the medical establishment.

The prognosis for patients with Alzheimer's

The disease is difficult to detect in its early. Most often diagnosed when a malfunction in the brain bring a person considerable inconvenience. The forecast life expectancy of the fairer sex more encouraging than the male population.

The human brain is able to partially recover. It is better to occur in people with high intellectual abilities.

In order to prevent Alzheimer's disease are encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle, exercise. Help reduce the symptoms of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages. So far, no effective cure for the disease, however, make it easier for possible. To do this, you need time to seek the advice of a neurologist.

Author: Svetlana (yale)

Registration of the article: Lozinski Oleg

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