Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s dementia is by far the largest proportion of people with dementia. A typical dementia’s symptom is memory problems. Especially short-term memory is affected and one has trouble finding the right words. Moreover nouns are hard to remember. Everyday life is affected. For example counting money and paying become difficult. As the disease develops, changes in emotion, temperament and social engagement can occur. People who have been open and social are being retrenched and confined and the mood can fluctuate a lot.
The symptoms develop slowly and the person may think that he/she is just tired or stressed. Gradually, the symptoms become harder and the surroundings are beginning to notice that something is wrong. The person no longer can fit a job or make his everyday work. Therefore, help is needed.

The course of illness lasts an average of 8 to 10 years.

The cause of Alzheimer’s dementia is unknown. Nevertheless, researchers can describe some of the changes that occur in the brain. There are accumulation of harmful protein substances between both the brain cells (beta-amyloid plaques) and inside the brain cells themselves (Tau jointing). The disease also causes a lack of the signal drug acetylcholine, which brain’s cells use to communicate between each other. Both kinds of protein deposits can be seen in other dementia diseases, so it is the combination and distribution in the brain that is special for Alzheimer’s disease. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease, the areas of the temporal lobe that control the memory are usually affected. Therefore, the memory is especially affected.

It is estimated that 2-3% of Alzheimer’s disease is inherited, and you distinguish between an early and a late debut.
It is typical for Alzheimer’s dementia that it develops after the age of 65; however, there are two types of Alzheimer: the late onset and the early onset, which can affect already at the age of 40. The main risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is high age, but living conditions and behaviors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease are important, for example high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking.