What is Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer's disease is a neurological condition that presents with a progressive loss of memory and other mental abilities. It is caused by accumulation of abnormal beta amyloid protein and neurofibrillary tangles. This pathology cause loss of nerve cells and slow degeneration of the brain.
Causes
Alzheimer's disease, like all dementia types, is caused by brain cell death. It is still not known what exactly causes the development of abnormal beta protein and neurofibrillary tangles in majority of people. Genetic and environmental factors and interaction between them might play a role in developing this disease. Only some people have specific genetic mutations that definitively cause Alzheimer’s disease.
As the population ages, the number of Alzheimer's diagnoses is expected to sharply increase.
Symptoms
Most common symptoms of typical Alzheimer's disease is progressive worsening of memory for recent events. As disease progresses, people also start developing difficulties expressing themselves, navigating, completing daily tasks etc. Many people affected by this disease develop and psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, paranoia or hallucinations.
Treatment
Currently available treatments for Alzheimer’s disease do not change the trajectory of the disease, though might slow down patients’ functional decline. There is no cure for this disease, though researchers at Global Neurosciences Institute are involved in the trials trying to find one.
Some patients may be eligible to participate in clinical trials, which are research studies that evaluate promising and innovative new treatments before they are available to the public.
Global Neurosciences Institute also provides advice and support for those caring for a loved one with dementia, Alzheimer's disease or memory loss.