Diseases 101: What is Alzheimer's?

July 6, 4:24 PMHealth 101 ExaminerEthan Demby

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Alzheimer's is a progressive and potentially fatal brain disease that affects about 5.3 million Americans.  This disease direclty affects brain cells, and is a common link for loss of memory and brain function disorders.  There are two age-dependant forms in the brain that may be a root cause of Alzheimer's called plaques and tangles:

• Plaques - These build-up in between nerve cells due to an excess amount of protein fragments called beta-amyloids. 
• Tangles - Found in dying cells, tangles are caused from a protein called "tau". 
  
  • Doctors aren't sure what role these plaques and tangles play in the onset of Alzheimer's.  However, it is noticeable that more plaques and tangles can be found in an infected Alzheimer's patient than in a common, aged brain.  It is estimated that plaques and tangles form a blocking mechanism, making it more difficult for the brain's neurons to communicate back and forth.

If you or a loved one are showing signs of Alzheimer's then it is critical to get checked out by a doctor immediately.  The longer the disease goes untreated, the quicker it will spread and deteriorate the brain's neurons.  Here are the ten symptoms of Alzheimer's:

1. Loss of memory so severe that you may not be able to recall a recently learned lesson.
2. Unable to solve problems or follow instructions; it may take you longer to complete simple tasks.
3. Lack of coherence in terms of driving to a familiar location or understanding the rules to a simple game.
4. Lack of consciousness in terms of understanding time and space.
5. Problems evaluating images and understanding spatial distances.
6. Repeating sentences and the inability to keep a conversation.
7. Losing common items such as keys or a wallet; inability to retrace steps taken not too long ago.
8. Inhibition and poor decision-making in terms of giving away large quantities of money or poor hygiene.
9. Becoming anti-social and staying away from hobbies or social activities that used to be a common pastime.
10. Loss of control over mood causing fluctuations of anger, anxiety, fearfulness, and depression; this can cause a patient to become incredibly suspicious of even the closest friends and family.

To learn more about what Alzheimer's is and how it affects the millions of infected Americans, click here.