Alzheimer's Disease

Introduction
Living-With-Alzheimers-Disease.com contains information about Alzheimer's Disease, including history, symptoms, effects, impacts, treatments, and research.
A Glossary of Terms used in the website is provided here.

What is Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimers Disease is the most common form of dementia, a group of brain disorders that impair a person's mental functioning, especially memory, thinking, and behavior.
The term dementia literally means loss of mentation or thinking.  Dementia is a broad term which describes the loss of memory, intellect, rationality, social skills and normal emotional reactions.
Most people with dementia are older, but it is important to remember that most older people do not get dementia.  It is not a normal part of the ageing process.  Dementia can happen to anybody, but it is more common in people over 65 years of age.  People in their 40's and 50's can also develop dementia.
There are many different forms of dementia and each has its own causes.  Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for between 50% and 70% of all dementia cases.
At the current time, Alzheimer's is progressive and irreversible. However, a great deal of research is being conducted, and a range of treatments are already available.
For a person suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, abnormal changes occur in the their brain over time, and the effects of these changes worsen as time goes by.  Eventually, Alzheimer's interferes with many aspects of brain function.
As people age, brain cells die and the substance of the brain shrinks.  In Alzheimer's sufferers, abnormal material builds up as tangles in the center of the brain cells and plaques outside the brain cells, disrupting messages within the brain and damaging connections between brain cells.  Chemical changes also occur in the brain, leading to the eventual death of the brain cells.
Alzheimer's Disease advances in stages, progressing from mild forgetfulness to severe loss of mental abilities.
Short-term memory loss is one of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease, followed by long-term memory loss, and then a gradual decline in other intellectual, thinking, and problem solving abilities.  Changes may also occur in personality or behavior.
In advanced Alzheimer's, people become dependent on others for every aspect of their care.
The time course of the disease varies by individual, ranging from five to 20 years.  The most common cause of death is infection following the decline of the person's immune system.  This is a symptom of old age, and is not caused by Alzheimer's.

Please note: It is very important that the reader understands the difference between the general forgetfulness that often accompanies old age and the onset of Alzheimer's.  It is perfectly normal for older people to exhibit forgetfulness and mild forms of some of the other symptoms of Alzheimer's.  This does not in any way mean that they are in the early stages of the onset of Alzheimer's, or that they will go on to develop a full-blown, extreme case of Alzheimer's.  In addition, many other conditions can cause Alzheimer's like symptoms.  A diagnosis from a professional medical doctor is the only way to be sure.

Target Audience
Living-With-Alzheimers-Disease.com is intended to provide assistance and information to people who are interested in learning more about Alzheimer's Disease, or who may be worried about the possible onset of Alzheimer's, or the friends, family, or relatives of those who might suffer or be at risk of suffering from Alzheimer's.

Benefits of Using Living-With-Alzheimers-Disease.com
Living-With-Alzheimers-Disease.com provides clear and concise details of Alzheimers Disease, that would otherwise need to be obtained from a variety of sources, such as internet, reference books, qualified doctors, and so on.

Copyright Notice
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Disclaimer
The information in Living-With-Alzheimers-Disease.com was written with great care.  However, in spite of this, errors or omissions may occur.  The information is provided "as-is", without any warranty whether expressed or implied.  All readers of this website agree to use the information provided in this book entirely at their own risk.
This website should not be used as a basis for any form of diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition whatsoever - including Alzheimer's Disease.
Always seek the advice of a professional medical doctor.