Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease that usually begins gradually, causing a person to forget recent events or familiar tasks. How rapidly it advances varies from person to person, but the brain disease eventually causes confusion, personality and behavior changes and impaired judgment. Communication becomes difficult as the affected person struggles to find words, finish thoughts or follow directions. Eventually, most people with Alzheimer's become unable to care for themselves.
The Alzheimer's Association has developed a list of warning signs that include common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (some also apply to other dementing illnesses). Individuals who exhibit several of these symptoms should see a physician for a complete examination.
1. Memory loss. One of the most common early signs of dementia is forgetting recently learned information. While it's normal to forget appointments, names, or telephone or numbers, those with dementia will forget such things more often and not remember them later.
2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks. People with dementia often find it hard to complete everyday tasks that are so familiar we usually do not think about how to do them. A person with Alzheimer's may not know the steps for preparing a meal, using a household appliance, or participating in a lifelong hobby.
3. Problems with language. Everyone has trouble finding the right word sometimes, but a person with Alzheimer's disease often forgets simple words or substitutes unusual words, making his or her speech or writing hard to understand. If a person with Alzheimer's is unable to find his or her toothbrush, for example, the individual may ask for "that thing for my mouth."
4. Disorientation to time and place. It's normal to forget the day of the week or where you're going. But people with Alzheimer's disease can become lost on their own street, forget where they and how they got there, and not know how to get back home.
5. Poor or decreased judgment. No one has perfect judgment all of the time. Those with Alzheimer's may dress without regard to the weather, wearing several shirts or blouses on a warm day or very little clothing in cold weather. Individuals with dementia often show poor judgment about money, giving away large amounts of money to telemarketers or paying for home repairs or products they don't need.
6. Problems with abstract thinking. Balancing a checkbook may be hard when the task is more complicated than usual. Someone with Alzheimer's disease could forget completely what the numbers are and what needs to be done with them.
7. Misplacing things. Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or key. A person with Alzheimer's disease may put things in unusual places: an iron in the freezer, a wristwatch in the sugar bowl, or a sandwich under the sofa.
8. Changes in mood or behavior. Everyone can become sad or moody from time to time. Someone with Alzheimer's disease can show rapid mood swings-from calm to tears to anger-for no apparent reason.
9. Changes in personality. People's personalities ordinarily change somewhat with age. But a person with Alzheimer's disease can change a lot, becoming extremely confused, suspicious, fearful, or dependent on a family member.
10. Loss of initiative. It's normal to tire of housework, business activities, or social obligations at times. The person with Alzheimer's disease may become very passive, sitting in front of the television for hours, sleeping more than usual, or not wanting to do usual activities.
If you recognize several of these warning signs in yourself or a loved one, the Alzheimer's Association recommends consulting a physician. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or other disorders causing dementia is an important step in getting appropriate treatment, care, and support services.
Scientists are still not certain. Age and family history have been identified as potential risk factors. Researchers are exploring the role of genetics in the development of Alzheimer's, but most agree the disease is likely caused by a variety of factors. Each year, scientists are uncovering important new clues about potential causes of the disease, which is helping to generate more accurate diagnostic tests and better treatment options for affected individuals. Visit clinicaltrials.gov and type in "alzheimers" for a look at current research.
There is no single, comprehensive diagnostic test for Alzheimer's disease. Instead, physicians or other specialists rule out other conditions through a process of elimination. Physical, psychological and neurological exams are usually conducted and a thorough medical history taken. A diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease can be obtained through evaluation with approximately 90% accuracy. The only way to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is through autopsy.
Alzheimer's disease causes the formation of abnormal structures in the brain called plaques and tangles. As they accumulate in affected individuals, nerve cells connections are reduced. Areas of the brain that influence short-term memory tend to be affected first. Later, the disease works its way into sections that control other intellectual and physical functions.
Alzheimer's disease affects people in different ways, making it difficult for medical professionals to predict how an individual's disease will progress. Some experts classify the disease by stage (early, middle and late). But specific behaviors and how long they last vary greatly, even within each stage of the disease.
As more is learned about the progression of the disease, new assessment scales are being developed to help physician's track, predict, and treat symptoms of Alzheimer's.
There is no medical treatment currently available to cure or stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Three drugs - donepezil hydrochloride ( also known as Aricept ) , revastigmine tartrate ( also known as Exelon ), and galantamine hydrobromide ( also known as Reminyl ) -- may temporarily relieve some symptoms of the disease and have been approved by the FDA. Many other new promising drugs are now being developed - some which may be available within the next few years. Medication and non-drug therapies are also available to reduce some of the behavioral symptoms associated with Alzheimer's, such as depression, sleeplessness and agitation.
For more information about Alzheimer's disease, visit our national organization's website.
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