Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer Disease

I .Introduction

A . Alzheimer disease

Alzheimer 's disease is a progressive , irreversible , degenerative neurologic disease that begins insidiously and is characterized by gradual losses of cognitive function and disturbances in behavior and affect . Alzheimer 's disease is not found exclusively in the elderly in 1 to 10 of cases , its onset occurs in middle age . A family history of Alzheimer 's disease and the presence of Down syndrome are two established risk factors for Alzheimer 's disease . Of family members have at least one other relative with Alzheimer

's disease , then a familial component , which non- specifically includes both environmental triggers and genetic determinants , is said to exist . Genetic studies show that autosomal- dominant forms of Alzheimer 's disease are associated with early onset and early death

In 1987 , chromosome 21 was first implicated in early-onset familial Alzheimer 's disease . Soon after , the gene coding fro amyloid precursor protein or APP was also found to be on chromosome 21 . Not until 1991 was an actual mutation in association with familial Alzheimer 's disease found in the APP gene of chromosome 21 . For those with this gene , onset of Alzheimer 's disease began in their 50 's . Only a few of the cases of familial Alzheimer 's disease have been found to involve this genetic mutation . In 1992 , chromosome 14 was found to contain an unidentified mutation also linked to familial Alzheimer 's disease . Since 1995 molecular biologists have been discovering even more- specific genetic information about the various forms of Alzheimer 's disease , including genetic differences between early- and late- onset Alzheimer 's disease These genetic differences are helping to pinpoint risk factors associated with the disease , although the genetic indicators are not specific enough to be used as reliable diagnostic markets

II . Symptoms , Changes by Psychological and Behavioral

A . Dementia

Symptoms are usually subtle in onset and often progress slowly until they are obvious and devastating . The changes characteristics of dementia fall into three general categories cognitive , functional and behavioral ( Primary Dementia

Primary Dementia is diseases that directly attack brain tissue and cause the behaviors associated with dementia . Primary dementias are irreversible that is , they can only be treated symptomatically and cannot be cured . The most common type of primary dementia , and of all types of dementias , is Alzheimer 's disease ( Secondary dementia or pseudo dementia

Secondary disease refers to diseases that do not directly attack brain tissue but result in symptoms described result from diabetic ketoacidosis , drug intoxication , severe nutritional imbalance , severe dehydration , head trauma , sever infections , and depression ( Multi-infarct dementia (MID

Multi-infarct dementia denotes to dementia symptoms resulting from multiple strokes

B . Mood

An individual who has Alzheimer 's has the tendency to manifest rapid mood swings . There is depression which is 30

C . Personality

The changes include the apathy , indifference , irritability . In early stage of the disease , social behavior is intact hides cognitive deficits . In the advanced disease , the person with AD disengages from activity and relationships is suspicious has paranoid delusions caused by...