What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive decline in cognition. AD mostly contributes to 60–70% of cases of dementia.
In Alzheimer’s disease, neurons involved in basic bodily functions such as speaking, walking and swallowing are damaged and in the final stages it leads to fatal consequences.
Risk Factors
The risk factors involved in Alzheimer’s disease are older age, family history of Alzheimer and the presence of gene Apolipoprotein E [1]. Environmental factors, lifestyle and diet have potential role in Alzheimer’s disease.
Diabetes, hypertension, smoking, obesity, dyslipidemia, history of brain trauma, cerebrovascular disease and vasculopathies have also been found to increase Alzheimer’s disease risk
The Pharmacological Approach
Pharmacological therapies mostly include Cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA (N-methyl-Daspartate) receptor blocker. Cholinesterase inhibitors according to National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence are Donepezil and Rivastigmine for mild to moderate management of Alzheimer’s disease. NMDA (N-methyl-Daspartate) receptor blocker Memantine is effective in moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease.
Behavioral symptoms based management of Alzheimer’s disease is also available, which includes Antipsychotics, Anticonvulsants, Antidepressant and Anxiolytics. Vitamin E and Selegeline are also found useful for the prevention and disease modification of Alzheimer’s disease. Gingko biloba, a herbal supplement is also found useful for cognition enhancer.
Symptoms
Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include depression, difficulty in remembering and apathy while later symptoms include confusion, difficult communication, disorientation, poor judgment and behavior changes, difficulty understanding visual images and spatial relationships, misplace things, lose ability to retrace steps, withdrawal from work or social activities, difficulty completing work at home or work
Middle-stage symptoms. As the disease develops, memory problems will get worse. Those affected may find it increasingly difficult to remember names and may even struggle to recognise their family and friends.
At this stage, other symptoms may also develop, such as: increasing confusion and disorientation, obsessive, repetitive or impulsive behaviour, delusions (believing things that are untrue), problems with speech or language (aphasia), disturbed sleep, changes in mood, such as frequent mood swings, depression and feeling increasingly anxious, frustrated or agitated.
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