Alzheimer’s disease presents one of the largest health care issues in developed countries, with increasingly large amounts of money spent on patients’ care in the later stages of the disease. Alzheimer’s primarily affects the elderly, and as the age of the population increases, more and more people live old enough to develop the symptoms. Characterized by memory decline and gradual deterioration of all basic functions, the disease has no known cause, and there is no effective treatment available to slow down its progression. The purpose of this paper is to explore Alzheimer’s symptoms, presumed causes, treatment options, and recent study findings.
Symptoms
Alzheimer’s disease is a complex progressive neurological disorder that typically affects people over 65 years of age. The most common symptom is dementia, with the earliest sign being difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease progresses, symptoms can include disorientation, behavioral issues, mood swings, cognitive problems, and gradual deterioration of all basic functions. Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain, causing progressive brain cell failure. The typical life expectancy of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s is three to nine years.
Diagnostics
There is no accurate clinical diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s disease. In suspected cases, doctors typically perform a series of tests to evaluate the patient’s memory impairment, cognitive skills, functional abilities, and behavior changes. They also conduct tests to rule out other possible causes of symptoms. Although Alzheimer’s is known to cause the deterioration of brain cells, brain scans are rarely used in diagnosis. The deterioration may show up in brain scans; however, it is hard to distinguish between abnormal and normal age-related changes in the brain structure. The definitive diagnosis requires a post-mortem evaluation of brain tissue.
Causes
The cause of Alzheimer’s is unknown, but several risk factors have been identified that increase the chances of developing the disease. They include age, family history, head injury, depression, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, presence of cerebral emboli, and low physical and cognitive activity. Genetic factors play a significant role, with the risk for first-degree relatives of people with the disease estimated to be 15% to 30% higher than in unrelated people (Burns & Illife, 2009). It is generally believed that Alzheimer’s is the result of unknown environmental factors acting on a predisposing genetic background.
Treatment and Prevention
Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured, and there is no known treatment to stop or slow its progression. The only options available are those that deal with its symptoms and help patients to live with the disease and improve their quality of life. Current approaches to treatment focus on helping patients maintain mental functions, manage behavioral symptoms and slow down the progress of the disease. Lifestyle modifications, including diet and exercise, remain the only interventions that are proven to be effective in decreasing Alzheimer’s risk and preventing overall cognitive decline (Weller & Budson, 2018). Efforts are constantly made to develop new treatment options to help prevent and control the disease.
Current treatment strategies typically involve drug and non-drug treatment. Non-drug interventions are tried first, especially when symptoms are mild and do not cause distress to the patient or other people. The most important factors in developing a treatment strategy include tailoring the methods to the individual and continuity of care. A person’s own awareness of their cognitive changes generally provides better treatment outcomes but sometimes can be difficult to assess (Burns & Iliffe, 2009). Non-drug interventions usually include memory training exercises, mental and social stimulation, art therapy, and physical exercise programs. They are intended to improve patients’ mental performance and cognitive functions, as well as general wellbeing and quality of life.
Drug treatment of Alzheimer’s involves the prescriptions of cholinesterase inhibitors that raise the level of neurotransmitters and improve brain functions at the early stages of the disease. According to Kressig (2015), “a pharmacologic foundation of Ginkgo Biloba and combination therapy with a cholinesterase inhibitor and memantine reduces decline in cognition and function and works best when appropriately instituted early and maintained.” The drugs provide no cure but help to delay the symptoms and improve the lives of patients.
Early Diagnosis
Multiple studies have confirmed the relation between early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and the success of subsequent treatment. In the 2020 study, Podrovna et al. claim that “timely initiation of Alzheimer’s disease-specific treatment may postpone cognitive deterioration and preserve patient independence” (Podrovna et al., 2020). According to Dubois et al. (2016), “timely diagnosis offers opportunities for early intervention, implementation of coordinated care plans, effective management of symptoms, cost savings, and postponement of institutionalization.” The possibility of Alzheimer’s should be considered when early signs of any memory problems appear.
Conclusion
Alzheimer’s is an increasingly widespread disease that presents a major health challenge in developed countries. It affects mainly elderly people and is believed to be caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. As the disease progresses, its symptoms become more and more difficult to control and severely impact the patient’s quality of life. Modern treatment strategies generally involve drug and non-drug options, with the primary focus on diet and exercise as disease prevention methods. Early diagnosis is proved to increase the chances of a successful treatment outcome.
References
Burns, A., & Iliffe, S. (2009). Alzheimer’s disease. British Medical Journal, 338.
Dubois, B., Padovani, A., Scheltens, P., Rossi, A., & Dell’Agnello, G. (2016). Timely diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease: A literature review on benefits and challenges. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 49(3), pp. 617–631.
Kressig, R. (2015). Dementia of the Alzheimer type: Non-drug and drug therapy. Therapeutische Umschau, 72, pp. 233–238.
Podrovna, J., Winter, N., Zoebelein, H., & Perkins, T. (2020). Alzheimer’s treatment: Real-world physician behavior across countries. Advances in Therapy, 37, pp. 894–905.
Weller, J., & Budson, A. (2018). Current understanding of Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and treatment. F1000 Research, 7.