Alzheimer’s? What is that?

I just finished performing at the Memory care facility recently – I knew these senior citizens had memory loss, but I didn’t know why that happened to them. So I decided to look it up and learn a little bit more about these sweet old people and why they are the way they are.

Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that progressively destroys memory, thinking and communication skills. The disease typically affects people above 60 years of age, but the disease may even appear in adults over 30 years old in an uncommon form called early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s affects several processes in the brain. Those with the disease have fewer neurotransmitters and nerve cells, which may cause the loss of thoughts, skills and memories. Additionally, irregular protein and fiber deposits are built up in the brain. These deposits prevent cell-to-cell signaling. The loss of signaling affects many physical bodily processes because it prevents the brain from sending signals to muscles and organs in the body. Alzhemer’s is also characterized by causing severe cell death, and those with the disease have shrunken brain tissue.

The first signs of Alzheimer’s are memory lapses that may include difficulty finding the right words and forgetting future events and appointments. They may also start showing signs of weakened judgement, difficulty concentrating and confusion/ disorientation. As the disease progresses, symptoms become more drastic and those with it may experience a change in behavior and personality.

Extensive research is being conducted to figure out the causes of Alzheimer’s. It is known that risk of the disease increases as someone grows older, and that the disease is more common in women than men. Evidence has also led researchers to believe that the probability of a person getting the disease may be affected by genes.

Citations:

https://www.keepmemoryalive.org/brain-science/alzheimers-brain