Alzeimers

Question 1

Early Symptoms

Answer 1

Misplace items.
Forget names, places, objects.
Trouble thinking of the right word.
Asking questions repetitively.
Poor judgment, harder to make decisions.
Less flexible and more hesitant to try new things.
Trouble remembering recent conversations.

Question 2

Later Symptoms

Answer 2

Difficulty eating/swallowing.
Difficulty moving around.
Weight loss.
Unintentional passing of urine or stools.
Gradual loss of speech.
Significant problems with short and long term memory.

Question 3

Causes

Answer 3

Abnormal build up of proteins in and around brain cells:

Amyloid - Form plaques around brain cells.

Tau - Form tangles within brain cells.

As brain cells become affected, there is also a decrease in chemical messengers involved in sending messages or signals between brain cells.

Question 4

Factors known to increase risk:

Answer 4

Age - doubles every 5 years after 65

Family History - Inheritance of a single gene and risks of the condition being passed on

Down’s Syndrome - Genetic changes that cause DS can also cause amyloid plaques to build up.

Head injuries - Severe head injury patients are at higher risk.

Cardiovascular Disease

Question 5

Treatment

Answer 5

No current cure for alzheimers but there is medicine available that can temporarily reduce symptoms.