Health and Medicine
Alzheimer's Disease Questions and Answers
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Scientists think that up to 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's Disease. The disease usually begins after age 60, and risk goes up with age. While younger people also may get Alzheimer's Disease, it is much less common. About 5 percent of men and women ages 65 to 74 have Alzheimer's Disease, and nearly half of those age 85 and older may have the disease. It is important to note, however, that Alzheimer's Disease is not a normal part of aging.
Alzheimer's Disease is a slow disease, starting with mild memory problems and ending with severe brain damage. The course the disease takes and how fastchanges occur vary from person to person. On average, Alzheimers Disease patients live from 8 to 10 years after they are diagnosed, though the disease can last for as many as 20 years.
The term "dementia" describes a group of symptoms that are caused by changes in brain function. Dementia symptoms may include asking the same questions repeatedly; becoming lost in familiar places; being unable to follow directions; getting disoriented about time, people, and places; and neglecting personal safety, hygiene, and nutrition. People with dementia lose their abilities at different rates.
Dementia is caused by many conditions. Some conditions that cause dementia can be reversed, and others cannot. The two most common forms of dementia in older people are Alzheimer's disease and multi-infarct dementia (sometimes called vascular dementia). These types of dementia are irreversible, which means they cannot be cured.
In multi-infarct dementia, a series of small strokes or changes in the brain's blood supply may result in the death of brain tissue. The location in the brain where the small strokes occur determines the seriousness of the problem and the symptoms that arise. Symptoms that begin suddenly may be a sign of this kind of dementia. People with multi-infarct dementia are likely to show signs of improvement or remain stable for long periods of time, then quickly develop new symptoms if more strokes occur. In many people with multi-infarct dementia, high blood pressure is to blame. One of the most important reasons for controlling high blood pressure is to prevent strokes.
“RememberingTomorrow.com is by far the most thorough Alzheimer’s Disease resource website on the internet today!”
Christopher Green R.N. B.A.
Multi-Infarct Dementia (Vascular Dementia)
Frontotemporal Dementia
What is Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)?
During the past several years, scientists have focused on a type of memory change called mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Mild Cognitive Impairment is different from both Alzheimer's Disease and normal age-related memory change. People with Mild Cognitive Impairment have ongoing memory problems but do not have other losses like confusion, attention problems, and difficulty with language.
Christopher Green, R.N. B. A. is president of AnestaWeb, Inc. Christopher has been a registered nurse for over ten years and currently works in the intensive care unit. His passion for writing about credible information regarding medicine and health as well as many other global topics is evident as he intertwines his life with AnestaWeb.com. As a global dot com company AnestaWeb strives to offer real people, real information with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life.
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Sometimes older people have emotional problems that can be mistaken for dementia. Feeling sad, lonely, worried, or bored may be more common for older people facing retirement or coping with the death of a spouse, relative, or friend. Adapting to these changes leaves some people feeling confused or forgetful. Emotional problems can be eased by supportive friends and family, or by professional help from a doctor or counselor.
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