Alzheimer Disease
...oup in industrialized nations. Knowing that AD primarily affects the elderly, it is important to illustrate the pathology of this disease. Many people continue to believe that confused, forgetful, and often bad-tempered elderly people are "senile" or suffering from hardening of the arteries of the brain, a condition that health professionals long accepted as a normal result of aging. If the signs of what is now recognized as AD occurred in a person under 65, the patient was said to be suffering from pre-senile dementia--literally, mental deterioration before the onset of senility. That was what a German neurologist, Dr. Alois Alzheimer, described early in this century in a 51-year-old woman who was forgetful, paranoid, and given to bizarre behavior. When he examined her brain at autopsy some four and a half years later, Alzheimer found not the signs of hardened arteries, but striking neurological changes not associated with any known illness. Dr. Alzheimer described the joint-occurrence of neuorofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and Senile Plaques (SPs) found during the autopsy. Senile Plaques are a class of protein, known as amyloid, that gather in between the brain cells responsible for memory and cognitive performance. In short, these areas (cerebral cortex, hippocampus and other brain structures) simply experience cell death and shrinkage resulting in significant loss of memory and executive functioning. Loss of memory and executive functioning usually present initially with mild forgetfulness often dismissed as a part of normal aging. The AD sufferer in the early stages of the disease process can usually perform normal activities of daily living without undue attention to his or her cognitive deficits. However, as the disease progresses the AD sufferers may become more aware that something is wrong, and may often withdraw from activities that were previously enjoyable. The AD sufferer may try different compensatory strategies e.g., evading questions, bringing up events stored in the long-term memory and possibly become agitated during uncomfortable situations. Family members often seek medical intervention during the middle stages of the disease as the cognitive deficits of their loved one become more pronounced. In a patient who has suffered the debilitating effects of AD for many years, the primary cause of death is usually intercurrent illness, such as pneumonia. Medical intervention often includes a discussion with the patient in a clinical setting. During these discussions cognitive, language and activities of daily living deficits can be verified with the patient’s responsible party. Clinicians may administer a language screening examination and a Mini-Mental Status Test to further ascertain the patient’s level of function. Many health care providers advocate the use of mentally challenging modalities, such as word puzzles and brainteasers to inhibit the progression of the disease process. However, these same providers stress that the mental stimulation activities should not be too difficult for the patient to perform as to limit its therapeutic benefit and causing excessive frustration. In the last stages of their illness, Alzheimer's patients require hospital or nursing home care, but it is estimated that 70 percent of care is provided at home by a family member, often aided by trained home-care workers. To help ease the various frustrations of the victims of AD – the patient and the person or persons who serve as care-givers, finding support, helpful information, and ways to get a break from the continuous demands of caring for an Alzheimer's patient is vital for patients an...