Basic Information
What does Alzheimer's cause problems with?
Memory, Thinking, and Behavior
As Alzheimer's disease progresses, many ____ are damaged and killed
Nerve Cells
A general term for symptoms relating to loss of cognitive skills and mental ability that interfere with daily life
Dementia
Alzheimer's is a form of Dementia.
TRUE
Alzheimer's is a specific brain disease that follows symptoms of Dementia
What organ is specifically affected by Alzheimer's?
The Brain
What are the cures of Alzheimer's?
There are currently none
What percentages of Alzheimer's patients account for dementia patients?
Around 60-80%
A specific brain disease
Alzheimer's
Memory loss is completely normal, we all briefly experience Alzheimer's!
FALSE!!!!
There's a difference people: occasional memory problems are normal, though Alzheimer's causes brain cell malfunctions that can be fatal.
As these are damaged and killed, the Alzheimer's progression becomes worse
Nerve Cells
Alzheimer's is caused by...?
- Damaged and dead nerve cells
- Blocked communication among nerve cells
- Plagues and Tangles
What makes Alzheimer's fatal?
Alzheimer's prevents a person from communicating with the outside world:
memory changes, erratic behaviors, loss of body functions, etc
Causes of this are usually due to other present diseases
(ex: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's)
The most common earliest symptom is difficulty controlling movements.
FALSE
The most common earliest symptom is difficulty remembering newly learned information
What buildups in the brain up to 20 years before Alzheimer's?
Amyloid Protein
How many stages of Alzheimer's are there?
There are seven stages
What is something often encouraged towards those with Alzheimer's?
INDEPENDENCE!
Helps keep their minds and bodies active.
Irreversible and incurable
Alzheimer's
Join us 10/28 for the Hartford Walk in hopes of raising money to fund research for a cure! :)
Alzheimer's is one of the only cognitive diseases to have a cure.
FALSE
Although there are drugs that have been proven to temporarily slow down symptoms, there is currently no treatment to cure.
Twisted tau fibers that cause build up inside cells
Tangles
Along with cognitive functions, what else does Alzheimer's affect?
Movement and ADL's (activities of daily living)
What are two types of therapies Alzheimer's patients are often exposed to?
Validation Therapy: Letting patients believe they live in the past, or an imaginary circumstance
Reminiscence Therapy: Encouraging to remember and talk about the past
Symptoms that gradually get worse over time
Alzheimer's
Along with damaged and dead nerve cells, another cause of Alzheimer's can be blocked communication among nerve cells.
TRUE
Examples of this can be found through Plaques and Tangles
Deposits of beta-amyloid protein fragments, causes build up in spaces between nerve cells
Plaques