Alzheimer's Disease Treatment

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive and incurable illness which affects the human brain. It leads to irreversible loss of intellectual abilities such as thinking and memory skills. The name of the disease relates to the German physician Alois Alzheimer who first described it in 1906 after noticing some unusual changes in the brain of a deceased woman who died of a mental illness. The Alzheimer `s disease usually affects people over 60 years of age.

Alzheimer `s disease is also called Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type. It slowly progresses, causing the death of the brain cells. Among the first symptoms there are memory loss signs which determine difficulties in remembering simple daily tasks. As the disease progresses, patients become irritable and aggressive presenting confusion, alternative mood chances and long term memory loss, finally leading to death. Affected personas are likely to live seven years after the illness installs in the brain and only a small percentage of patients carry the disease up to fourteen years, being the maximum live expectancy.

Doctors classify the Alzheimer's disease into 7 stages. The first step is pre - dementia. At this time there are no signs of memory problems. The second is Mild Alzheimer's stage. Patients show slight difficulties of remembering usual things. Normal people can't identify any problems regarding memory troubles, as they seem normal. Alzheimer it's usually identifiable at stage three when the patient has difficulties in organizing and remembering certain facts, presenting anxiety or depression and having troubles with learning and retaining general information. The Moderate Cognitive Decline is the stage when the disease's diagnostic is confirmed. The person still recognizes close family members or friends but has fewer memories about personal life. He/she denies that there is a problem regarding his/hers mental health, becoming interiorized. Stage five comes with advanced cognitive deterioration. The patient can't manage on his own getting more and more confused. Stage six is called Severe Cognitive Decline as the memory continues to fall. The person gets aggressive, feels that he/she is lost, repeats words etc. In the final stage called Very Severe Cognitive Decline, the patient can't speak, can't move his/her life depending of the care he/she receives.

Scientists still haven't discovered yet a treatment for the Alzheimer, although there are ways of slowing it down, helping patients to keep control over the illness for a period of time. There are some medicines that doctors prescribe to extend the life of a patient. For instance cholinesterase inhibitors like Aricept, Razadyne, Exelon treat problems related to memory, language or judgement. Medication such as Axura, Akatinol or Namenda deal with improving memory, language or attention, although they have some side effects such as insomnia, headache and dizziness. For people with advanced forms of Alzheimer's disease specialists talk about treatments with stem cells which are believed to help very much due to tests made on mice that showed improvement of brain cells. Yet, this disease has no cure treatment for the moment and unfortunately it ends with death.

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