The examination showed changes Alzheimer had never witnessed before. Parts of the brain showed tangling and other parts showed clumping of brain matter. Later research showed more “younger” people who had died of dementia who displayed the same brain abnormalities. This came to be known as Alzheimer’s disease.

It was later found that this type of dementia occurred far more often in older people, with their brains showing the same abnormalities at microscopic level.

However, at this time, Alzheimer’s disease was a diagnosis only applied to younger sufferers, since these formed the basis of Alois Alzheimer’s research. Older sufferers were labeled with pre-senile dementia or senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT).

Nowadays, with dementia in younger people being quite uncommon, it is usual for the term Alzheimer’s disease to describe this entire group, right across the age range.

‘Alzheimer’s disease’ is a deceptively simple label for a complicated set of symptoms which are hard to describe in their fullness without direct personal experience of such in another. A suitably evocative description is “A living death”, while more prosaic medical terminology cites “the slow onset of memory loss with a gradual progression to a loss of judgement and changes in behavior and temperament.”

The Royal College of Physicians describes Alzheimer’s disease in more detail, defining dementia as fundamentally “the global impairment of higher functions”, listing its impact on memory, daily problem-solving ability, the performance of learned perceptuo-motor skills (such as washing, dressing, and eating), appropriate use of social skills, and control of the emotional reactions, all of which occur under the influence of an increasingly clouded consciousness which is sadly typical of Alzheimer’s.

Memory loss is of course the most obvious feature of Alzheimer’s disease, but early on it can pass undetected as sufferers often manage to cover it up. The most recent memories go first, the distant past or long-term memory holding out until the disease has become quite advanced.

The short-term memory covers recent events, such as those taking place in the last hours or days, even weeks, and it is this which Alzheimer’s sufferers have real problems with, and whose failure can signify the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Because memory loss is central to Alzheimer’s disease and can easily be tested for, memory tests are an important diagnostic tool used to assess Alzheimer’s sufferers.

One formerly common test was to ask suspected Alzheimer’s sufferers a list of questions which probed both their long and short-term memory.

Typical questions included: How old are you, what is your date of birth, what day is it today, what month is it, what year is it, when was the First World War, what is the name of the Prime Minister, where are you now, count back from 20 to 1, and finally the sufferer would be given an address and asked to repeat it back 5 mnutes later.

If the suspected Alzheimer’s sufferer is co-operative, having been asked the questions in a respectful and unintrusive way, this is a relatively easy and inexpensive test to carry out, and which can yield useful pointers as to which parts of the memory may be problematic. Not only will long or short-term memory problems (or both) show up, but also potential orientation issues.

However, a low score by itself doesn’t prove either dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, as not everyone will know all the answers regardless of the state of their memory. The test is simply a guide to show that there may be a problem that needs further investigation.

The above is an overview of aspects of the very complex and involved medical condition known as Alzheimer’s disease.

The Alzheimer’s awareness bracelet is another method for Alzheimer’s organizations to bring in much-needed cash and aggrandize awareness regarding this debilitating disease that deeply affects many millions of individuals annually. Alzheimer’s disease afflicts the lives of those suffering from the disease, but also the lives of loved ones struggling to handle the care needed. Everybody involved in combating Alzheimer’s has the commitment, diligece, and belief required to consign this disease to history’s dustbin. However, they are desperate for your aid, and buying and wearing an Alzheimer’s awareness bracelet is a terrific way to join the war.

Obtaining the Bracelet:

As soon as you have decided that sporting an Alzheimer’s awareness bracelet is a gesture that you want to make, it can normally be obtained by contributing a nominal donation to a multi-national Alzheimer’s organization, like the Alzheimer’s Federation of America or the Alzheimer’s Association. You can know in some peace that any donation you make will go direct to the battle against Alzheimer’s, so by purchasing several Alzheimer’s awareness bracelets you will only increase the medical muscle in the war against the disease. Give the extra bracelets to friends and family and keep increasing the exposure.

Wearing the Bracelet:

As soon as you have been sent your Alzheimer’s awareness bracelet, wear it with honor on a daily basis. Sport the bracelet on your hand of choice or even as a scrunchie to keep your hair’s ponytail in place. Any method that can get the bracelet observed is a wonderful way to get people to quiz you about it. When inquire about the Alzheimer’s awareness bracelet, you can start to talk about the disease with them and how it afflicts millions of people’s lives.

With every Alzheimer’s awareness bracelet that you buy, some advice will be given to you as ways to inform yourself and others to the progress and optimism being generated today in the battle against this disease. Everybody is aware that education and knowledge make for a very potent amalgamation; however, it only functions if the education and information is taught and released and exposed to the world. One of the simplest ways to do this is through the Alzheimer’s awareness bracelet. Purchase one now, and start making a difference immediately.

Alzheimer’s disease begins slowly. It first involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. People with AD may have trouble remembering things that happened recently or names of people they know. Over time, symptoms get worse. People may not recognize family members or have trouble speaking, reading or writing. They may forget how to brush their teeth or comb their hair. Later on, they may become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually, they need total care.

Symptoms of Alzheimer

People with Alzheimer’s experience difficulties communicating, learning, thinking and reasoning – problems severe enough to have an impact on an individual’s work, social activities and family life.

Loss of judgment. Solving everyday problems, such as knowing what to do if food on the stove is burning, becomes increasingly difficult, eventually impossible. Alzheimer’s is characterized by greater difficulty in doing things that require planning, decision making and judgment.

An impaired ability to carry out motor activities (such as combing their hair) despite intact motor abilities, sensory function and comprehension of the required task (apraxia)

Mood and behavior changes (rapid mood swings, emotional outbursts, personality changes, increased fear or suspicion)

Memory worsens, words are used more and more inappropriately, basic self-care skills are lost, personality changes, agitation develops, can’t recognize distant family or friends, has difficulty communicating, wanders off, becomes deluded and may experience hallucinations.

Language problems (forgetting the names of objects, mixing up words, difficulty completing sentences)

They begin to have problems speaking, understanding, reading, or writing. Later on, people with AD may become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually, patients need total care.

Disorientation — It’s normal to forget the day of the week or where you’re going. People with Alzheimer’s disease can become lost on the street where they live, forget where they are and how they got there, and not know how to get back home.

Misplacing Items — Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or key. A person with Alzheimer’s disease may put things in unusual places — an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.

Causes of Alzheimer

Family history is another risk factor. The disease does seem to run in some families. However, fewer than 10% of cases of Alzheimer disease are familial. Familial Alzheimer disease often occurs at a younger age, between ages 30 and 60 years. This is called early-onset familial Alzheimer disease.

Possible role of tangles: The internal support structure for brain neurons depends on the normal functioning of a protein called tau. In people with Alzheimer’s, threads of tau protein undergo alterations that cause them to become twisted. Many researchers believe this may seriously damage neurons, causing them to die.

Environment to learn what role they might play in the development of this disease. Scientists are finding increasing evidence that some of the risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low levels of the vitamin folate, may also increase the risk of AD. Evidence for physical, mental, and social activities as protective factors against AD is also increasing.

Gilles Coulombe B.A. B.LL D.S.A.

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Alzheimer’s disease is named after German neurologist Alois Alzheimer, who was the first to describe it. In 1906, he studied a 51-year-old woman whose personality and mental abilities were obviously deteriorating: She forgot things, became paranoid, and acted strangely. After the woman’s death, Alzheimer examined her brain at autopsy and noted an unusual thickening and tangling of the organ’s nerve fibers. He also found that the cell body and nucleus of nerve cells had disappeared. Alzheimer noted that these changes indicated some new, unidentified illness. More than seven decades would pass before researchers again turned their attention to this puzzling, destructive disease.

A healthy brain is composed of billions of nerve cells (neurons), each consisting of a cell body, dendrites, and an axon. Dendrites and axons together are called nerve fibers and are extensions of the cell body. Nerve messages enter a neuron by way of the dendrites and leave by way of the axon. Neurons are separated from one another by narrow gaps called synapses. Messages traveling from one neuron to another are carried across these narrow gaps by chemicals called neurotransmitters. This highly organized system allows the brain to recognize stimuli and respond in an appropriate manner.

In Alzheimer patients, this orderly system becomes damaged to such a degree that it no longer works. The brains of Alzheimer’s patients examined at autopsy show two hallmark features: (1) a mass of fibrous structures called neurofibrillary tangles and (2) plaques consisting of a core of abnormal proteins embedded in a cluster of dying nerve endings and dendrites. Lowered levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine are also observed. The brains of Alzheimer’s disease victims appear shrunken, particularly in large parts of the neocortex, the outer layer of gray matter responsible for higher brain functions such as thought and memory. Much of the shrinkage of the brain is due to loss of brain cells and decreased numbers of connections, or synapses, between them.

 There is no simple procedure, such as a blood test, to diagnose Alzheimer’s. A definitive diagnosis can only be made by examining brain tissue after death. Diagnosis in a live patient is based on medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests to rule out other possible causes of symptoms, and neurological exams to test mental performance. Using these methods, physicians can accurately diagnose 90 percent or more of cases. The specific cause of Alzheimer’s disease remains unknown, although risk factors include advanced age, trauma such as head injury, and gene mutations. When the disorder appears in a number of family members, it is called familial Alzheimer’s disease and is thought to be caused by an altered gene.

Scientists are exploring the metal aluminum as a possible toxic agent involved in the development of Alzheimer’s. Also being studied is the role of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, as declining levels of this chemical result in more severe symptoms of the disease. Some scientists believe the abnormal proteins found in plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims may be the key to understanding the disease. Yet another factor being studied as a possible cause is a slow-acting virus. It is often confused with senility as its symptoms include increasingly poor memory, personality changes, and loss of concentration and judgment. The disease affects a large number of aged people and most victims are over age 65, Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal result of aging. Medication can relieve some symptoms in the early stages of the disease, but there is no effective treatment or cure.

Aluminum is a lightweight, silvery metal, familiar to every household in the form of pots and pans, beverage cans, and aluminum foil. It is attractive, nontoxic, corrosion-resistant, nonmagnetic, and easy to form, cast, or machine into a variety of shapes. Aluminum is the third most abundant element in Earth’s crust after oxygen and silicon, and it is the most abundant of all metals. Because it is a very active metal, aluminum is never found in its metallic form. Rather, it occurs in a wide variety of earthy and rocky minerals. Known as aluminium in most of the English-speaking countries, the element was named after the mineral alum, one of its salts that have been known for thousands of years. Alum was used by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans as a mordant, a chemical that helps dyes stick to cloth.

Aluminum has no known function in the human body. There is some debate, however, as to its possible health effects. In the 1980s, some health scientists became concerned that aluminum might be associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Though it is still not clear whether aluminum plays any part in Alzheimer’s disease, some authorities believe that breathing aluminum dust may cause many health problems as it may cause a pneumonia-like condition (the probable cause of death of Alzheimer’s) currently called aluminosis and there are reports of unusual concentration of aluminum ions in brains of Alzheimer’s. Again, there is not enough evidence to support this view.