Alzheimer’s Disease
- Alzheimer’s disease: type of dementia that causes problems with memory loss, thinking, and behavior
- Form of dementia: not a single disease in itself but describes symptoms like impairments of the memory, thinking, and communicating
- The majority of people suffering with Alzheimer’s Disease are 65+ years old
- Early onset Alzheimer’s can start at about 40 or 50 years old
- Progressive disease: starts off mild (for example, forgetting common tasks) and progresses into not being to able function in everyday environment (for example, partaking in everyday activities)
- 6th leading cause of death in the U.S
- Those with Alzheimer’s live, on average, 8 years after their symptoms have become noticeable by others
- Currently, there is no cure but researchers are looking for more ways to delay early onset
- There is more likely than not, a genetic risk factor
- Caused by multiple single-gene mutations on chromosomes 21, 14, and 1
- Each mutation cause abnormal proteins to form
- Mutations of the APP (amyloid precursor protein)
- Function of APP is not known yet
-
- The breakdown of this protein produces harmful plaques
- Genetic testing will never be able to predict the disease with 100% accuracy because of the multiple factors that influence the disease
- Brain size shrinks
- More women than men are affected
- 7 stages:
- No impairment (formal function), very mild decline, mild decline, moderate decline, moderately severe decline, severe decline, very severe decline (swallowing impaired, abnormal reflexes)
- Exercise, play cards and games, eat foods that are low in fat, social engagement and interaction
Seth Rogan on C-SPAN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHqx3-mfHAY
Info-video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXnZt5VMjZY
Walk to End Alzheimer’s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMthvmlizaI
