| Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease | | | | shields himself or herself from anything that |
| that is typified by progressive weakening of | | | | they find unfamiliar, as a result the person |
| cognitive skills, affecting all aspects of | | | | can become highly confused and get lost |
| day to day activities. A person suffering | | | | easily and frequently. |
| from Alzheimer's is likely to undergo severe | | | | |
| behavioral changes. | | | | In the next stage, the victim of Alzheimer's |
| | | | starts seeking assistance to carry out those |
| Emil Kraepelin was the first person to | | | | tasks that require heavy lifting. Their |
| identify the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. | | | | speech starts getting affected and quite |
| Alois Alzheimer, who was a German | | | | frequently they stop abruptly after saying |
| psychiatrist, studied typical neuropathology | | | | half a sentence. Depression, irritation and |
| for the first time in the year 1906. | | | | restlessness are some of the common traits |
| | | | during this stage of illness. |
| The distinct and the most striking symptom of | | | | |
| Alzheimer's disease is amnesia. In the early | | | | Slowly, the individual becomes disabled. They |
| stages, a victim of Alzheimer's is quite | | | | may remember past incidents but can't recall |
| often found to be in a confused state, and | | | | the very recent ones. In the advanced stage |
| facing problems with short-term memory. There | | | | it becomes difficult for the patient to |
| are usually problems with paying attention | | | | distinguish between day and night or even |
| and in terms of spatial orientation. | | | | recognize the faces of very near and dear |
| | | | ones. |
| The personality of the person affected | | | | |
| usually undergoes a massive change coupled | | | | In the last stage of the disease, patients |
| with frequent mood swings and the language of | | | | merely exist. They experience total loss of |
| the patient may be affected. However, it | | | | memory and they are unable to eat properly |
| should be noted that Alzheimer's disease does | | | | and cannot control themselves to any great |
| not affect everyone in the same way,and this | | | | extent. Constant care is needed for a patient |
| can make the disease quite difficult to | | | | at this stage. The individual also becomes |
| diagnose. | | | | prone to other diseases such as pneumonia, |
| | | | infections, etc. Ultimately they become |
| In the early stages of the illness, patients | | | | confined to bed and this fatal stage leads to |
| tend to lose energy and their alertness of | | | | death. |
| mind decreases but this change is hardly | | | | |
| noticeable. Also, there is loss of memory and | | | | Alzheimer's disease is not curable but there |
| the person may become moody. Overall, the | | | | are treatments available that can slow its |
| affected person becomes slow in responding to | | | | progress and there is promising research that |
| everyday stimuli. Eventually, due to the | | | | may lead to a cure. |
| significant memory loss the patient tries to | | | | |