Alzheimer's disease is a neurological problem that is characterised by a cognitive decline and memory loss. It is a type of neurodegenerative dementia. The symptoms of alzheimer's disease include not being able to absorb and retain new information, lack of reasoning and judging, not being able to take on complex tasks, impaired visuospatial abilities, problems in reading, writing and speech, among many others. If a person has at least two of these symptoms in a debilitating manner, then the diagnosis can be made in favour of alzheimer's disease. The main causes of alzheimer's are shrinkage of the brain size and death of the brain cells. The immune system is also said to trigger this neurodegenerative disease. Let us find out what medical science has found so far.

1. Connections: many a times, in alzheimer's disease, the memory and behaviour of the person changes because the brain is unable to make proper neural connections which can lead to memory loss of how a person behaved and the elements that formed the basis of the patient's cognition. Apparently, the immune system behaves in the same way within the brain and blocks the connection. This happens because there is constant communication between the brain and immune system along neurological lines, which is where the disease first emanates.

2. Inflammation: the brain is prone to inflammation or swelling that is not the normal kind. This inflammation happens as a result of the activation of the infection fighting neurotransmitters and the chemical changes that happen in the brain when an infection strikes. The inflammation usually happens in the plaques or clumps which the brain tries to protect. These clumps are made up of a protein called amyloid. The immune system is responsible for creating this inflammation in the brain of the patient.

3. Pattern recognition receptors: many of these receptors work in different manners and cooperate with each other to create a response in the brain. These prrs can be found in the brain plaques, and they develop the signs of danger which further fuels the inflammation in the brain as a matter of protection.

4. Activation of cells linked with the immune system: when the prrs begin to respond, it basically activates the immune system and the cells of the same. This is the basic reaction that causes the changes in brain which then leads to the attachment of the protein to the tissue that is diseased, in which case alzheimer's disease starts. The inflammation that we had spoken about earlier basically happens in the nervous tissue.

It is important to recognise and act on the initial signs of alzheimer's disease before it progresses beyond one's control.

Can the Immune System Trigger Alzheimer's Disease

One of the worst neurological disorders to have is dementia. It is a general term used to describe cognitive decline of the brain. It s not specific disease but denotes several brain disorders and mental illnesses. A person suffering from dementia can have severe impairment in judgment, loss of memory and thinking. Dementia is a very difficult disease not only for the patient but also for their families and caregivers. 

Some facts about dementia are as follows:

It s not a mental disorder occurring in old age but it does degenerates with age.
An estimation of 47.5 million people worldwide suffers from dementia and 60% of these people live in low and middle-income countries and according to WHO this figure is likely to increase.
Every 4 seconds a new case of dementia is reported
Dementia is a collective term to describe the many types of in people, such as 

Alzheimer s Disease: It is one of the most common type of dementia accounting for 60-80% of dementia case. People suffering from Alzheimer s have fewer nerve cells and the size of the brain shrinks.
Vascular Dementia: Another most common form of dementia occurring after a stroke.
Lewy Body Dementia: It is neurodegenerative condition that involves a protein called alpha-synuclein which changes the brain. Symptoms may be similar to Parkinson s disease.
Symptoms of dementia can range from mild to moderate to severe that includes:

Memory Loss
Disorientation meaning inability to focus or pay attention
Changes in visual perception
Impairment in reasoning and judgment
Dementia can be caused by damage to brain cells or progressive brain cell death. As a result communication between brain cells become difficult. Other symptoms include:

Stroke
Brain Tumor
Head Injury
Prion Disease
HIV Infection
Reversible Factors

There are no definite tests for dementia. Doctors and neurologists have to medical history, blood tests and CT scans to find out whether a person has dementia or not. However, the most potent evaluation comes from a set of questions that are asked to a patient suspected of having dementia. The ability to answer those questions correctly is one of the best diagnoses for dementia.
There is no specific treatment for dementia as it is not a curable disease and degenerates with time. However, medicines or drugs given for Alzheimer s can be given to people suffering from dementia.
Although results vary depending upon a person s lifestyle s and habits, doctors suggest eating healthy, exercising regularly, and stopping smoking and drinking may prevent some types of dementia.
The best treatment for dementia is to treat the person with care and love so that they don t feel neglected.
Dementia is often associated with old age but that is not always true. It is important to gain knowledge and educate others also.

Dementia - Quick Facts You Must Know About It!

Diagnosing dementia can be more difficult than you can imagine. Medically, the patient needs to have at least two areas of mental functionality impaired to an extent where it interferes with their everyday life. However, diagnosis is just the beginning as treating dementia can be even more challenging. Here is a look at some of the treatment options available for dementia patients.

 Treatment for Dementia
There is often no cure for most forms of dementia. Treatment relies on the management of the condition, to ensure that the progression can be impeded. With proper treatment, patients can live a relatively normal life for a number of years.

Cholinesterase inhibitors- These medications are used for the treatment of Alzheimer s disease. They are chemical agents that boost the memory and judgment of the patient. The same is also an effective medication for those suffering from Parkinson s disease and Lewy body dementia.
Therapy- Making small changes to some aspects of life of the patient can often yield good results. For instance, clearing the clutter and noise in the house can be an effective way of helping dementia patients deal with their condition. Similarly, creating a safe environment at home with little chance of severe accidents, will ensure the safety of the patient.
Stress in caregivers of dementia patients
Dementia patients need to be cared for, ideally by a close family member such as a spouse. However, these caregivers undergo a lot of stress while providing support to the patient. For instance, Alzheimer s patients often do not recognize their caregiver who may also be their spouse. Here are some burdens that caregivers have to deal with.

Anger- The sense of fury towards the patient can be strong after years of providing care. They may also be frustrated with the fact that the affected person is unable to perform simple everyday jobs, such as brushing their teeth or tying their shoelaces.
Anxiety- A sense of hopelessness regarding the future is common. It is also the fear of what new challenges the next day might bring.
Depression- Seeing their loved one s mental state deteriorating with each passing day can be difficult to handle and pushes some caregivers into depression.
With such continuous emotional and physical stress, caregivers often fall sick themselves. This is why it is necessary to maintain a bright outlook and remember that a dementia patient can only get well if they have the full support of the caregiver. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Treating Dementia - Things You Should Know!

One of the common ailments in the elderly people is the Parkinson s. A progressive disorder, when left untreated, results in worsening of the symptoms. Hence, it is essential to understand the treatment options available to manage the condition effectively. You may be suggested surgical therapies if medication is not effective enough to treat the symptoms.

Surgical treatment options can be beneficial for patients who are suffering from symptoms, but they do not help with treating the disease. In the past, surgical methods like Thalamotomy and Pallidotomy were used to destroy brain cells that contributed to the symptoms. While these methods are still used, they are very rare and situational.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), an FDA-approved procedure, has become much more popular as it is much safer and does not involve invasive surgery. Instead of destroying brain cells like traditional methods, DBS involves sending electric pulses to the affected brain cells to reduce the symptoms. It is not a treatment procedure, but a means of bringing down the severity of Parkinson s to allow better and more comfortable treatment.

Deep Brain Simulation   Who are the right candidates?
Deep Brain Simulation is commonly used for Parkinson  s disease, but it is not recommended for everyone. It is a preferred method of treatment for people who have had Parkinson s for at least four years but have complications which include long periods of time where medications do not work, or symptoms return, uncontrolled and involuntary movements or the freezing/stiffness in the body.

Deep Brain Simulation is not recommended for those who have Dementia as it can lead to memory problems. The general rule of thumb that neurosurgeons follow is that Deep Brain Simulation can help with symptoms that do not get better with medication. DBS can help reduce medication requirements for patients as well as reduce the side effects that may occur due to medication.

Disorder specialists and neurosurgeons can conduct tests to determine if DBS is going to be effective for a patient before going ahead with such a procedure. An extensive assessment is necessary to understand the symptoms, the effect of Parkinson's drugs and also brain imaging is done. All of the expected benefits are then evaluated for the patients, and if the procedure can help alleviate the symptoms, DBS is given a green signal by neurosurgeons and patients can undergo the procedure.

How Does Deep Brain Simulation Work?
Deep Brain Simulation is a very complex procedure. Brain cells communicate with the rest of the body through electric signal, and these become irregular and do not work properly when affected by Parkinson's. DBS smoothens the functioning of these brain cells and reduces symptoms through electric pulses through the implantation of a medical device known as neurostimulator which is also referred as brain pacemaker.

But, as with any treatment procedure, DBS has potential risks and side effects, hence discuss with neurosurgeon thoroughly to access the suitability.

Adopting Deep Brain Stimulation For Parkinson's disease

Dementia refers to the progressive loss of memory in a human being. It does not refer to any particular disease. It is rather a cumulative representation of symptoms which signify that the person is losing his or her memory. Dementia occurs in seven stages. Read on to read more about them:

In the first stage, there is no cognitive decline and the person is mentally sound. There is no memory loss as well.
In the second stage, there is a very mild cognitive decline leading to normal forgetfulness that is often associated with progressing age.
In the third stage, there is a mild cognitive decline. The person has an increased forgetfulness and may find it difficult to concentrate on things.
In the fourth stage, there is moderate cognitive decline and the person starts forgetting even the most recent events. They cannot even travel alone or manage their own finances.
In the fifth stage, there is moderately severe cognitive decline. The person going through this stage often requires help even with their daily activities. People tend to forget even the most common things like phone and email passwords.
In the sixth stage, there is severe cognitive decline. This stage is also called middle dementia and there is prominent memory loss. People cannot even count from 1 to 10. Their speech becomes slurry. They also start having delusions.
In the seventh stage, there is very severe cognitive decline. This stage is also called late dementia. The psychomotor skills are also lost at this stage and the person may not even be able to walk properly.
Some of the early signs of dementia are listed below:

In the initial days of dementia, the person usually tends to get confused when it comes to choosing the right words. This makes them take much longer time to conclude their speech.
There might also be a change in the mood of the person.
Depression is also one of the early signs.

The person will have a tendency to forget even the most recent events that took place in his or her life. This means that they might remember what happened ten years before but they might not remember what they did in the morning.
Early signs also include failure to sense directions. People often tend to forget their addresses and the landmarks and thus become lost when they travel alone.
Confusion is also one of the common signs and this is directly correlated to the loss of memory because when a person cannot remember familiar faces, it leads to a lot of confusion within his own mind.
So, if you suspect that someone in your house is suffering from dementia, then you must look out for these early signs and seek medical help immediately. Early treatment can keep the condition from worsening.

Dementia - Stages and Early Signs!

Ageing is inevitable, and as much as we want to escape, there is no way out. All organs, whether obvious or not, undergo gradual degeneration and deterioration. The brain is no exception, and memory being one of its main function also begins to decline with age. There are various factors which determine how quickly this ageing sets in and how rapidly it progresses. These are dictated by a person s lifestyle, activity levels, and overall body changes. Dementia also has a strong family history, and if you know someone who has a family history, there are some early signs that you could watch for. This will help in both empathizing with the person, as well as to help in arresting progression. Read on to know the signs that need to be watched out for.

Mood changes: Sudden changes in mood, especially going into short periods of depression without an obvious reason, is one of the first symptoms of dementia. If it is happening repeatedly, this can help identify dementia.
Personality changes: If a shy person suddenly becomes outgoing or vice versa, this could be an early indicator of dementia. They either develop or shed inhibitions, which is a new change for them.
Memory loss: Sudden short-term memory loss for a person who had a very strong memory is a definite indicator of dementia. They might clearly remember the distant events but forget small things like where to find their medicines, where things are in the kitchen or bathroom, etc. Because of this, you might see them repeating what they just did. This could be like washing a glass again, saying or asking the same thing again, etc.
The difficulty with regular tasks: Short-term memory loss causes difficulty with regular tasks like laying out the dinner table, finding regular medicines, paying utility bills, etc. There is also difficulty in learning new tasks, which further complicates things.
Feeling lost: Due to sudden memory loss and difficulty with regular tasks, they suddenly feel lost, which in turns adds to their depression.
Apathy: This also leads to a general lack of interest in things and people around them. They could have had hobbies, which no longer interest them.
Disoriented: They find it difficult to be aligned to time and space. Directions which they clearly know could seem difficult.
Not able to connect the dots: While the elderly people are generally good at telling stories and anecdotes, with dementia setting in, this becomes difficult.
These are some symptoms which can help identify if a near one is slowly developing dementia. Identifying in the early stages can help in arresting progress and extending support.

Dementia - How To Know If Someone Is Suffering From It?

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