In recent times, the advancement of medical science has substantially contributed in comprehending the Alzheimer s disease. Unfortunately, the number of individuals suffering from the disease is expected to rise in the next ten years which pose a threat to the allocation of health care resources and public health. Alzheimer s disease is thought to be a complex disease which influences a person s behavior as well as cognition through numerous mechanisms.

Can surgery be deemed as a treatment for Alzheimer s disease?
The surgery is a multicenter clinical trial which is making a new direction in clinical research. It is devised to halt or slow down the problems caused by the disease which gradually erases a lifetime of memories in elderly patients. Though there is no cure for Alzheimer s disease, it has been found that low-voltage electric charges delivered right at the brain. Only the symptomatic therapies for Alzheimer s disease are provided which do not have any effect on the evolution of the disease. The standard medical treatments for Alzheimer s disease include cholinesterase inhibitors along with a partial N-methyl D-aspartate antagonist. In most cases of mild to moderate symptoms of this disease, a combination of treatments is used according to the clinical history, age and condition of the patient.

Mental activity supporting cognition
Many patients having normal cognition or mild impairment have a fear that they may develop AD. Many experts are of the opinion that mentally challenging activities including brain teasers and crossword puzzles can be helpful in reducing the risks in such patients. Clinical trials are under the way for determining whether or not these types of activities have any substantial effect on halting the progression of AD.

Treating AD in its moderate to the severe stage
Numerous studies have shown that blockade of NMDA receptors by memantine can be used safely in combination with ChEls. This combination has been shown to delay the institutionalization in patients with Alzheimer s disease.

Treating secondary symptoms
A variety of behavioral as well as pharmacologic interventions can help in overcoming the clinical manifestations of the disease. These include anxiety, psychotic behavior, depression and agitation among others. The effectiveness of this disease can range from modest to excellent. No particular agent or dose of it can be unanimously accepted to be the sole treatment option for the wide range of clinical issues. Moreover, in the recent time, the FDA has not accepted any psychotropic agent for treating AD.

Along with these treatment options, there are behavioral interventions that can range from patient-centred approaches to caregiver training for helping manage the cognitive and behavioral manifestations of Alzheimer s disease. Last but not the least, it is very crucial to point out the significance of treatment in the early stages of AD in order to cure it better.

Alzheimer's Disease - Can Surgery Help You Treat It?

If you are young chances are you aren t worried about this particular neurodegenerative disease, and rightly so since the only people afflicted by it are above the age of 50. Although, there are a lot of cases where it develops in the younger age bracket, so you need to be careful and examine the signs of early onset Parkinson s and be wary if any of these symptoms apply to you.

Parkinson s is a neurological disorder wherein the dopamine-producing neurons are affected in a particular area of the brain. It can cause tremors and balance problems, eventually worsening over time. Here are some signs that you should keep an eye out for:

Tremors: If you are experiencing tremors, while at rest, in your hands, arms, fingers or your jaw then it is a sign that you need to be aware about. In an excitable or stressful situation, the tremors may even worsen.
Micrographia: Your hand movements become restricted and, as a result, your handwriting may become cramped and the words smaller in size. Examine your handwriting from the past with your present one, if you find a noticeable difference in the size and positioning of the letters and if you feel like the sentences are extremely crowded together, be wary.
Olfactory issues: One of the symptoms of early onset could be the loss of the sense of smell. If you feel like you can t sense stronger aromas like that of spices and pickle or even bananas as well as others and it isn t because your nose is blocked then you need to be on the lookout.
Sleeping troubles: There are times when you feel restless in bed while trying to sleep. If this becomes a routine then it could be a sign that you are prone to Parkinson s. Sudden movements and jerking while sleeping is a bad sign.
Stiffness: If your arms and joints feel stiff without reason, and you feel like free body movement is restricted or limited if you feel like you can t swing your arms or move your fingers freely, it is a definite sign that you might have Parkinson s. Stiffness can even lead to muscle pain in various parts of the body. Bradykinesia or slowness of movement is common with the stiffness of the body.
Constipation: If every time you have to defecate you have to strain yourself and put a lot of pressure on your bowels, and bowel movement does not come naturally or easily, even with the inclusion of roughage in your diet, it is a symptom.

6 Signs Of Early On-Set Parkinson's That You Need To Look Out For

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!

You might be aware that the Parkinson s diseases is related to the nervous system and is a progressive disorder that impairs movement. The cause of the illness is still unknown, but certain factors like environmental triggers and genetics may play a part in this regard. There are several myths about this condition that are prevalent among people. Some of them are listed below along with the facts.

Myth #1: Parkinson s disease occurs only in aged persons
This is one of the biggest misconceptions that people have about this disease. The misconception arises because the disease is usually diagnosed at an old age. But according to various researches that are conducted the disease may start developing at a younger age.

Myth #2: The disease symptoms include only impaired movement
Impaired movement maybe one of the biggest symptoms of the diseases but not the only one. There are other symptoms which affect day-to-day activities but are still unnoticed. These symptoms include constipation, sleep disorders, sweating, abnormal bladder functioning, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, cognitive symptoms, depression and even anxiety. But the symptoms that are non-motor are treatable unlike the problems with movement.

Myth #3: There is no hope for patients who are diagnosed with the disease
Patients who are diagnosed with Parkinson s disease are often told that they do not have any hope towards a cure. It is true that the disease is a progressive one, but it is not true that it cannot be controlled. Certain devices have been discovered which when used sends a signal to the brain which helps in reducing the tremors which are one of the well-known symptoms of the disease. So, no need to lose hope.

Myth #4: Medications are the only way in which you can undertake treatment for Parkinson s disease
Some people believe that they cannot do anything except for taking medications to control the disease. But this is not true. Doing regular exercise and changing your food habits are at many times helpful in treating this particular condition. Have a balanced diet which will have enough fiber is also helpful. To increase your stability and flexibility, a daily workout routine is quite recommendable, and it will even increase your self-confidence and your feeling of independence.

Myth #5: Everything about the disease can be predicted
The disease is not at all predictable. If it were, a cure would have been in place by now. Everything from the symptoms to the treatment procedure varies from person to person. The disease may take years to develop in one individual but may develop instantly in someone else.

Don t go by hearsay evidence about a disease. Medical science has improved a lot over the years. If you have any doubt regarding your health condition reach out to your doctor and clarify them at once.

5 Common Myths & Facts About Parkinson's Disease!

What is Parkinson s disease?
Parkinson s disease is a progressive and degenerative disorder of the Central Nervous System that mostly affects older people. It is a chronic disease and the symptoms develop over a period of time. The characteristic symptoms of Parkinson s are rigidity, shaking, bradykinesia (slowness in movement) and shuffled gait. Anxiety and depression also seem to be common in advanced stages of Parkinson s disease. In addition to the motor symptoms, the cognitive function of the brain is also compromised.

Degeneration of the nerve cells in the substantia nigra of the brain results in the reduction in production of dopamine which is a neurotransmitter in the brain. Neurotransmitters relay impulses from one nerve to the other. This is what is mainly responsible for the motor symptoms in Parkinson s. Although, Parkinson s is not a curable disease, it can be controlled and the progress of the disease can be kept in check with certain medications.

What causes Parkinson s disease?
The cause of Parkinson s is mostly idiopathic, i.e. the cause is unknown and is not specific. However, there have been cases which show that it can be attributed to factors such as genetic and environmental factors.
What are the symptoms of Parkinson s?

The symptoms of Parkinson s can be classified as Motor symptoms and Non-motor symptoms:

Motor Symptoms 

Bradykinesia: Slow movement
Tremor of limbs
Rigidity or stiffness of trunk and limbs
Impaired balance and difficulty in coordination or postural instability
Non-motor Symptoms 

Depression
Anxiety and fear
Loss of energy and fatigue
Constipation
Excessive salivation
Weight gain or weight loss
Cognitive problems such as difficulty in remembering, confusion, dementia
Parkinson s disease is not curable, but when detected early, medicines are prescribed to give symptomatic relief. Dopamine substitutes are prescribed to the patient to relieve the motor symptoms.

Parkinson's Disease - Understanding The Motor & Non-motor Symptoms!

The skin is an elastic organ (yes, it is an organ!), but only to a certain extent. It has a limit to which it can accommodate the underlying tissues. With the increase in bulk, for example, puberty, pregnancy, muscle mass building or surgical implants, the skin is made to stretch beyond its limits. What happens is this stretch causes the skin to stretch too, and these stretch marks or striae become an unpleasant thing that needs to be hidden. 

Dressing needs to be changed so that they are not showing. Dermatologists see a big demand for getting rid of these marks too. There have been conventional, time-tested methods which help in getting rid of these. However, with newer advancements in dermatology, the platelet rich plasma is being widely used for getting rid of these stretch marks.

Why stretch marks? 

In any of the scenarios above, the stretch marks appear because there is a lack of underlying supportive tissue when it is stretched out. There is a lack of collagen and connective tissue, causing stretch marks. These are most evident in fat collecting areas like breasts, abdomen, thighs, upper arms, etc.

What is platelet-rich plasma or PRP? 

The blood is composed of a liquid portion known as plasma, which contains three main types of cells i.e. white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. The white blood cells are the ones responsible for fighting infections. The red cells give blood its color and also are responsible for carrying nutrients to the various organs. The platelets are tiny fragments of cells which help in blood clotting. Platelets are also rich in what are called totipotent cells, which can grow into any type of cells. When the body is affected, due to injury, infection, trauma, etc., these get concentrated in the affected area and are produced in large numbers to help in the recovery of the particular affected area.

Technique: 

The area to be treated is isolated and prepared. Blood is centrifuged to remove other cells and obtain platelet rich plasma. This RPR is injected into the underlying layers of the skin. This induces the release of growth factors into the connective tissue space. Collagen is produced over a period of time, which causes the skin to become taut and lose the stretch marks. The injection can be repeated if required on the topmost layer. It can also be mixed with thrombin to form a gel, which is then used similarly. Using it both in the underlying and superficial layers helps in completely getting rid of the marks.

Studies have shown a reduction in both the depth and size of the stretch marks and some might require two to three repeat injections.


Stretch Marks - How PRP Therapy Can Help You?

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