Alzheimer's
By: Alexis Marando
What Is Alzheimer's?
It is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.
What Are The Causes?
Researchers don't know exactly what causes Alzheimer's, but there are things that make a person more likely to develop this disease. Such as age (usually starts at 65 years old), gender (women get it more often than men), family history, head injury, people with high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, and people with Down Syndrome can get it as early as 30 - 40 years old.
Some Major Symptoms Are...
What's Going On Inside Your Body?
Plaques and clusters form in the area of the brain that forms memory.
Plaques are abnormal clusters of protein fragments, build up between nerve cells. These clusters can cause severe memory loss because the damage usually starts in the area of the brain that forms memories. Also, the brain changes by having fewer healthy cells and gets smaller over time.
What Treatments Are There?
Medication; Aricept, which is approved by the FDA for all stages of Alzheimer's like mild, moderate, and/or severe.