Stages Of Alzheimers Disease
Some features of Alzheimers disease are commonly classified into three stages, or phases. Not all these features will be present in every person, and they might occur at different stages.
Mild Alzheimers disease
Sometimes this stage is only apparent in hindsight. The onset of Alzheimers disease is usually gradual and it is often impossible to identify exactly when it began.
Someone might:
- have difficulty shopping or preparing meals.
Moderate Alzheimers disease
At this stage, the impacts of the condition are more apparent and prevalent. A person may experience significant challenges to their independence and require daily support.
Someone might:
- be forgetful of current and recent events, although generally remember the distant past, even if details may be forgotten or confused
- often be confused regarding time and place
- become lost more easily
- forget the names of family or friends, or confuse family members
- forget saucepans or kettles left heating on the stove
- be less able to perform simple calculations
- show poor judgement and make poor decisions
- see or hear things that are not there or become suspicious of others
Will I Get Alzheimer’s
After hearing all this information, the question we’ve probably all asked ourselves remains: will I get Alzheimer’s?
The simple answer is that, unfortunately, there’s no real way to tell. There are a number of risk factors that can increase your chances of developing the condition, but it is very rare that these factors will guarantee that you will get Alzheimer’s at some point.
Much more research is needed into the causes and risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease, but the good news is that this research is going on right now. The Jackson Laboratory is one such institution leading the charge with cutting edge discoveries, a strong focus on personalized medicine, and our renowned JAX Center for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Research.
Another institution internationally known for its research and charity is the Alzheimer’s Association. If you are concerned about signs or symptoms of dementia in yourself or a loved one, we recommend turning first to the Alzheimers Association Help & Support page. This page includes a many helpful articles, ways to connect with local support groups, and a 24/7 hotline for any Alzheimers and dementia related questions.
Faq Frequently Asked Questions
Author: Dr Nikki Wallis PhD, BScFirst answered: 28 Nov 2014Last reviewed: 18 May 2018Rating: 5.0 out of 5Votes: 215 Category: Dementia
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Always ask your doctor or healthcare provider any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. In case of emergency, call your doctor or dial 911 , or dial 112 , or dial 000 immediately.
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Putting The Pieces Together
- The amyloid plaques that cause Alzheimers disease may be part of the brains immune system to fight against infections.
- Women have stronger immune systems than men.
- As part of their stronger immune systems, women may end up having more amyloid plaques than men.
- Because they may have more amyloid plaques than men, this theory may explain why women end up having a greater risk of developing Alzheimers disease.
Please note the italicized words “may” that I have used. Although the ideas I have presented here are logical, coherent, and form the basis of a good theory, they have not yet been proven to be correct. More research is needed!
Down Syndrome And Alzheimers Disease
People with Down syndrome have a third copy of chromosome 21, instead of the usual two copies. This genetic change causes a collection of characteristics, including intellectual disability and some common physical traits.The APP gene that leads to the production of the beta-amyloid protein present in Alzheimers plaques is located on chromosome 21. This means that people with Down syndrome make one and a half times the amount of APP and, as a consequence, more beta-amyloid. This appears to be the cause of the earlier appearance of the brain changes typical of Alzheimers disease in people with Down syndrome.
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What Are The Most Common Types Of Dementia
- Alzheimers disease. This is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of cases. It is caused by specific changes in the brain. The trademark symptom is trouble remembering recent events, such as a conversation that occurred minutes or hours ago, while difficulty remembering more distant memories occurs later in the disease. Other concerns like difficulty with walking or talking or personality changes also come later. Family history is the most important risk factor. Having a first-degree relative with Alzheimers disease increases the risk of developing it by 10 to 30 percent.
- Vascular dementia. About 10 percent of dementia cases are linked to strokes or other issues with blood flow to the brain. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are also risk factors. Symptoms vary depending on the area and size of the brain impacted. The disease progresses in a step-wise fashion, meaning symptoms will suddenly get worse as the individual gets more strokes or mini-strokes.
- Lewy body dementia. In addition to more typical symptoms like memory loss, people with this form of dementia may have movement or balance problems like stiffness or trembling. Many people also experience changes in alertness including daytime sleepiness, confusion or staring spells. They may also have trouble sleeping at night or may experience visual hallucinations .
Risk Factors For Alzheimer’s Disease
Risk factors are factors that can increase the likelihood of developing said disease. Having one or more risk factors does not mean you definitely will develop the disease it simply means your risk of developing it may be higher. If you dont have any risk factors, this also doesnt mean that you definitely wont develop the disease you can still develop it, but your risk of developing it is lower. Risk factors for Alzheimers disease include4:
Statistics and epidemiology are wonderful tools that help give us a broader view of disease and health, but they should be seen as part of the larger picture. A patient is not a number or statistic, and there will always be individual factors that come into play.
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The Brain And Alzheimer’s Disease
When a person has Alzheimerâs, their brain changes. It has fewer healthy cells, and it gets smaller over time. Most of the time, the brain cells also form two types of flaws:
- Neurofibrillary tangles. These are twisted fibers inside brain cells that keep nutrients and other important things from moving from one part of the cell to another
- Beta-amyloid plaques. These are sticky clumps of proteins that build up between nerve cells instead of breaking down like they do in healthy brains.
Plaques and tangles damage the healthy brain cells around them. The damaged cells die, and the brain shrinks. These changes cause the symptoms of Alzheimerâs, such as memory loss, speech problems, confusion, and mood swings.
Brain cells affected by the disease also make lower amounts of the chemicals called neurotransmitters that nerves use to send messages to each other.
Scientists don’t know if these brain cell changes cause Alzheimerâs or happen because of it.
What Causes Alzheimers Disease
In recent years, scientists have made tremendous progress in better understanding Alzheimers and the momentum continues to grow. Still, scientists dont yet fully understand what causes Alzheimers disease in most people. In people with early-onset Alzheimers, a genetic mutation may be the cause. Late-onset Alzheimers arises from a complex series of brain changes that may occur over decades. The causes probably include a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. The importance of any one of these factors in increasing or decreasing the risk of developing Alzheimers may differ from person to person.
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Caring For Someone With Alzheimers Disease
Caring for someone with Alzheimers disease can be hard but also rewarding. Your emotional and physical support will be a great help when the person’s world seems confusing and hostile. Take advantage of the community support thats available for people with Alzheimers disease, their families and carers.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Alzheimers
Memory problems are often one of the first signs of Alzheimers. Symptoms vary from person to person, and may include problems with:
- Word-finding, or having more trouble coming up with words than other people the same age.
- Vision and spatial issues, like awareness of the space around them.
- Impaired reasoning or judgment, which can impact decisions.
Other symptoms may be changes in the persons behavior, including:
- Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks.
- Repeating questions.
- Trouble handling money and paying bills.
- Wandering and getting lost.
- Losing things or misplacing them in odd places.
- Mood and personality changes.
- Increased anxiety and/or aggression.
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Alzheimers Disease: Facts Versus Fiction
The number of people living with Alzheimers disease in the United States is growing rapidly. So, too, are the number of myths surrounding the disease and other forms of dementia. Lets begin by looking at what we do know about the prevalence of Alzheimers before investigating two of the more common myths.
Approximately 5.8 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimers disease. Of these, some 5.5 million are 65 years of age or older. In addition:
- One in 10 people 65 and over has Alzheimers disease
- Nearly two out of three Americans with Alzheimers disease are women
- African-Americans are approximately twice as likely as older Caucasians to have Alzheimers or other forms of dementia
- Hispanics are about one and one-half times as likely to have Alzheimers or other dementias as older Caucasians
- As the population grows older, the number of new cases of Alzheimers disease is expected to soar
- Today, someone in the United States develops Alzheimers disease every 66 seconds. By 2050, this figure is likely to increase to one new case every 33 seconds
Now lets look at some of the two most common myths surrounding Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia.
Myth #1 It Is Entirely Natural To Lose Ones Memory
While it is normal to have occasional memory loss as one grows older, Alzheimers is a disease that causes brain cells to malfunction and ultimately die. When this occurs, a person may forget things as basic as the name of a close, longtime friend or how to return to a home they have resided in for decades. If you or someone you love is experiencing frequent memory lapses or other problems with thinking and learning, contact a physician. Sometimes these problems are caused by side effects to medication, vitamin deficiencies or other conditions that can be reversed with treatment. The Alzheimers Association has developed information to help you tell the difference between normal memory loss and Alzheimers disease. You can access this information by visiting .
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What Is The Burden Of Alzheimers Disease In The United States
- Alzheimers disease is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States.2
- The 6th leading cause of death among US adults.
- The 5th leading cause of death among adults aged 65 years or older.3
In 2020, an estimated 5.8 million Americans aged 65 years or older had Alzheimers disease.1 This number is projected to nearly triple to 14 million people by 2060.1
In 2010, the costs of treating Alzheimers disease were projected to fall between $159 and $215 billion.4 By 2040, these costs are projected to jump to between $379 and more than $500 billion annually.4
Death rates for Alzheimers disease are increasing, unlike heart disease and cancer death rates that are on the decline.5 Dementia, including Alzheimers disease, has been shown to be under-reported in death certificates and therefore the proportion of older people who die from Alzheimers may be considerably higher.6
What Can Lead To Alzheimer’s Disease
There are a few things that may make people more likely to get Alzheimerâs. So far, research has linked the disease with:
- Age. Your risk for Alzheimer’s goes up as you get older. For most people, it starts going up after age 65.
- Gender. Women get the disease more often than men.
- Family history. People who have a parent or sibling with Alzheimerâs are more likely to get it themselves.
- Down syndrome. Itâs not clear why, but people with this disorder often get Alzheimer’s disease in their 30s and 40s.
- Head injury. Some studies have shown a link between Alzheimer’s disease and a major head injury.
- Other factors. High cholesterol levels and high blood pressure may also raise your risk.
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The Incidence Of Alzheimers Is Greater In Women
Your chances of developing Alzheimers disease late in life are somewhat greater if you are a woman than a man. One study followed 16,926 people in Sweden and found that, beginning around age 80, women were more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimers disease than men of the same age. Similarly, a study based in Taiwan found that ones chances of developing Alzheimers disease over seven years was greater in women compared to men. And a meta-analysis examining the incidence of Alzheimers disease in Europe found that approximately 13 women out of 1,000 developed Alzheimers each year, compared to only seven men.
So, women living longer than men cannot be the whole answer as to why women are more likely than men to develop Alzheimers disease, because even among individuals who are living and the same age, women are more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimers than men.
Genetic Testing And Alzheimers Disease
Testing can show whether you have a version of a gene that increases your risk of Alzheimers. Testing can also uncover the rare cases when an inherited genetic change, or mutation, causes Alzheimers.
At OHSU, we generally do not recommend routine genetic testing for Alzheimers because:
- Many factors can lead to the disease.
- Most people who develop Alzheimers do not have a related genetic variant.
- Most people who have a variant do not develop the disease.
Talk with your primary care doctor or to a medical geneticist to learn more or to better understand your risk if youve taken a test on your own.
Genetic testing can show whether you carry an inherited gene mutation that causes early-onset Alzheimers. In some cases, we may recommend testing to confirm a diagnosis in someone who has signs or symptoms of early-onset Alzheimers.
Some family members, after careful discussion with a genetic counselor, may also want testing to find out whether they carry the mutation.
At-home tests from DNA analysis companies can give consumers access to limited genetic testing, without guidance from a genetic counselor. An at-home test can detect variants that increase the risk of late-onset Alzheimers disease.
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What Is Mild Cognitive Impairment
Mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, is a condition in which people have more memory problems than normal for their age but are still able to carry out their normal daily activities. A doctor can do thinking, memory, and language tests to see if a person has MCI. People with MCI are at a greater risk for developing Alzheimers disease, so its important to see a doctor or specialist regularly if you have this condition.
What To Do If You Suspect Alzheimers Disease
Getting checked by your healthcare provider can help determine if the symptoms you are experiencing are related to Alzheimers disease, or a more treatable conditions such as a vitamin deficiency or a side effect from medication. Early and accurate diagnosis also provides opportunities for you and your family to consider financial planning, develop advance directives, enroll in clinical trials, and anticipate care needs.
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Most Successful Hops Extract Found In Lagers Lighter Ales
Given the time lag, scientists have focused on preventative strategies for Alzheimers disease. One area is in “nutraceuticals,” or foods that have some type of medicinal or nutritional function.
The hop flowers used to flavor beers have been explored as one of these potential nutraceuticals. Recent studies have suggested that bitter hop acids could improve cognitive function, attention, and mood in older adults. Other research has suggested that the plant could interfere with the accumulation of amyloid beta proteins associated with Alzheimers disease at least in mice.
In the new study, University of Milano-Bicocca researchers Cristina Airoldi, Alessandro Palmioli, and colleagues sought to investigate which chemical compounds in hops might have this effect.
FILE – A man holds a glass of beer in a hop field.
The researchers tested four common varieties of hops found in beer. They found that the extracts could prevent amyloid beta proteins from clumping in human nerve cells in lab dishes.
The most successful extract was from the Tettnang hop, found in many types of lagers and lighter ales, the team reported.
While the findings in no way justify drinking more bitter beer, the researchers said hop compounds could serve as the basis for foods that lessen the risk of Alzheimers disease.
The research was funded in part by the Italian Ministry of University and Research .
This story was reported from Cincinnati.
What Is Known About Reducing Your Risk Of Alzheimers Disease
The science on risk reduction is quickly evolving, and major breakthroughs are within reach. For example, there is growing evidence that people who adopt healthy lifestyle habits like regular exercise and blood pressure management can lower their risk of dementia. There is growing scientific evidence that healthy behaviors, which have been shown to prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, may also reduce risk for subjective cognitive decline. To learn more about the current state of evidence on dementia risk factors and the implications for public health, please read the following summaries on Cardiovascular Health, Exercise, Diabetes and Obesity, Traumatic Brain Injury , Tobacco and Alcohol, Diet and Nutrition, Sleep, Sensory Impairment, and Social Engagement or the Compiled Report .
Aging
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