ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (AD)
Almost 4 million Americans are
living with Alzheimer's disease - a brain disorder that occurs
gradually and affects people as they get older.
This debilitating
disease causes memory loss, changes in personality and behavior, a
decline in thinking abilities, and even loss of speech and movement.
Although there is no cure for Alzheimer's, there are prescription
drugs available that treat some of these symptoms. |
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What Are the
Symptoms of AD?
AD begins slowly. At first,
the only symptom may be mild forgetfulness. People with AD may have
trouble remembering recent events, activities, or the names of
familiar people or things. Simple math problems may become hard for
these people to solve. Such difficulties may be a bother, but usually
they are not serious enough to cause alarm.
However, as the disease goes on, symptoms are more easily noticed and
become serious enough to cause people with AD or their family members
to seek medical help. For example, people with AD may forget how to do
simple tasks, like brushing their teeth or combing their hair. They
can no longer think clearly; and they begin to have problems speaking,
understanding, reading, or writing. Later on, people with AD may
become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually,
patients may need total care. The course the disease takes and how
fast changes occur vary from person to person. Some people only have
the disease for 5 years, while others may have it for as many as 20
years.
How is AD Diagnosed?
Doctors may say that a person has "probable" AD. They will make this
diagnosis by finding out more about the person's symptoms. A doctor
may require a complete medical history, some basic medical tests,
neuropsychological tests, or brain scans. Doctors at specialized
centers can diagnose probable AD correctly 80 to 90 percent of the
time. However, diagnosis cannot be confirmed until a doctor examines a
person's brain tissue under a microscope. This tissue is obtained by
autopsy after the person dies.
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