Tip 1: Alzheimer's disease
Tip 1: Alzheimer's disease
Any person is not immune from loss of intelligence. This fact upsets not only the patient himself, but also his relatives. Alzheimer's disease - the most common type of the disease to date, in which the patient loses memory and mind. How to recognize the symptoms at an early stage in the development of the disease, how to help the patient and what to do?
What is Alzheimer's and how does it manifest itself?
The essence of the disease is that the patientgradually losing the ability to think logically, clearly speak and remember the events of the recent past. Predisposed to the disease, usually women aged 65 years and above. Men due to high mortality do not live to see this disease. Less often Alzheimer's disease (differently senile dementia) manifests itself before 60 years of age - this occurs in 5% of cases.
Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist, ongesteologicheskih studies showed what pattern occurs in the human brain: the connection between the neurons - the cells that make up the neural tissue, is blocked for unknown reasons as a result of the deposition of the pathological protein (amyloid). As a result, the highest cortical functions of our body, such as: memory, the ability to learn, socialization - begin to be violated.
Another mechanism of the disease. It consists in the rapid development of metabolic processes within the nerve cell. On the way of internal movement of nutrients of this cell is tau protein, as a result of which the cell itself dies.
The causes of senile dementia
To date, doctors have not accurately establishedthe causes of this disease, but more often the disease manifests itself in poorly educated people, people with a genetic predisposition, head trauma and a brain tumor.
Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease
At an early stage of the onset of the disease,to notice that a person is disoriented in space, he has lost the ability to remember the events of the recent past and to recognize familiar objects and faces, and a tendency to apathy appears. At an early stage, a progressive disease can be detected with the help of a simple test: on a piece of paper, a potential patient should depict a clock face with arrows pointing to half past four. The test is given for 1-2 minutes. If a person does not cope with the task, then the probability of senile dementia is high. Then the person should be taken to a consultation with a psychiatrist.
At a late stage in the patient there arehallucinations, shuffling gait, inability to move independently and self-service. Also, the patient ceases to recognize his close relatives, does not understand where he is. At this stage, the patient can be helped primarily by good and long-term care. Start treatment is based on the earliest signs of the manifestation of the disease.
How to deal with Alzheimer's disease
Completely defeating Alzheimer's disease drugs have not yet been invented, but to reduce the risk of developing senile dementia and prolong the life of a patient with such a disease is possible.
This is primarily food for the Mediterraneandiet, where the consumption of greenery should be 6 times a day for 200 grams. together with 1 tbsp. a spoonful of olive oil, a small piece of fish should be added to dinner.
At an early stage of the disease, you need to use drugs such as memantine and cholinesterase inhibitors, which are sold strictly on prescription.
Tip 2: How does Alzheimer's develop?
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease, the most common form of dementia. This pathology was first described by the German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer in 1906.
Instructions
1
Alzheimer's disease develops as a result ofatrophic processes occurring in the brain. In this case, degeneration of neurons (nerve cells) occurs in the part of the brain that processes cognitive information. Symptoms of the disease manifest themselves very slowly, worsen over the years, are irreversible. A little forgetfulness becomes more pronounced. At an early stage in the development of pathology, a person maintains a critical attitude toward a similar state, as the degenerative process develops in the cerebral cortex, his behavior becomes ridiculous, he loses his everyday skills, his movements become uncoordinated, and speech is meaningless. Gradually speech worsens, it becomes more difficult for a patient to do everyday tasks: dress, put himself in order, eat.
2
A person inexorably loses memory, forgets the currentevents, loses orientation in space, time, can not remember his name, and where he lives. He has a feeling of lost ability to sit, stand firm, walk straight and confidently. The processes of cognition are so difficult that it leads to complete helplessness. At a later stage, mental disorders are noted, hallucinations may appear, the gait from the slow turns into "shuffling". As patients forget to eat, they lose weight. On average, patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease die in 10 liters. after the onset of the disease, usually from its complications (eg, pneumonia, malnutrition).
3
Most often, Alzheimer's disease occurs in humansat the age of 65, but it can develop at a young age. Women are sick 2 times more often than men. It is established that the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is reduced in people whose work is related to mental work, in people with a high level of development, in those who speak foreign languages. Scientists attribute this fact to the fact that these people have more connections between neurons of the brain than those who are engaged in manual labor. The causes of the disease have not been studied yet, but it has been proved that the following factors play a role in its appearance: brain injuries, lack of nutrients in the body, central nervous system poisoning, brain tumors, decreased thyroid function, relatives with depressive states or diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
Tip 3: Preventing and Treating Alzheimer's Disease
"Old age is not joy." Fortunately, not always this sad saying is fair. There are many people of venerable years who retain good health and clarity of mind. But nevertheless old people are trapped by diseases peculiar to their age. One of the most formidable ailments is Alzheimer's disease, gradually leading to dementia.
Causes of Alzheimer's Disease and Its Signs
Alzheimer's disease is still consideredincurable, you can only mitigate the manifestations of her symptoms. Therefore, the prevention of this disease and elderly people and their relatives should be taken very seriously. The probability of developing this disease increases dramatically after 65 years. The reasons for its occurrence have not yet been precisely clarified. According to doctors, an important role in this can play such factors as hereditary predisposition, disorders in the work of the nervous system, suffered head injuries, neoplasms in the brain tissues, poisoning with heavy metal compounds. The disease develops gradually. At first, a person's memory and ability to concentrate deteriorate, an inexplicable emotional depression occurs, down to severe depression, apathy.Often the onset of Alzheimer's disease is also accompanied by disorientation, when a person can hardly find a way, even being in a familiar place.At the late stage of the patient's condition sharplyis deteriorating. He has hallucinations, obsessions, down to frank delusions. He ceases to recognize even the closest people. The patient walks with difficulty (there is a characteristic shuffling gait). It ends with a complete loss of memory, the ability to think independently and paralysis.
Preventive and curative measures
Any disease is easier to prevent than treat. This universal rule applies to such a formidable disease as Alzheimer's. The possibility of such a serious illness should be considered in advance, and take precautions. It is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle, avoid head injuries, strictly follow safety rules if your work is related to heavy metals and their compounds. In the elderly, you need to undergo a medical examination on a regular basis.Prevention is especially important if someone in your family has been afflicted with Alzheimer's.When diagnosing a patient and his relativesit is necessary to address to narrow experts - the neuropathologist, gerontologist, psychiatrist. They should prescribe treatment and advise relatives how to care for the sick. Now there are drugs (for example, "Donepisil", "Raloxifene"), which can delay the progression of the disease and soften its manifestations.
Tip 4: Alzheimer's Disease: Symptoms and Treatment
Alzheimer's disease - neurological diseasewith a progressive course. The description of the disease was first made in 1906 by a German doctor, a neurologist and psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer. From this point on, the disease leading to a complete loss of the ability of the brain to function normally is named after him.
Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms
Symptoms of Alzheimer's can be purelyindividual. At the initial stage, changes in the patient's behavior are almost invisible. When carrying out medical research, deep dips in memory are not detected. Meanwhile, the disease is rapidly progressing.
Only in the second stage of Alzheimer's diseasecharacterized by impaired memory, attention, the patient becomes distracted, forgetful, emotions are impoverished. Already during this period, relatives and close people of the patient can notice that something strange is happening to the native person.
In the third and fourth stage, Alzheimer's diseasecan be diagnosed. The patient experiences significant difficulties in communication, progression of loss of attention and absent-mindedness. Social ties are lost, as the professional skills acquired over the years become limited.
In the fifth and sixth stages of Alzheimer's diseasethe patient can no longer perform elementary actions: dress, wash, button up the buttons. At this time, relatives are forced to care for the sick, like an infant baby.
The seventh stage is the final stage. The patient loses the ability to speak, to recognize others, to hold his head, to sit, walk, eat, drink water.
Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease
The diagnosis is based on the characteristic for this disease of the degradation symptoms. MRI is also prescribed, positron emission tomography of the brain.
Alzheimer's disease treatment
Therapy of Alzheimer's disease is aimed atslowing of the degradation symptoms. The patient is prescribed medications that promote the activation of neurons, increasing the level of neurotransmitters. Treatment of Alzheimer's disease helps only to stop the degradation and reduce the severity of already existing symptoms. Unfortunately, in the arsenal of modern medicine there is no means that can completely cure of Alzheimer's disease.
Tip 5: How to identify marasmus
The word "marasmus", which signifies a serious brain damage, has been increasingly used in conversational speech recently due to forgetfulness, absent-mindedness and other problems.
What is insanity and how it happens
Marasmus translated from Greek meansextinction or exhaustion. With regard to the work of the brain, this term is used to describe a number of symptoms caused by impaired brain activity. In particular, alimentary marasmus, which develops as a result of malnutrition, is known. The disease is most often diagnosed in children under the age of 1 year and represents a severe form of protein-energy deficiency. Because of a deficiency in the body (as a result of malnutrition or malabsorption) of various nutrients, children develop various symptoms of dystrophy. One of the important signs is marasmus - a violation of the brain, which is expressed in the extinction of a number of important functions (for example, cognitive), as well as the loss of the already learned practical skills.It should be noted that the presence of "marasmus" as a combination of symptoms, indicative of persistent brain damage and the decline of its activity, can only be determined by a doctor.Also known as "senile marasmus" and "senilesclerosis". Both expressions, which have become quite common and widespread recently, do not express a disease, but only the most characteristic symptoms that arise when developing so-called senile dementia, or Alzheimer's disease. Most often it is diagnosed in elderly people or those suffering from severe chronic diseases, for example, vascular dementia, intracranial tumors or abscesses, craniocerebral trauma and several others. Exposed to senile dementia are also alcoholics and drug addicts, and quite a young age.
Only a psychiatrist, based on diagnostic data(conversation with the patient, the collection of subjective and objective medical history, various types of neuro- and pathopsychological studies), will be able to give an appropriate conclusion.
