Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic brain disease and most common form of dementia that gradually wipes off an individual’s memory, intellectual abilities and personality.
According to a report on the pathophysiology of alzheimer’s disease – it’s a cognitive disorder that is caused by a reduction in the amount of acetylcholine, which helps the brain with memory.
At the early onset of alzheimer’s disease, problems in learning new things are sighted. The issue graduates to the impairment of the ability to think, or to perform normal basic routine. This paves way for other alzheimer’s symptoms stages.
Several Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) such as the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are now being recognized as core features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which normally occur in middle to old age adults.
Several research carried out on people with Alzheimer’s diseases have led to the discovery of good number of symptoms i.e. alzheimer’s symptoms stages. They Include:
- Depression.
- Apathy, characterized by motivational deficits such as loss of goal-directed cognition and emotion.
- Aggression.
- Hallucinations.
- Sleep disturbance.
- Loss of independence.
- Appetite disturbance.
- Anxiety.
- Fidgeting.
- Delusions.
- Psychosis.
Dr Peter Passmore, a senior lecturer at the Department of Geriatric Medicine, Queen’s University Belfast; said symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease can be placed into two broad categories i.e.
- Cognitive symptoms, such as defects in memory and understanding.
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- Behavioral and psychological symptoms, such as agitation, aggression, wandering and hallucinating.
How does Alzheimer’s Disease happens?
Alzheimer’s disease begins (early signs of alzheimer’s disease) by altering communications among the never cells in the brain that are responsible for learning.
It changes the tissue of the brain and kills the nerve cells. Thus, shrinking and damaging the brain (NIH Senior Health, 2012).
Study found out that the time between diagnosis and death ranges from seven to 10 years. And thus, early detection and treating Alzheimer’s disease is very important, as its helps in preventing further distressing symptoms i.e. preventing further alzheimer’s symptoms stages.
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According to the study conducted at University of Eastern Finland by Psychologist Ilona Hallikainen and Professor, Psychologist Tuomo Hänninen; ‘persons diagnosed at the early onset of alzheimer’s disease and underwent therapy are better able to manage their everyday activities than those who had their alzheimer’s diagnosed at a more advanced phase of the disease’
Reference:
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Encyclopedia of Psychology: 8 Volume Set. Alan E. Kazdin, PhD, Editor-in-Chief.
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Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Alzheimer’s Disease: Xiao-Ling Li BioMed Research International, Volume 2014 (2014), Article ID 927804
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The Journal of Quality Research in Dementia, Issue 1. Dr Peter Passmore.