Overview

Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive neurological disease that results in the irreversible loss of nerve cells in the brain. The gradual loss of nerve cells eventually leads to impairment in memory, judgment and decision-making, orientation to physical surroundings, concentration and language. In addition, Alzheimer's disease can affect your ability to perform day-to-day tasks and can lead to changes in behavior and mood. These symptoms often interfere with social and work activities.

Stages

Alzheimer's disease affects people in different ways. Individuals will differ according to the symptoms that they experience and the way the disease progresses. However, the general course of the disease often is divided into stages (early, middle and late) based upon memory functioning, overall thinking ability, day-to-day abilities to care for yourself, and behavior. Long-term memory (e.g., childhood and early adulthood) is usually the least affected.

Early Diagnosis and Intervention

There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but there are important resources that can be of help to you and your family. The first step towards self care is to get a full diagnostic work-up to help rule out potentially reversible causes of memory loss (e.g., depression, reaction to medication, etc.). In addition, early diagnosis and intervention allows you to:

Early-Stage Symptoms

The following is a list of areas that may become increasingly difficult for you. The list is intended to help you identify potential areas of difficulty in order to plan for future changes, and to continue living your life to the fullest. You may begin noticing changes in the following areas:

Transitions

Changes in your daily routine may be necessary in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Although there may come a time when you rely more on others for assistance in certain areas, you may want to stay actively involved in making decisions that affect your life. The following areas are usually addressed early on:

Ways of Coping

Research

Presently, researchers can not definitively say what causes Alzheimer's disease, and there is currently no cure. However, there has been considerable progress made in the field of Alzheimer's disease research in recent years. Two promising areas of research related to the treatment and cause of Alzheimer's disease include:

Community Resources


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