Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease, the most common type of dementia. Dementia refers to all symptoms associated with a gradual, ongoing decline of the functioning of the brain.
Alzheimer’s disease is the result of the shrinking of the brain and the start of the death of cells of the lateral entorhinal cortex of the brain. It starts with memory loss followed by loss of navigation abilities and eventually affects other regions of the brain in a somewhat predictable pattern. The disease affects one’s memory, thinking, behaviour, and social skills. Its symptoms may worsen over time to interfere with one’s daily tasks. At Arete Hospitals, Best Doctors For Alzheimer Disease Treatment in Hyderabad, provide treatment for Alzheimer disease and its related symptoms. The neurologist at Arete Hospitals specialises in nervous system disorders and offers the best diagnosing and treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
Causes of Alzheimer’s Disease
There is no definite cause of Alzheimer’s disease pinpointed to date. It is known that Alzheimer’s disease is manifested with degeneration of proteins in the brain or their failed normal functioning. This disrupts brain functioning and triggers a series of events. The neurons get damaged and lose connections to one another, ultimately leading to their death. As per researchers, Alzheimer’s disease is caused by a combination of lifestyle, genetic, and environmental factors that affects the brain over a long period.
To understand better the cause of Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers focus their study on the functioning of two proteins:
- Beta-amyloid plaques- The fragments of larger protein, called beta-amyloids when they start clumping together, form beta-amyloid plaques. They appear to have a toxic effect on neurons and prevent proper signalling between brain cells.
- Tangles- Brain cells have tau proteins which are responsible for providing internal support to brain cells and ensuring the proper transport system of the brain. In Alzheimer’s disease, the tau proteins get disrupted and organised into structures called neurofibrillary tangles which affect the transport of nutrients and other essential materials in the brain cells and result in their death.
If one’s family member or loved one is suffering from Alzheimer they can consult Best Doctors For Alzheimer Disease in Hyderabad at Arete Hospitals. The neurologist at Arete Hospitals specialises in disorders of the nervous system and is often involved in diagnosing and treating Alzheimer's disease. They provide best specialised assessments and treatment options to manage this concern.
Risk Factors of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Getting older- Older people may have more chances of developing the disease.
- Genetic predisposition or family history- Some people having Down syndrome (three copies of chromosome 21) are likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.
- Women- That may be because they tend to live longer than men.
- Mild cognitive impairment
- Untreated depression
- Traumatic head injury
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Poor lifestyle and heart health
- Poor sleep patterns.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
The symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease vary based on the severity of the disease.
Early-stage symptoms:
- Memory lapses like forgetting about recent events, misplacing items, poor decision-making and judgments, and others
- Mood swings such as increasing agitation, anxiety, or period of confusion.
Middle-stage symptoms:
- Worsening memory issues
- Obsessive, impulsive, or repetitive behaviour
- Disturbed sleep
- More confusion and disorientation
- Delusions or feeling paranoid
- Aphasia- Speech or language problems
- Mood changes like frequent mood swings, depression, and feeling more anxious, agitated, or frustrated
- Hallucinations
- Difficulty performing spatial tasks.
Late-stage symptoms:
The above-mentioned symptoms get more severe and the patient would need all-time assistance with eating, moving, and personal care. As the disease progresses, other symptoms may also develop such as:
- Dysphagia- troubled eating and swallowing
- Gradual speech loss
- Weight loss, sometimes severe
- Urinary and bowel incontinence
- Issues with short and long-term memory
- Difficulty changing positions or moving around without assistance.
Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment
Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. But there are medicines to reduce the symptoms of the disease. In addition, the patients can get support to help someone with the condition and their family cope with daily life.
Medicines
There are many drugs available and prescribed by doctors to help treat memory lapses and other cognitive changes. The list of effective medications prescribed by psychiatrists or neurologists includes:
- Acety-lcholi-nesterase inhibitors- These work to increase levels of ace-tylcholine- a brain chemical that helps nerve cells to communicate with one another.
- Glut-amate blocker- It works by blocking the effects of excessive amounts of glutamate- a brain chemical. This medicine is recommended to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease in patients who are unable to tolerate or cannot take Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.
- Medications to treat the challenging behaviour of the patients- These include antipsy-chotic medications and antidepressants. They are given in the mid or late stage of Alzheimer’s disease.
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy
This involves making the patient an active participant in group activities and exercises for improving problem-solving skills and memory.
Cognitive Rehabilitation
With the help of an occupational therapist or any trained professional, the patient can work to utilise the working parts of the brain and help the parts that aren’t working.
Reminiscence and Life Story Work
Reminiscence involves talking with the patient about the events and things of their past. Life story work involves preparing a physical book or digital version of a compilation of notes, photos, and other items from childhood to the present day and showing it to the patient.
Alternative Medicines
These include herbal remedies and supplements that are promoted for cognitive health or to delay Alzheimer’s disease. But there is little evidence to support their effectiveness. Recently studied ones include Vitamin E, curcumin, omega-3 fatty acids, Gin-kgo, and melatonin.
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Healthy lifestyle choices may play a role in maintaining brain health. These include regular exercises to keep the body active; proper nutrition intake by taking healthy food items and enough water; and getting indulged in social activities to preserve skills and abilities.
Coping and Support
Those who live with Alzheimer’s patients or care for them can help the patients cope with their state of confusion, anger, frustration, anxiety, grief, and depression. The caregivers should be good listeners of the patient and should constantly reassure the patient that life can still be enjoyed. They must provide proper support and create a calm and stable environment at home for the patient to reduce behavioural issues.
Current Status of Alzheimer’s Treatment
Still, researchers are putting in efforts to find out the real reason behind the development of Alzheimer’s disease and then provide appropriate, best treatment. Their focus is on the study of genetic markers, epigenetics, lifestyle, and protein profiling of the patients to check the tendency of forming neuro-degenerative proteins. Medical researchers have been conducting studies on Alzheimer’s and non-Alzheimer patients to predict the disease in advance in people. For this, they have been studying brain scans, electrophysiology signals, and even protein profiles of the patients.
Complications of Alzheimer's Disease
Here are the complications one can face if Alzheimer’s disease is left untreated:
- An individual diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease will experience memory loss, loss of linguistic abilities, impaired judgement, and other cognitive changes that would make other health issues management harder.
- In the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease, the individual would start experiencing an impact on their physical functions.
- The changes in the brain could affect swallowing ability, balance and coordination, and control of bowel and bladder movements. Such effects can further lead to other health issues such as falls, fractures, stomach problems, dental problems, infections, poor nutrition or dehydration, and others.
1. Why Choose Arete Hospitals for Alzeimer’s treatment?
If you notice symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in a family member or parent, it's advisable to consult with a reputable neurologist in Hyderabad. Neurologists at Arete Hospitals specialise in diagnosing and treating neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Seeking expert medical advice and assessment is essential for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management of the condition.
The treatment provided at Arete Hospitals helps maintain and improve an individual's ability to perform daily activities and maintain independence as much as possible for those who are suffering from Alzheimer's. Behavioural and psychological symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, like agitation, depression, and anxiety, are also improved with the treatments, counselling, and therapies provided by the experts at Arete Hospitals.
2. How do Doctors Diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease?
Doctors can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease by looking at the patient’s symptoms. The loved ones of the patient must properly explain the patient's symptoms and what effect is there on daily life to the doctor to help in diagnosis. The doctor even conducts tests on memory and thinking skills. The tests include physical and neurological exams, lab tests (blood work), mental status and neuropsychological testing, and medical imaging like MRI, CT scan, FDG PET imaging, Amyloid PET imaging, and Tau PET imaging. They can help rule out other potential causes of patient symptoms and help confirm Alzheimer’s disease.
3. Is Alzheimer’s Disease Preventable?
No. However, many lifestyle-related risk factors can be modified to reduce the chances of Alzheimer’s disease. Evidence suggests that taking steps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease may lower the risk of developing dementia. This requires a commitment to a heart-healthy lifestyle. Some studies have even shown that staying engaged socially and mentally can preserve thinking capabilities later in life and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
At Arete Hospitals, Best Alzheimer's Disease Treatment Hospital in Hyderabad, the doctors and experts develop a personalised treatment plan that addresses the individual's specific needs and preferences. Treatment plans may include a combination of medications, behavioural interventions, lifestyle modifications, and support services to manage Alzheimer's disease. Contact us now for more information!
