The bad news:

• Today, over 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Their health care costs amount to over $100 billion a year.
• It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
• It has no known cure.

The good news:

• Research on finding a cure, delaying the onset and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease has grown remarkably in the last fifteen years.
• Scientists and doctors, as well as the world in general are learning more about this disease and organizing support and information services, in an effort to make life better for people with Alzheimer’s and their loved ones.

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Just like the wrinkles of our skin and the stooping of our backs, our brain also ages as we grow older. The brain manifests these changes through occasional lapses of memory and problem solving skills deteriorate. Yet this is nothing to worry about as it’s a normal sign of ageing. Memory loss, confusion and decline in intellectual abilities are sadly a sign that brain cells are failing

The brain has over a hundred billion cells called neurons, that are responsible for virtually all our physical and mental actions.

These neurons form networks that are responsible for specific tasks: Thinking, remembering, analyzing and even in telling our muscles and limbs when and how to move.

With Alzheimer’s disease, a network of neurons ceases to function and since cognitive functions are interrelated, damage could spread to the other cell networks, also causing them to break down.

Scientists have yet to fully understand why brain cells in elder people act this way. Since German physician Alois Alzheimer drew attention to this disease in 1906, two abnormal structures called plaques and tangles are singled out as the primary suspects in the damage and death of nerve cells.

Plaque is the accumulation of a dense, sticky protein in the brain cells, while tangles are twisted fibers that clump together, thereby blocking the normal passage of messages between the neurons.

Scientists theorize that these plaques and tangles block communication between the nerve cells, causing them to cease to function and thus leading to the deterioration of an afflicted person’s brain.

Eluding, Treating and Coping with Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is a painful disease. It ultimately leads to a slow undignified demise, and is devastating and emotionally taxing not only on the afflicted but on their family, friends and caregivers as well.

But there is hope! Alzheimer research has exploded in the last decade and has turned out various promising results in the prevention and treatment of symptoms.

There are now prescription drugs approved by the FDA to treat the symptoms of those with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. Scientists are also on the search for treatments to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s or to slow down its progress.

Although Alzheimer’s disease is only conclusively diagnosed by examining the brain after death, experienced physicians can now diagnose this disease with 90% accuracy through brain imaging scans, psychological and neurological tests.

Researches on anti-oxidants, anti inflammatory drugs and even herbal medicine such as gingko biloba are currently being undertaken in an effort to find a cure. Though currently in their early stages with findings still inconclusive, doctors are optimistic that a cure is not far away.

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This entry was posted on Friday, August 15th, 2008 at 10:43 am and is filed under Articles, Featured, Future Science. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.