|
Alzheimers disease causes progressive cognitive deterioration and is characterized by senile plaques, B-amyloid deposists , and neurofibrillary tangles in cerebral cortex and subcortical gray matter. |
 |
It is the most common cause of dementia; it accounts for > 65% of dementia in the elderly. As many as 20 % (or more) of population over 85 years age have the AD. Alzheimer's disease (pronounced AHLZ-hi-merz) is one of several disorders that cause the gradual loss of brain cells.
Other common abnormalities include increase in brain and CSF concentrations of the tau protein and reduced levels of choline acetyltransferase and various neurotranstmitters (eg,somatostatin)
Scientists have not determined exactly why these changes develop. In short, no one yet knows exactly what causes Alzheimer's disease. Most researchers agree that the cause may be a complex set of factors.
|
|
Though Alzheimer's
disease affects
individuals in 40s
and 50s, studies
have shown that the
greatest known risk
for developing
Alzheimer's is
increasing age.As
many as 2-4 % of all
people of 65 years
of age and older
have Alzheimer's. As
many as 20 % (or
more) of population
over 85 years age
have the AD. A
family history of
the disease is
another known risk. |
Sign's, Symptoms and
Diagnosis:
Common symptoms
include a gradual
loss of memory,
problems with
reasoning or
judgment,
disorientation,
difficulty in
learning, loss of
language skills,
etc. People with
dementia also
experience changes
in their
personalities and
behavioural
problems. The
cumulative effect of
all these changes
becomes distressing
both to the
individual and their
families.
Individuals with AD
begin to misplace
everyday items, such
as the car keys or
eyeglasses, and
become disoriented
and get lost in
familiar
surroundings (such
as when driving on
well-known streets).
With Alzheimer
individual find
difficult to perform
even familiar tasks
and may forget the
steps for preparing
a meal, using a
household appliance,
or in what order to
put clothes on. |
How the disease
progresses:
Alzheimer's disease
advances at widely
different rates. The
duration of the
illness may often
vary from 3 to 20
years. Eventually,
the person with
Alzheimer's will
need complete care.
If the individual
has no other serious
illness, the loss of
brain function
itself may cause
death.
Generally, diagnosis
is done by a formal
mental status
examination: deficit
in greater than two
areas of cognition;
gradual onset and
progressive
worsening of memory
and other cognitive
functions; no
disturbance of
consciousness; onset
after age 40, most
often after 65; and
no systemic or brain
disorders that could
account for the
progressive deficits
in memoryEarly
diagnosis of
Alzheimer's disease
is an important step
in getting
appropriate
treatment, care, and
support services.
There is no one
diagnostic test that
can detect if a
person has
Alzheimer's disease,
but the process
involves several
kinds of tests and
may take more than
one day to complete
the evaluation.
Evaluations may
include the
following steps: |
- A medical
history, which
collects
information
about current
mental or
physical
conditions,
prescription and
non prescription
drug use, and
family health
history
- A mental
status
evaluation to
assess sense of
time and place;
ability to
remember,
understand, and
communicate; and
ability to do
simple math
problems
-
Investigations
like a brain
scan like CT and
MRI to detect
other causes of
dementia.
|
Homoeopathic
Approach:
The Homoeopathic
system of medicine
offers reasonably
positive response in
Alzhiemers.
The role of medicine
in certain diseases
such as Alzhiemers
is to provide
considerable relief.
It acts by
Controlling the
underlying disease
process:
Carefully selected
deep acting
constitutional
homoeopathic
medicines help in
controlling the
disease process
whereby no further
deterioration or
brain damage can
occur. In short it
helps by halting the
disease process and
reversing it to a
certain extent. |
Brings About
Considerable Relief
of Symptoms:
It helps by
improving symptoms
like Falling memory,
Anxiety,
Disorientation,
Dementia and
Depression.
In certain cases
patients develop
agitation due to
there incapability
in such cases our
medicines help by
relieving symptoms
thus bringing back
the lost confidence.
Homoeopathic
treatment is
strongly suggested.
As timely
administration of
homoeopathic
medicines prevents
further progression
of disease.
Our Team of doctors
at DRSS
provides special
consultation
services in such
cases. Patients are
advised to go in for
consultation so as
there disease state
can be reviewed and
the mode of
treatment can be
decided.
|
|
|
Click
here for Case
Studies
|
|
