Disease and Nutrition

This article provides a range of information to create further understanding and awareness of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. Alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia, a brain disorder that seriously affects a persons ability to perform daily activities, and is most common among older people. Alzheimer's affects 5% of people over 65 and 20% of people over 80. Alzheimer's is a complex disease that, more than likely, is caused by a number of influences. No one single factor has been identified as the cause for Alzheimer's disease, and it is likely that a combination of factors, including age, genetic inheritance and environmental factors are involved. Alzheimer's often impairs short-term memory but leaves long-term memory intact. Alzheimer's disease gradually progresses from mild to moderate to severe.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Alzheimer's include: having increasing difficulty managing complex or new tasks, showing lack of initiative or withdrawal from usual activities, emotional and personality changes, having problems finding the right words or understanding what is being said to them. They may also include: gradual and progressive memory loss, difficulty in following directions and performing routine tasks, impaired judgment, reasoning, concentration, and orientation confusion and restlessness, and loss of the ability to care for one's self.

Family

Alzheimer's disease and other age related dementia cause many problems for patients and their families. Family members who care for an Alzheimer's patient spend lots of time worrying about whether they are doing the right thing. Family members or other caregivers can help by trying to understand how the person with Alzheimer's perceives his or her world. They need emotional support, practical help and information about the illness.

Caregivers

Caregivers must adjust over time as the needs of the person with Alzheimer's disease change, cope with challenging behavioral changes, and experience the heartache when their loved one no longer ia able to recognize them. Caregivers often ignore their own health needs due to the demands of their care-giving role. Support groups can be very helpful, especially for the family, as their loved one starts to deteriorate into someone who hardly knows them.

Research

Research shows that there may be different genetic and non-genetic causes of Alzheimer's. Researchers say these findings may help identify people at risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which leads to Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) is a major research study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, to determine whether brain imaging can help predict onset and monitor progression of Alzheimers disease. Research has found exercising that part of the brain can help build up a "cognitive reserve," which can stave off Alzheimer's. Researchers will also be evaluating whether the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), taken over many months, slows the progression of both cognitive and functional decline in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's. There is also research ongoing as to the usefulness of ginkgo biloba extract and other herbal treatments, and for high doses of vitamin E in the treatment of Alzheimer's.

Treatment

A diagnosis by your doctor should be sought as early as possible, as an early diagnosis will help you plan for the future, enable the person with Alzheimer's to benefit from the treatments that are available, help you identify sources of advice and support. Treatment modalities include counseling, psychotherapy (if cognitive functioning is adequate), reminiscent therapy, reality orientation therapy, and behavioral reinforcements as well as cognitive rehabilitation training. In over 50 studies conducted on Ginkgo for the treatment of "cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's," a Cochrane Review concluded that "there is promising evidence of improvement in cognition and function associated with Ginkgo. Cognitive and behavioral interventions and rehabilitation strategies may be used as an adjunct to pharmacologic treatment, especially in the early to moderately advanced stages of Alzheimer's. Proposed alternative treatments for Alzheimer's include a broad range of herbal compounds and dietary supplements.

Conclusion

Promising research continues to provide hope of our being able to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's. Additionally, as more and more doctors become aware of the benefits of alternative medicines, general nutrition and the role that vitamins, mineral and herbal supplements play in preventing Alzheimer's a cure could be in the offing in the foreseeable future.

This article is intended to provide assistance and information to people who are interested in learning more about natural remedies. It should not be used as a basis for any form of diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition. Always seek professional medical advice.