Who am I ? - Alzhemier's

What is Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive or behavioral decline. A neurodegenerative type of dementia, the disease starts mild and gets progressively worse.


Basically the total brain size shrinks with fewer nerve cells and connections.


Nerve fibers surrounding the hippocampus - the brain's memory center, become entangled and information is no longer carried properly to or from the brain. As such, new memories cannot be formed and old memories cannot be retrieved.

As more neurons die, additional parts of the brain are affected, and they begin to shrink. By the final stage of Alzheimer’s, damage is widespread, and brain tissue has shrunk significantly.

Causes

Dr. Alois Alzheimer who first identified the disease in 1906 found plaques which are numerous tiny, dense protein deposits known as beta-amyloid scattered throughout the brain that become toxic to brain cells at excessive levels. Brain cells depend on an internal support and transport system to carry nutrients and other essential materials throughout their long extensions. The tangles are within the brain neurons - from a disintegration of another protein, called tau. In Alzheimer's, threads of tau protein twist into abnormal tangles inside brain cells, leading to failure of the transport system.


In a nutshell, abnormal deposits of proteins form amyloid plaques and tau tangles throughout the brain, and once-healthy neurons stop functioning, lose connections with other neurons and eventually die.


Symptoms


As Alzheimer's accounts for between 60% and 80% of all cases of dementia, doctors have to be satisfied that there are symptoms of dementia present.


Observations involved cognitive or behavioral symptoms that show a decline from previous levels of "functioning and performing" and interfere with ability "to function at work or at usual activities. Also, symptoms of memory loss, especially in the area of learning and recalling new information.


Typical early symptoms of Alzheimer’s may include:

• Regularly forgetting recent events or appointments, names and faces.
• Repetitive questions or conversations after a very short interval.
• Misplacing personal belongings or putting them in odd places.
• Uncertainty about the date or time of day.
• Getting lost on a familiar route or becoming unsure of their whereabouts or getting lost, particularly in unusual surroundings.
• Impaired speaking, reading and writing.
• Becoming low in mood, anxious or irritable, losing self-confidence or showing less interest in favorite activities.

As the disease progresses, the patient may have reactions that seem out of character like compulsive, obsessive, temperamental or socially unacceptable behavior. Some common reactions include repeating the same action or words, hiding possessions, physical outbursts and restlessness.


It can deteriorate further to affect a person’s coordination and mobility, to the point of inability to perform day-to-day tasks such as eating, bathing and getting dressed. Some do experience incontinence and neglect personal hygiene completely.


Finally, the most prominent deficits in "executive dysfunction" would be to do with reasoning, judgment and problem-solving. The person feels severely confused, disoriented and even hallucinated.  No longer can one intend or control the behavior with the resultant change in the brain structure. As a result, there may be total dependence on others for basic care. In the worst scenario, the person may be bedridden as the body shuts down.


Risk factors


(1)  Controllable factors


Some evidence suggests that the same factors that put you at risk of heart disease also may increase the chance that you will develop Alzheimer's. Examples include:

• Lack of exercise
• Obesity
• Smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes
• A diet lacking in fruits and vegetables

Late-onset Alzheimer's arises from a complex series of brain changes that occur over decades. The causes probably include a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors (enumerated above). The importance of any one of these factors in increasing or decreasing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s may differ from person to person.



(2)  Uncontrollable factors


People with early-onset Alzheimer's represent less than 5% of all sufferers with genetic mutation being the usual cause. Having Alzheimer's runs in the family is associated with higher risk which may manifest around 30-60 years of age. Having a certain gene (the apolipoprotein E or APOE gene) puts a person, depending on their specific genetics, at 3-8 times more risk than a person without the gene.


Other contributory factors include:

Age - though not a normal part of aging, it afflicts 10% of the general population over 65 and as many as 50% over 85.

Prior head injury - mostly tie to the severity of trauma history.

Sleep disorders (eg. the breathing problem sleep apnea).

Low educational and occupational attainment.

Down syndrome -  signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's tend to appear 10 to 20 years earlier in people with Down syndrome than the general population because they have an extra copy of chromosome 21, which contains the gene that generates harmful amyloid.

Precautions/prevention


There is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease - the death of brain cells in the dementia cannot be halted or reversed. Research has some interesting findings which call for modification of lifestyle to reduce the occurrence or severity of the disease:


(1)  Most sufferers are found lacking in nutrition due to unbalanced diet, consuming too much processed foods and drug medication. For example:
-  Vitamin B range are vital in cognitive functioning.   
-  Antioxidants like Vitamin A, C and E are crucial in clearing free radicals which can attack the brain cells.
-  Minerals such as boron, potassium and selenium are important in preserving cell integrity.


(2)  Autopsies of patients who have died of Alzheimer's reveal excessive amounts of aluminum in their hippocampus area and in the cerebral cortex -the external area of grey matter responsible for higher brain functions eg. abstract thinking, judgment, memory and language.


(3)  Another toxic metal that can penetrate the blood barrier encapsulating the brain is mercury. For most people, the release of mercury from dental amalgams is the primary means of this exposure.


(4)  Powerful immune system proteins called complement proteins have been found around the plaques and tangles in the brains of patients dying from Alzheimer's. Some experts theorize that such proteins normally help to clear away dead or degenerating cells which in turn produce amyloid. Unfortunately, the immune system attacks the healthy cells as well resulting in a critical mass accumulating in the brain.


Recommendations

The Alzheimer's Association recommends important some elements of dementia care:

• Effective management of any conditions occurring alongside the Alzheimer's.
• Activities and/or programs of adult day care - A new study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, finds that any kind of exercise can improve brain volume and cut the risk of Alzheimer's disease by 50%.
• Support groups and services.

A nutritious diet, physical activity, social engagement and mentally stimulating pursuits have all been associated with helping people stay healthy as they age. These factors might also help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.


Though aging is a natural process, we do not have to end up suffering from Alzhemier's!


Viva corner

Viva Oxypower contains coenzyme10 which helps to increase oxygenation of cells and is involved in the generation of cellular energy. B-easy with its folic acid content to aid in controlling homocysteine levels and B12 content to boost memory and cognitive functions.

People with Alzheimer's tend to have a shortage of some vital chemical messengers
which are responsible for transmitting signals around the brain. Viva Biolecthin with choline can assist to improve nerve communication.

Chloroguard is an well-rounded product that provides a whole range of vitamins, aminos, fiber and minerals. Its Omega3 content provides the essential DHA for proper brain functioning. It is also a blood cleanser agent that can remove heavy metals from obstructing circulation. Viva Ageguard provides the amino acids for the formation of regenerative tissue.

Liquick gingko helps to improve blood circulation in the capillaries lying the brain so that more oxygen can be delivered before more brain cells are suffocated. The grape seed extract in Cellpex is a potent antioxidant that readily passes the blood brain barrier to protect brain cells from radical damage.