What is Alzheimer’s Dementia?
In Alzheimer’s dementia, memory, language skills, and the sense of orientation gradually deteriorate over time. Living independently becomes increasingly difficult, and the need for support rises. While there are treatments available that can influence the course of the disease, it cannot be completely cured.
Overview
- In people with Alzheimer’s dementia, more and more brain cells die over time, leading to cognitive impairments.
- The risk of Alzheimer’s dementia increases with age.
- The disease cannot yet be halted or completely cured.
- However, there are treatments, both medicinal and non-medicinal, designed to improve quality of life.
- Many people with dementia receive understanding and support when they are open about their condition.
Note: The information in this article cannot replace a doctor’s examination and should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment.
What is Alzheimer’s Dementia?
Alzheimer’s dementia, also known as Alzheimer’s disease or Morbus Alzheimer, is the most common form of dementia. In dementia, important brain functions gradually decline. Memory and the ability to concentrate are usually the first to be affected. For dementia patients, maintaining their lives and living independently becomes increasingly difficult.
What Symptoms are Seen in Alzheimer’s Dementia?
As most people age, their mental abilities, such as memory and learning capacity, decline: it is normal to adapt more slowly to new conditions and situations in old age. However, it is still possible to access previously acquired information in old age. It is possible to remain focused, independent, and capable of reasoning.
For people with Alzheimer’s dementia, the situation is different: mental abilities gradually decline over time. This condition is usually first noticed in short-term memory: affected individuals forget what they just experienced while remembering past events better. Over time, long-term memory also deteriorates. Additionally, people with dementia increasingly have trouble finding the right words and remembering the meanings of terms.
At some point, many show changes in behavior and personality: they become more anxious, shy, or passive, suspicious, and even aggressive.
What Causes Alzheimer’s Dementia?
The causes of Alzheimer’s dementia are still largely unknown. It is very likely that several factors come together in the development of the disease. As the disease progresses, more and more brain cells die. To date, there are only hypotheses as to why this happens. Research has found that people with Alzheimer’s disease have lower levels of acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter.
Additionally, it is now known that small protein particles accumulate in the brain in the form of beta-amyloid plaques or tau fibrils in Alzheimer’s dementia. These may be responsible for the death of increasing numbers of brain cells.
What Factors Influence the Development of Alzheimer’s Dementia?
The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s dementia increases with age: the disease is more common from around the age of 65. Numerous studies have examined whether certain diseases or specific behaviors and living conditions affect the risk of dementia. These studies have yet to provide clear answers. However, they suggest that the following factors influence the development of Alzheimer’s dementia:
- Diabetes mellitus
- High cholesterol levels
- Smoking
- Depression
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Limited social contact
- Severe hearing loss
- Low education level
Genetics also play a role. To date, several genes have been identified that influence the likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease. For example, the disease appears in multiple individuals in some families in middle age. Special genetic tests can be used to determine if presenile Alzheimer’s dementia is present. If so, the siblings and children of affected individuals are at higher risk of developing the disease.
How Many People Have Alzheimer’s Dementia?
Worldwide, 34 million people, including 450,000 in Turkey, have Alzheimer’s disease.
Women are more affected by dementia than men, mainly due to their longer life expectancy. Dementia usually appears in old age. The disease affects slightly more than 1 in 100 people aged 65-69 and 10 in 100 people aged 80-84.
How Does Alzheimer’s Dementia Progress?
Alzheimer’s dementia is a chronic disease that progresses over several years. Most people are over 65 when the first symptoms appear.
Early Stage
- People with early-stage dementia find it increasingly difficult to live independently.
- They become more forgetful and have difficulty concentrating.
- More complex daily tasks can be a major challenge.
- Increasing forgetfulness can lead to fears, feelings of stress, aggression, and shame.
- Some experience depressive moods and are often irritable.
Middle Stage
- In the middle stage, people with dementia can no longer live independently.
- It is still possible to eat independently, maintain personal hygiene, and perform simple activities at home, but reminders are needed.
- More complex tasks, such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, and even taking a walk, are only possible with support from others.
- The risk of getting lost, not finding the way home, and leaving the stove or iron on, thus endangering themselves and others, is now higher.
- The day-night rhythm is often disrupted.
- The ability to understand spoken language and speaking skills decline.
- Distinguishing between the past and the present becomes increasingly difficult.
Advanced Stage
- In this stage, people with dementia constantly need the help of others.
- Speaking and understanding become very difficult, and communication is almost impossible.
- Even simple activities can no longer be performed independently. Help is needed with eating and drinking.
- People with advanced dementia often do not recognize even those close to them. They are often restless, have hallucinations, or confuse current and past events.
- They may lose control over bodily functions.
How is Alzheimer’s Dementia Diagnosed?
Alzheimer’s dementia cannot be reliably diagnosed using currently available tests and examination procedures, such as computed brain tomography (CT) or special blood tests.
Therefore, a comprehensive diagnosis is required to confirm or rule out suspected dementia. The starting point is usually the family doctor’s office. In advanced diagnosis, specialists from different fields, especially neurology, psychiatry, and radiology, often work together.
For a reliable diagnosis, it is important to pay attention to other diseases as possible triggers for the present symptoms: complaints such as increasing forgetfulness, orientation problems, and behavioral changes can have very different causes. The diagnosis of “Alzheimer’s dementia” is only made when symptoms persist for six months and other possible causes are absent.
Important Information: Especially in the early stages, going to a special memory clinic in a hospital can be helpful.
How is Alzheimer’s Dementia Treated?
People with Alzheimer’s dementia need long-term therapy and support. Depending on personal needs, personal living conditions, and the stage of the disease, a care team consisting of specialists from medicine, psychology, nursing, and social services may be necessary.
The course of Alzheimer’s dementia can be positively influenced by various medicinal and non-medicinal treatment measures. However, the disease cannot be halted or definitively cured so far.
Family support is often a crucial foundation for care. Volunteers can also participate in care activities.
The goals of dementia treatment are:
- To maintain independence and daily skills for as long as possible
- To alleviate psychological complaints
- To increase overall quality of life
- To reduce the daily burden on relatives
Non-medicinal treatment options include:
- Memory and orientation exercises
- Shared daily activities
- Art, aroma, animal, and music therapy
- Physical activities
- Massage
- Training for relatives
