Is It Alzheimer's Disease Or "Just Getting Old"?

If you are getting up there in years, your memory may not seem quite as sharp as it used to be. Then again, your memory may be starting to slip in some rather unusual ways. For many aging adults, the fear of being victims of Alzheimer disease is a very real concern. But, do not panic if you cannot remember important dates or if you forget which grandson's birthday it is. Some of these annoying slips and skips in memory are nothing more than perfectly normal signs of aging. Sometimes it is a sign that you just need to challenge your brain to be more active. If you believe you are experiencing serious problems with your memory, here are a few ways to tell if Alzheimer's disease may be to blame.

Chronically Repeating Requests for the Same Information

One of the signs of Alzheimer's disease is seen when a person constantly asks others to repeat the same information over and over again. If this happens once in a while, it may simply be a sign that they are a little forgetful; however, when it is a chronic occurrence, it suggests that something more serious may be going on upstairs. People who suffer with a chronic state of looping requests for the same information may not even know they are doing it. From their perspective, each time they ask will undoubtedly seem like it is the first time they are asking.

Misplacing Objects

It is normal for an aging person to visit a friend and walk out the door without their keys. They may even forget where they put their keys or parked their car. In the case of a person suffering with Alzheimer's disease, this problem is a lot more advanced. Instead of simply forgetting where a person has placed an object, the misplacing of objects get stranger and more frequent. They might leave their socks in the kitchen sink and hang their tie on the deadbolt slot near the front door of their home. To the average onlooker, these types of associations involved in the misplacement of objects will tend to be obviously uncommon or out of place.




Misunderstanding the Function of Objects
Another common sign of Alzheimer's disease is when people appear to misunderstand how to use a common every day object. If a person tries to shave their face with a phone receiver, or attempts to answer their electric shaver, then you may have a classic Alzheimer's patient on your hands. On the other hand, if a person simply needs help figuring out how to program their digital clock, use the remote to their television or set their microwave to the right setting, this is more likely an age-related slip in memory function.

The Loss of Time and Spacial Confusion

When a person gets older, it is common to forget what day it is. It is also common to take a wrong turn and get lost while driving. Often, with a little thought and effort, these mistakes will be easily corrected by a person with a properly functioning mind. On the other hand, if a person starts to notice large gaps in time are missing, this could tend to be a more classic sign of Alzheimer's disease. Another classic sign is when an elderly person all-of-a-sudden becomes very confused as to where they are or how they got there. Such skips in spacial memory suggest that the memory pathway outlining the steps being covered from one moment to the next are not being held in short term memory. If this occurs often, then chances are that Alzheimer's may be to blame.

Conclusion
Growing old will inevitably bring with it a senior moment or two. It is normal to experience some trouble getting the aging neurons in one's brain to fire off like they used to do. Although it can be frustrating to learn that your mind is not like the steel trap it used to be, this does not necessarily imply that you are in danger of Alzheimer's disease; however, if you start to experience genuinely strange lapses in memory, it may be time to be checked out by a physician.

Advances in Neurological Therapeutics

Continuing Medical Education Conference

Click To Download Brochure

The mission of Advances in Neurological Therapeutics 2013 is to update regional practitioners on the therapeutic effects of current and emerging therapies for Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias.

The importance of early diagnosis for these diseases will be stressed, and the risks and benefits of current and emerging therapies will be covered. We will also discuss the use of physical therapy and biomedical devices as a means to manage these diseases and improve patient function and quality of life.

Finally we will explore the psychiatric issues faced by individuals with neurological disease, as well as discuss the bioethical implications of PET imaging of the brain. We intend to provide an engaging forum, which will motivate practitioners to think holistically when treating patients with PD, MS, and AD.

This conference is intended for clinicians who treat patients with neurological disorders. We especially want to encourage neurologists, psychiatrists, family practice and primary care physicians, geriatricians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, physical therapists and other allied health care professionals to attend.

Full details available here - http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/live/courses/2013/ant13/

Can Regular Exercise Help With Alzheimer's and Dementia?

Alzheimer's disease is known as the leading cause of dementia. Currently, there is no cure for this disease, and medications that are available do not stop the progression of this disease. These medications may improve some of the symptoms experienced for some people, but they are not effective for everyone. Research is showing that there may be an actual preventative measure that can be used to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's and dementia. This preventive measure is exercise.

Everyone knows that exercise is good for overall health. Engaging in heart-rate increasing exercise for 30 minutes a few times a week can strengthen the heart, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, help with blood sugar levels in diabetes, help with weight loss, and now, research shows that exercise helps to prevent a decrease in brain function as well.

Exercise that increases heart rate pushes more blood through the body, including the brain. More blood means more oxygen, fluid, and vital nutrients to the cells. This keeps brain cells functioning properly. By improving heart function and decreasing cholesterol, small arteries in the brain can remain open, improving blood flow to all areas of the brain for better health of brain cells.

Studies have show that exercise can increase growth of tissue involved with brain function, allow for regeneration of neurons, increase the brain's resistance to oxidation and stress, and improve memory and cognitive functioning. All of these may help to prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease on an aging population.

A study performed by the Mayo Clinic found that regular exercise reduced the risk of mild cognitive impairment in more than thirty percent of those studied. Researcher's believe that exercise helps by increasing brain volume, improving connections within the brain, and improving blood vessel health within the brain.

Why do these research studies matter? As mentioned above, there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease and the related dementia that occurs as a result of this disease. A substantial portion of the population is reaching the age where Alzheimer's becomes a major concern. Because of this, Alzheimer's rates are expected to increase exponentially in the next decade. If Alzheimer's disease risk can be reduced by simply adding daily exercise to a person's lifestyle, this can prevent a lot of expense to people and the health care system as well as personal trauma experienced by Alzheimer's victims and their loved ones.

Prevention of Alzheimer's disease isn't the only benefit that exercise has shown on this disease. A study published in The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society showed that for persons already diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, exercise can slow the progression of this disease. Patients in a nursing home setting who were given an exercise regimen that included walking, strength training, flexibility training and balance training showed significant results with less decline in cognitive functioning over those who did not exercise.

It is important to note that even if exercise cannot help reverse Alzheimer's disease once it occurs, exercise can help with other symptoms experienced by those who suffer from this disease. Exercise can relieve depression and anxiety, as well as prevent physical decline often associated with Alzheimer's patients. This can reduce the risks of falls and other injuries often experienced at a higher rate in Alzheimer's patients.

Studies are proving the benefits of exercise to the brain and in the prevention of Alzheimer's related dementia, as well as the benefits of exercise to those already experiencing Alzheimer's disease symptoms. Adding exercise to a healthy lifestyle can improve health in many ways and may even decrease your risk for developing Alzheimer's and dementia.

Resources:

Carl W. Cotman and Nicole C. Berchtold; Exercise: a behavioral intervention to enhance brain health and plasticity; Trends in Neuroscience

Mayo Clinic; Exercise Best Medicine to Prevent Alzheimer's; Mayo Clinic News; January 25, 2013

Yves Rolland MD, PhD, et. al.; Exercise Program for Nursing Home Residents with Alzheimer's Disease: A 1-Year Randomized, Controlled Trial; The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

The Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia

There is often a misunderstanding as to what Alzheimer's and dementia are. These terms are often thrown around leading to most of the misunderstanding. However, there is a significant difference between the two terms. Below is the basic description of what dementia and Alzheimer's disease consist of. After that, listed is the difference between the two terms.

What is Dementia

Dementia is when the brain no longer functions normally. The word dementia was first used to replace the word senility which the medical board believed to be out of date. The symptoms of dementia can include; asking the same questions over and over; getting lost, even in familiar settings; and getting confused about times, people, and places. The presence of these symptoms alone does not necessarily mean dementia. For it be classified as dementia, the symptoms must be severe enough to interfere with daily life. People suffering from dementia often exhibit these symptoms at different rates. Some types of dementia can be reversed. The types of dementia that can be reversed are often when the brain tissue remains undamaged. Cases like this include, a high fever, poor nutrition, dehydration, vitamin deficiency, minor head injury, thyroid problem, or a bad reaction to medicine. These cases are serious and need to be treated by a medical professional right away. However, once the underlying cause of the dementia is treated, the brain returns back to it's normal function and the dementia is cured. However, there are several problems when dementia is irreversible. This cases happen when the dementia is caused by damaged tissue in the brain.

What is Alzheimer's Disease

So what is Alzheimer's? Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disease leading to loss of neurons and intellectual properties. Although Alzheimer's disease is associated with the elderly it is not a normal process of aging. Alzheimer's disease occurs because the person lacks some vital brain chemicals used in the transmission of messages. In an Alzheimer's patient develops plagues or tangles in the brain that cut of circulation to the tissue causing the brain matter to die. This is why Alzheimer's is hard to classify in a living person. Often times people are diagnosed with it based on the symptoms, however it can not be a confirmed diagnose until the patient is dead and his or her brain is examined. It is believed that about one in three of the elderly will be diagnosed with having Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive terminal disease, once diagnosed the condition only gets worse. There are several ways to slow down the progress of the disease, however there is no cure for the disease.

However, it is widely accepted that maintaining an active lifestyle can help slow down the progression of the disease. Certain activities that slow down the progression include; gardening or other yard work, and any type of aerobic exercise. Sometimes people can confuse common emotional distress with dementia. There are several problems the elder have to face that can be hard. These problems include; death of a spouse or friend; coping with retirement; feeling sad, lonely, or bored. These problems can often cause the person to feel lost and confused or even forgetful. These problems can be cured by reaching out to the person. Family or friends reaching out to the person can ease some of the emotional distress revealing of person of their problems. Other times the emotional problems are too severe and need to be handled by a doctor or licensed therapist.

What is the Difference

The easiest way to note the difference between the two terms is dementia is a symptom while Alzheimer's disease is the cause. The most common cause of dementia happens to be Alzheimer's disease with about 80 percent of all dementia cases being caused by Alzheimer's. Most people tend to think of dementia and Alzheimer's in a continuum with dementia being less severe and Alzheimer's being the most severe. However, this is a flawed thought process. Dementia is present at all stages of Alzheimer's disease. However, Alzheimer's disease can be in different stages and the amount of dementia present can be less severe in the earlier stages. The best way to compare this is an analogy with the term fever. A fever is a symptom, the elevated temperature of the human body, however, that does not explain why the person is sick. The person is sick due to a virus. In this analogy, the fever represents dementia and the virus is Alzheimer's.

Although these terms are very commonly confused, there is a distinct difference between them. Dementia is a symptom, while Alzheimer's is the disease that causes the symptom. Although dementia and Alzheimer's are serious medical conditions that are irreversible. Despite there not being a cure, there are several ways one can slow down the progress of Alzheimer's.

Living With Dementia

Dementia is a medical term used to describe the mental decline of an individual due to the deterioration of cognitive brain function. This disorder is mainly seen in patients of advanced age; however, there are cases of dementia that effect individuals who are much younger. Dementia is a set of symptoms that signify the increased decline in mental capacity caused by other diseases. Certain medical disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease list dementia as a symptom.

While a handful of causes may be rendered as temporary, the majority of patients suffering from dementia face decline in their cognition, social ability, and daily living skills. Problems with speech, language, comprehension, and reasoning ability gradually worsen. The individual’s personality and memory are often noticeably affected with this disorder.

Coping With Dementia

For patients living with the adverse effects of dementia, it can be difficult to recognize how cognitive impairment negates the ability to remain independent. In the beginning phases of this disorder, the patient may notice slight decline in his/her self. As the dementia progresses, family and caregivers of the individual will be tasked with enduring the devastating changes and loss of autonomy their loved one is suffering with.

The ability to cope with this disorder is often difficult, especially if the individual is being cared for by family. Family members may be overcome by the mounting responsibilities placed on their shoulders while providing care to an individual with dementia. It is essential for the caregivers to receive help with as well as time away from the direct care of their loved one in order to remain effective. Familial caregivers often find themselves at the brink of exhaustion when providing care to their loved one, while at the same time attempting to balance typical responsibilities such as work and caring for their immediate family members.

One of the first obstacles in living with dementia is the realization that the individual cannot care for themselves in a safe and appropriate manner. This brings into question the need for alternate living arrangements for the patient. It is common for close family members to take their loved one into their own home(s) in order to be available around the clock. While this option seems to be a viable solution in the beginning stages of dementia, as decline in mental and physical health accelerates, the more difficult it becomes to care for the individual without professional assistance.

Caregiver Help And Assistance

In order to effectively render care to an individual living with dementia, family and friends will arrive at a point in the progression of the disorder where outside help is required. Support and care may be obtained through several different sources. Professional caregivers such as those who offer supported living assistance may be the first line in the procession of help. They may offer services such as respite, daily living skills assistance, and hygiene support to the individual with dementia.

Remaining Independent

A diagnosis of dementia need not interfere with the individual’s ability to remain independent for as long as they are capable of doing so. Remaining active and social can also help dementia sufferers retain mental clarity longer than those who have no outside interactions with others.