Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that destroys memory and thinking skills. It is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. The main risk factor is increasing age, and symptoms usually appear after age 65. Alzheimer's causes brain cells to degenerate and die, leading to impaired memory, thinking, and behavior. There is no cure for Alzheimer's, but medications and care strategies can temporarily slow the worsening of symptoms. Researchers are working to better understand the causes and develop more effective treatments.

1. Alzheimer’s Disease

2. Alzheimer’s
• The deterioration of intellectual capabilities, memory,
judgment, and personality to the extent that daily
functioning and quality of life are seriously impaired.
• Generally occurs in the elderly impairing brain function,
which can lead to dementia.
• Named for German neurologist Alois Alzheimer in 1907.

3. Statistics
• 4 million or more cases in U.S.
• 100,000 die each year.
• 4th major leading cause of
death in U.S.
• 65 or older when symptoms
can begin

4. Clinical Features
• Loss of short-term memory and ability to create
memories
• Concentration on past
• Loss of time
• Communication diminishes
• Personality changes
• Delusions
• Become immobilized and uncomprehending
• Death due to respiratory failure
• 65 and up disease lasts 8-20 years
• 65 and down disease lasts 5-10 years disease more
rapid

5. Histological Analysis
3 distinctive neuropathological features
1. Devastating losses of synapses and neurons within
hippocampus and entorhinal cortex.
2. Dense spherical structures, called senile plaques (SP),
prevalent outside the neurons of the hippocampus and
other regions of the brain.
3. Aggregations of fibrils (Neurofibrillary tangles, NFT)
accumulate within cell bodies and dendritic processes
of the neurons of the hippocampus, neurocortex,
entorhinal cortex, and other brain parts.

6. Pictures of Brain Degradation

7. Degradation cont’d

8. Diagnosis
• Only definitive way is to use brain scans
(CT) to see plaques or tangles in brain
tissue.
• Tests used to exclude other diseases.

9. Treatments
• No treatment can prevent Alzheimer’s
• Drugs for early stages
– Cognax, Aricept, Exelon, or Razadyne
• Severe stages
– Memantine (Namenda)
• Medicines used to control symptoms,
allow caregivers to provide easier care.

10. Research
• Neuroimaging
– Finding damaged parts of the brain
• Alzheimer’s Genetics
• Anti-oxidants
• Ginkgo biloba
– Using to stimulate memory
• Estrogen
– Tested for levels found in AD patients, which
are women

11. References
• www.bic.ucs.edu/images/alz3d.jpg
• www.ahaf.org
• www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications