The Alzheimer’s disease – most common form of ‘dementia’ is also known as SDAT (senile dementia of the Alzheimer type), PDDAT (primary degenerative dementia of the Alzheimer’s type). This disease is degenerative, incurable, and fatal. Alzheimer disease was initially described by a German neuropathologist and psychiatrist in 1906 named Alois Alzheimer, and so is named after him. On an average scale, this disease is found to be diagnosed in the people over 60 years of age (American Journal of Public health – September 1998) and by 2006, there were 26.6 million sufferers found all over the globe, and this ratio is projected to be affecting 1 out of every 85 people globally, by 2050. (Worldwide population prospects – United Nations 2007).
Alzheimer disease, as aforementioned is chronic which eventually leads to death. As the disease burgeons, symptoms like aggression, irritability, and confusions are seen leading to swinging of mood, language break down and long term memory loss; gradually the complete functioning of the body is lost. The disease develops for an imprecise period of time before it becomes completely apparent and in many cases it progresses being remain undiagnosed for years and once the disease is diagnosed, lesser than the 3 percent of individuals survive more than 14 years after the Alzheimer’s diagnose (long term survival and predictors of mortality in Alzheimer’s disease and multi infarct dementia – UK March 1995).
According to the Alzheimer’s association (the leading researchers and supporters of the Alzheimer disease), the common cause of dementia is the Alzheimer’s disease. To nurture the statement, it is said that the memory loss which interrupts an individual’s every day life is not always a symptom of aging but instead is dementia – eventually leading to long term memory loss and decline of reasoning and thinking skills. So to cater the pertinent cause in its initial stage, the Alzheimer’s association has developed a checklist of the early ten symptoms which occur commonly and help out in establishing the notion and the warning signs of the Alzheimer’s disease respectively;
1. Memory Loss:
The forgetfulness – defined as the forgetting the most recent incidents and the learned information. It advances in forgetting the most important past dates, events, or even the names. In addition to it, prompting for any specific information again and again and relying on certain aids to help one’ self out (like reminder notes etc) or other family members for those things which were handled all by ones own self before. But what is considered normal is to forget names and appointments on occasional basis.
2. Difficulty in task performance
People at an early stage of AD find difficulty in planning and carrying out the daily tasks which were even familiar to them. To be more specific, individuals may forget the steps involved in preparing a meat, playing a game, or placing a phone call etc. however it is normal to occasionally forget what you were to do / plan when you enter your room.
3. Language problem
Individuals with early dementia find difficulty in speaking simple words and they often tend to substitute them with difficult ones – making it harder for others to understand. People, for example, may forget the word ‘spoon’ and asking in the way “where is that thing with which I eat sometimes?” however what is normal, is to be unable to find the right word sometimes.
4. Confusion
Loosing track of dates, passage of time, and the seasons – and even in some cases, the individuals tend to be at trouble in understanding something if it is not immediately happening. Sometimes they even can forget where they are and what are they doing. They can become disoriented with their neighborhood too.
5. Misplacement of things
An individual may misplace certain usual things at unusual places like misplacing iron in freezer, egg in the draw etc. however misplacing of keys in wallets temporarily is normal.
6. Poor Judgment
The sufferer may dress inappropriately in summer, wearing several warm layers and contrary in winter.
7. Change in personality
The dramatic change in personality of the individuals in early dementia is seen; confused, suspicious, fearful and mentally dependent on other family members.
8. Losing initiative
The individual with the early Alzheimer disease may become passive in front of TV, sitting for hours, and sleeping more than usual period.
9. Problems with abstract thinking
The individuals at early stages have reported to find difficulty in managing complex mental tasks; forgetting numbers series and their usage etc.
10. Mood swings
In addition to changes in personality of the early stage sufferer, the sudden mood swings are also reported – from ultra calm to immediate ferociousness, from tears to anger etc. and without any apparent reason.
