With the development of society, people are paying more and more attention to health issues. Today I would like to introduce you to some information about Alzheimer’s disease, which is a progressive brain disease that causes the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities.
Fact
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, is a general term for memory and intellectual loss.
Alzheimer’s disease is fatal and has no cure. It is a chronic disease that begins with memory loss and eventually leads to severe brain damage.
The disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, the neuropathologist performed an autopsy on the brain of a woman who died after developing speech impairment, unpredictable behavior and memory loss. Dr. Alzheimer discovered amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which are considered hallmarks of the disease.
Influencing factors:
Age – After age 65, the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease doubles every five years. For most people, symptoms first appear after age 60.
Family History – Genetic factors play a role in an individual’s risk.
Head Trauma – There may be a link between this disorder and repeated trauma or loss of consciousness.
Heart health – Heart disease such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes can increase the risk of vascular dementia.
What are the 5 warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease?
Possible symptoms: memory loss, repetition of questions and statements, impaired judgment, misplacing items, mood and personality changes, confusion, delusions and paranoia, impulsivity, seizures, difficulty swallowing
What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are both diseases associated with cognitive decline, but there are some differences between them.
Dementia is a syndrome that includes cognitive function decline caused by multiple causes, including symptoms such as memory loss, reduced thinking ability, and impaired judgment. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and accounts for the majority of dementia cases.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that usually strikes older adults and is characterized by abnormal protein deposition in the brain, leading to neuronal damage and death. Dementia is a broader term that includes cognitive decline caused by a variety of causes, not just Alzheimer’s disease.
National estimates
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 6.5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease. The disease is the fifth leading cause of death in adults over 65 in the United States.
The cost of caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias in the United States is projected to be $345 billion in 2023.
early onset alzheimer’s disease
Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease is a rare form of dementia that mainly affects people under the age of 65.
Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease often runs in families.
Research
March 9, 2014—In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers report that they have developed a blood test that can predict with surprising accuracy whether healthy people will develop Alzheimer’s disease.
November 23, 2016 – US drugmaker Eli Lilly announced that it will end the Phase 3 clinical trial of its Alzheimer’s drug solanezumab. “The rate of cognitive decline was not significantly slowed in patients treated with solanezumab compared with patients treated with placebo,” the company said in a statement.
February 2017 – Pharmaceutical company Merck pauses late-stage trials of its Alzheimer’s drug verubecestat after an independent study found the drug to be “little effective.”
February 28, 2019 – The journal Nature Genetics published a study revealing four new genetic variants that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. These genes appear to work together to control body functions that influence the development of the disease.
April 4, 2022 – A study published this article has discovered an additional 42 genes linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
April 7, 2022 — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that it will limit coverage of the controversial and expensive Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm to people participating in qualifying clinical trials.
May 4, 2022 – The FDA announced the approval of a new Alzheimer’s disease diagnostic test. It is the first in vitro diagnostic test that could replace tools such as PET scans currently used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.
June 30, 2022 – Scientists have discovered a gene that appears to increase a woman’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, providing new clues as to why women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with the disease. The gene, O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT), plays an important role in the body’s ability to repair DNA damage in both men and women. But researchers found no link between MGMT and Alzheimer’s disease in men.
January 22, 2024—A new study in the journal JAMA Neurology shows that Alzheimer’s disease can be screened with “high accuracy” by detecting a protein called phosphorylated tau, or p-tau, in human blood. Silent disease, can be done even before symptoms begin to appear.
Post time: Jul-09-2024
