What is Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimers disease affects the brain.  It is a type of dementia and is caused by parts of the brain deteriorating.  The disease can affect younger people but is most common in those over 65 years old.  The exact reason people get Alzheimers disease is still unknown but we do know that the older a person is, the more likely they are to get it.

Now symptoms vary between people, but some signs of early Alzheimers disease can include forgetting the names of people or places and sometimes substituting a forgotten word with one that sounds similar but has a different meaning.  Also being unable to remember recent events, or having mood swings or a change in personality.  For example, becoming easily agitated or upset when that person is usually calm.  Now symptoms can also vary in different people so if you suspect something might be wrong, it is important to see your doctor.  Getting an early diagnosis means you can help and treatment faster which can slow down the diseases progression.

Another important reason for seeing a doctor is to rule out other conditions, for example, the symptoms of depression or stress related illnesses can be similar to those experienced by people with early stage Alzheimers disease.  Now there isn't one official way to diagnose Alzheimers disease so your doctor is likely to perform a series of tests, along with taking a blood sample and a common test is to ask a patient to draw a clock with numbers around the edge, and to draw on the clock hands at a specific time.  Now this sounds simple, but along with similar tests and questions your doctor can determine the state of your memory and brain function.