| Alzheimer's Disease  Alzheimer's disease is a
form of dementia, characterized by severe memory loss and impaired thinking and behavior.
As many as 4 million Americans are affected by this disorder, which usually affects older
adults.
Alzheimer's patients experience a decline in their ability to
perform routine tasks, they have difficulty remembering names and locations. Their
personality changes, as they also become anxious and easily confused. Their language and
communication skills gradually decline, and they eventually become unable to feed, dress
or care for themselves.
Alzheimer's can also affect people in middle-age. At that
stage, it is sometimes difficult to diagnose, as its effects can be mistaken as normal
aging. Life span for Alzheimer's patients varies from case to case, from a few years to 20
or more years after the first symptoms.
The cause for Alzheimer's is unknown, and there is no cure
available. However, approximately 20% of suspected Alzheimer's cases prove to be a
medical condition other than Alzheimer's, which can sometimes be treated with success.
Therefore, a person suffering from any of the symptoms of
dementia mentioned above should see a physician to get a thorough clinical examination as
soon as possible.
Dr. Sacks, explorer of the human mind and heart has studied a
fatal disease on the island of GUAM that probably is borne by the seeds
of a primitive tree, a disease that he says if properly studied might help explain
Alzheimer's Disease.
|
