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Alzheimer's disease is a disease that effects the brain cells, leading to dementia and a deterioration of the brain itself. The disease can be hard to diagnose at first, because it happens slowly and the symptoms can be mild. At first, the only symptom may be mild forgetfulness, such as forgetting recent events, people's names or being unable to solve simple math problems. While these symptoms can be alarming, they are not necessarily dangerous. However, as the disease progresses, the symptoms become more obvious and can become a serious problem. You will eventually need to seek medical help because the forgetfulness will start to effect daily activities. A person in this stage of Alzheimer's might forget to brush their teeth, comb their hair and or no longer be able to think clearly. They might forget places or people they have been familiar with their whole lives. In the final stages of Alzheimer's, the patient may become overly anxious or aggressive and may wander away from home and get lost. At this point, the patient will need total care.
If you are worried about a family member or friend becoming effected with Alzheimer's disease, there are several warning signs that you should watch for. They include, memory loss of recent events, difficulty performing daily tasks, language problems (forgetting what a toothbrush is called for instance), being disorientated for the time and place they are in, poor judgment for simple things such as dressing appropriately for the weather, being unable to think abstractly, rapid mood changes, personality changes, and a loss of initiative, or becoming very passive in nature.
The disease comes in 7 stages. The first stage of brain deterioration is unsociable by doctors and there are no personality changes in the individual, the second stage includes very mild dementia, followed by the fourth, fifth and sixth stage in which each stage the level of forgetfulness and dementia increase. Finally, the seventh, and final stage of Alzheimer's is classified as severe and includes symptoms such as becoming incapable of speaking, going to the washroom alone, and inability to walk, sit up straight, smile, or hold their own head up. At this stage, the muscles deteriorate, and become stiff and rigid. Swallowing also becomes impaired.
There is no significant amount of research today that says why or when people develop Alzheimer's disease. Some research shows that it may be hereditary. It may also be induced by environmental factors such as drug and alcohol intake. However there are no hard facts proving either statement. Currently, there are no cures for the disease, although there is weak evidence suggesting that keeping the brain active by reading or doing crossword puzzles can help reduce an individuals chances of developing the disease.
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