Alzheimer´s Disease An in Depth Look at Signs, Symptoms,...

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia affecting the older population. Symptoms are more noticeable over time due to the severity of the stages worsening. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. It accounts for fifty to eighty percent of dementia cases. Contrary to belief Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging. Different parts of the brain are affected causing multiple symptoms sometimes not diagnosed until later stages in the disease. Nerve cell death and tissue throughout the brain is the most significant affect over time. Naturally by age twenty-five the brain starts to decrease in size. With Alzheimer’s, the amount decrease is extremely significant. The cortex begins to shrivel up which is the part of the brain†¦show more content†¦By stage three the decline will be noticed, more often, by friends or family that spend a regular amount of time with the patient. Diagnosis may be detected upon a detailed medical interview. The most typical difficulties include recalling the right name or word and greater difficulty performing regular everyday tasks. Sometimes losing valuable objects and increasing trouble with planning or organizing will be evident. Stage four is more of a moderate cognitive decline, more noticeable upon interview with physician. Patient will be experiencing loss of recollection of recent events and more impaired ability to perform arithmetic, when it wasn’t a complicated t ask before. Patient may also become more temperamental and withdrawn from social activities with friends and family. With stage five cognitive decline is modereately severe with gaps in memory and thinking process. Patient will need help selecting proper clothing related to the season. Patient will also experience trouble recalling telephone number and their own address and even the high school they attended. Although he or she may still remember significant details about themselves and their family members, they seem to experience difficulty with arithmetic. Struggling with counting backwards and by groups of fours or fives, etc.. By stage six, severe decline in cognitive abilities are noticeable and patients require assistance with toiletries. More changes develop in the decline of personality and behavior.