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Nov 8, 2024 · Alzheimer's disease is the biological process that begins with the appearance of a buildup of proteins in the form of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. This causes brain cells to die over time and the brain to shrink. About 6.9 million people in the United States age 65 and older live with Alzheimer's disease.
Mar 13, 2024 · Mixed dementia. While dementia is a general term, Alzheimer's disease is a specific brain disease. It is marked by symptoms of dementia that gradually get worse over time. Alzheimer's disease first affects the part of the brain associated with learning, so early symptoms often include changes in memory, thinking and reasoning skills.
Infections and immune disorders. Dementia-like symptoms can result from a fever or other side effects of the body's attempt to fight off an infection. Multiple sclerosis and other conditions caused by the body's immune system attacking nerve cells also can cause dementia. Metabolic or endocrine problems.
Nov 8, 2024 · An important part of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease includes being able to explain your symptoms. Input from a close family member or friend about your symptoms and their impact on your daily life helps. Tests of memory and thinking skills also help diagnose Alzheimer's disease. Blood and imaging tests can rule out other potential causes of the ...
Jun 7, 2023 · Mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Severe dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Dementia is a term used to describe a group of symptoms that affect intellectual and social abilities enough to interfere with daily function. The five Alzheimer's stages can help you understand what might happen.
The following are used to temporarily improve dementia symptoms. Cholinesterase inhibitors. These medicines work by boosting levels of a chemical messenger involved in memory and judgment. They include donepezil (Aricept, Adlarity), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Razadyne ER).
Mar 13, 2024 · To diagnose Alzheimer's dementia, healthcare professionals conduct tests to measure memory impairment and other thinking skills. They also judge functional abilities and identify behavior changes. A series of tests can rule out other possible causes of symptoms. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Alzheimer's dementia can be diagnosed in several different ways.
Jul 10, 2024 · These Alzheimer's treatments boost the performance of chemicals in the brain that carry information from one brain cell to another. They include cholinesterase inhibitors and the medicine memantine (Namenda). However, these treatments don't stop the underlying decline and death of brain cells. As more cells die, Alzheimer's disease continues to ...
Jul 10, 2024 · A key feature of Alzheimer's disease is irregular amyloid activity and the buildup of beta-amyloid plaques. Lecanemab (Leqembi) and donanemab (Kisunla) are antiamyloid medicines approved for people with mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease.
Jun 2, 2023 · Lewy body dementia is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's disease. Protein deposits called Lewy bodies develop in nerve cells in the brain. The protein deposits affect brain regions involved in thinking, memory and movement. This condition is also known as dementia with Lewy bodies.