Can’t remember words anymore, have difficulty concentrating, problems with orientation. What happens? Sometimes (but beware of self-diagnoses, you need to go to your doctor instead) these are the first symptoms of one pathology. Often, however, the border between different states, especially at the beginning, is a lot labile. Will it be Alzheimer’s? Dementia? Or none of this?
L’Alzheimer
Alzheimer’s is named after Alois Alzheimerthe German neurologist who for the first time in 1907 described its symptoms and neuropathological aspects.
This pathology is a type of dementia that consists of a slow and progressive decline of cognitive functions. Indeed, this disease is the most common form of degenerative dementia that occurs mainly after the age of 65.
At the basis of the disease, the etiology of which is not yet clear, there may be changes in the metabolism of a protein and genetic anomalies.
Alzheimer’s symptoms
The degenerative process progressively destroys the cells of the brain, causing an irreversible deterioration of functions cognitive (memory, reasoning and language), up to compromising the ability to carry out normal daily activities.
Those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease have severe mental disorders memory recent (this is a particular characteristic trait), experiences difficulties of orientation in space and time, he accuses concentration problems, has mood swings and personality alterations, as well as progressive language difficulties. Those affected tend to repeats always the same questions, even within a few minutes, neglect one’s own person and one’s home and gradually loses autonomy.
This type of dementia usually has an onset sneaky: people begin to forget some things, to end up not even recognizing family members.
Il course of the disease is slow and on average patients can live up to 8-10 years after diagnosis.
Unfortunately there is no real and effective prevention against the development of the disease. Several studies suggest that the risk can be reduced by decreasing the risk of heart disease, overweight and diabetes and that a balanced diet, physical activity and cognitive stimulation can help the well being of the brain.
Dementia
For dementia (which is a syndrome) generally means a condition of dysfunction chronic and progressive impairment of brain function leading to a decline in cognitive faculties. Dementia is a condition that affects 1% to 5% of the population over i 65 years old of age, with a prevalence that then doubles every four years.
I disturbances associated with dementia are represented by a more or less rapid loss of memory, very often accompanied by changes in personality and behavior. Such manifestations are capable of compromising theautonomy of people to the point of interfering with the normal performance of daily activities, personal care, work activities and interpersonal relationships.
Dementias are divided into primaries (such as Alzheimer’s, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia) and secondary. The latter are a consequence of other conditions: an example is dementia from AIDS or vascular dementias.
Senile dementia
It is the loss of cognitive abilities not motivated by other reasons, if not byaging. It is characterized by the constant deterioration of intellectual abilities, ability psychomotor skills, including writing and speaking, sphincter control and cognitive decline.
The initial symptoms of senile dementia are memory loss, difficulty of concentration and to carry out daily tasks, speech difficulties, space-time confusion, mood swings.
With Alzheimer’s it can be overlap of symptoms, at least in the initial phase: the disease, however, can have multiple traits serious even in the primordial stage.
Doctors make use of different test ed exams to check the patient’s health status. The diagnosis is important precocious.