Although there is no known cure for Alzheimers, there are a number of treatments which can be used to ensure the symptoms are kept under control and the sufferer's overall standard of life for the duration of the condition is as comfortable as it can possibly be. It still remains on the whole a mysterious condition, with very little known about its causes or the precise nature of its effects. Alzheimers disease is a neurodegenerative disease that causes the patient to suffer from progressive intellectual deterioration.
Various associations realted to the disease are usually non-profit organizations that focus on matters related to it; the primary concern is to develop a treatment for this disorder. In mid-2002, a hospital clinic in Portugal investigated to see if there was a link between drinking coffee and the reduction of the risk of developing Alzheimers disease. A university clinic located in Berlin, Germany, looked at the relationship between consumption of coffee and the delay in the onset of Alzheimers disease or reduction in the rate of progression of the disease.
At this time there are no known cures for the disease, but there are some medications and have shown promise in at least slowing the disease's progression, and medical science is optimistic about research into the field. Although there is no known definitive cause of the condition, there are many theories and tests currently ongoing to help unlock the key to this degenerative disease. It is thought that there are a number of factors which may help in forming an Alzheimers diagnosis, such as family history and any previous serious head injuries, which may indicate a likelihood of the condition.
The vast majority of patients suffering from the condition receive their Alzheimers help and care in their own home by a family member or friend. There are researches that suggest that Alzheimers disease may be hereditary, meaning if someone in the family has acquired this condition, other members are at risk. Past studies showed that people who play chess on a regular basis are at a significantly lower risk of falling victim to the condition as compared to the general population.
These behaviors are seen even in individuals that were shy, timid, or passive people prior to developing the disease. An Alzheimers patient displays unpredictable mood changes not typical of the person prior to his disease. Doctors have discovered that there are changes in the brain found in a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimers disease affects the mind in such a way, that the person (at least in our situation) cannot function in normal situations. A person who has the disorder experiences trouble in completing a sentence. There are some Alzheimers medicines which have been proven to temporarily delay the process of mental deterioration.
A person with Alzheimers Disease might forget the simplest words, misplace things and have a loss of mental functioning including language, recognition of family, reading and writing. There are other more natural alternatives, including herbal preparations (gingko, lycopodium, salvia,) thyroid supplement (when hypothyroidism is the cause), nutritional supplementation using whole food preparations of vitamins such as inositol and lecithin, and a specific product called Cholodin which combines choline and several other nutrients (choline, phosphatidylcholine, methionine, inositol, and various B vitamins and antioxidants. Mutated genes that mingle with each other and with non-genetic factors cause AD, and the only recognized gene is one form of a protein called apolipoprotein E (ApoE).
Researchers do not yet fully recognize what is the actual cause of Alzheimer's disease. There are no actual tests that can be administered to a person who suffers from Alzheimer's disease pre-mortem.
The doctors don't know for sure - hopefully one day they will.
About the Author
David McFarlane is a proud contributing author and writes articles on alzheimers. You can visit his Stage Of Alzheimers site at http://www.alzheimers-world.com for more information.
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