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