Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia syndrome that causes progressive degeneration of brain neurons and deterioration of cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, language, orientation, perception, reasoning, and thinking. To understand what the symptoms are, look at the warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Some hypotheses attempt to demonstrate the causes of this disease and explain many of the symptoms that occur during its development, but Alzheimer’s disease is known to be linked to the combination of several causes including genetics and other risk factors such as aging.inactivity, head injuries and smoking, for example.
The main possible causes of Alzheimer’s disease are
Changes have been shown in certain genes that influence brain function, such as APP genes, apoE, PSEN1, and PSEN2, for example, that appear to be linked to neuronal lesions that lead to Alzheimer’s disease, but are not yet known exactly.that determines the changes.
Despite this, less than half of the cases of this disease are hereditary, that is, it is transmitted by the parents or grandparents of the person, who is the Alzheimer’s family, which occurs in younger people, 40 to 50 years old, who have a much worse fast.People affected by this variant of Alzheimer’s disease have a 50% chance of passing the disease on to their children.
The most common type, however, is sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, which is not family-related and occurs in people over age 60, but it is still difficult to find the cause of this disease.
People with Alzheimer’s disease have been observed to have an abnormal buildup of proteins, called beta-amyloid protein and Tau protein, which cause inflammation, disorganization and destruction of neural cells, especially in regions of the brain called the hippocampus and cortex.
It is known that these changes are influenced by the genes that have been cited, however, it has not yet been discovered what exactly causes this accumulation, nor what needs to be done to prevent it and, therefore, Alzheimer’s disease has not been cured.has still been found …
Acetylcholine is an important neurotransmitter released by neurons, with a very important role in the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain and allowing it to function properly.
It is known that in Alzheimer’s disease Acetylcholine is decreased and the neurons that produce it degenerate, but the cause is still unknown, despite this, the current treatment that exists for this disease is the use of anticholineste remedies, such as Donepezila, Galantamine.and Rivastigmine, which work by increasing the amount of this substance, which, although not cured, slows the progression of dementia and improves symptoms.
Although there are genetic risks, sporadic Alzheimer’s disease also manifests itself due to conditions influenced by our habits that cause inflammation of the brain, such as:
For these reasons, an important way to avoid Alzheimer’s disease is to lead a healthy lifestyle, preferring a diet rich in vegetables, with few industrialized products, in addition to the practice of physical activity.See what attitudes you must have to live a long, healthy life.
Recent studies have indicated that another possible cause of Alzheimer’s disease is the cold sore virus, HSV-1, which can enter the body during childhood and stay asleep in the nervous system, reactivating itself only in times of stress and weakened system.Immune.
Scientists say people with the APOE4 and HSV-1 gene are more likely to have Alzheimer’s disease.In addition, with age, there is a weakening of the immune system, which can promote the arrival of the virus into the brain, activating during periods of stress or a decrease in the immune system, resulting in a buildup of abnormal beta-amyloid and tau proteins, characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease.It should be noted that not everyone with HSV-1 will necessarily develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Because of the discovery of the possible relationship between the herpes virus and the development of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers have been looking for treatment options that can help delay symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or even cure the disease by using antiviral drugs, such as aciclovir.For example.
Alzheimer’s disease is suspected when there are symptoms that show memory impairment, especially more recent memory, associated with other changes in reasoning and behavior, which worsen over time. how:
For the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease it is necessary to perform reasoning tests such as the mini mental state examination, clock design, verbal influence test and other neuropsychological tests, performed by the neurologist or geriatrician.
You can also order tests such as brain MRI for brain changes, as well as clinical and blood tests, which can rule out other conditions that cause changes in memory, such as hypothyroidism, depression, vitamin B12 deficiency, hepatitis, or HIV, for example.
In addition, the accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins and Tau proteins can be verified by examining the cerebrospinal fluid collection, but because it is expensive, it is not always available to perform.
Take a quick test now by answering the following questions that can help you identify your risk of Alzheimer’s disease (without replacing your doctor’s evaluation):
The treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is to reduce symptoms of the disease, but this disease is still incurable, for its treatment it is suggested the use of drugs, such as Donepezila, Galantamine, Rivastigmine or Memantine, in addition to stimuli with the practice of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychotherapy.
Learn more about treating Alzheimer’s disease.