Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who first identified it in 1906. It stands as the leading cause of dementia, characterized by a gradual decline in memory, cognition, behaviour, and social skills, significantly affecting an individual’s daily functioning.

Central to AD are the presence of plaques and tangles in the brain. These pathological structures disrupt the normal communication between the brain cells (neurons) and ultimately lead to brain cell death, resulting in brain shrinkage.

AD is a progressive disorder, with symptoms worsening over time. Memory loss is often an early sign, causing individuals to struggle with retaining new information, leading to repetitive questions and forgetfulness of important details. Cognitive deficits follow, affecting memory loss that disrupts daily life, poor judgment leading to bad decisions, loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative, losing track of dates or knowing current location, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, repeating questions or forgetting recently learned information, forgetting about recent conversations or events, misplacing items, having trouble thinking of the right word etc.

AD can be categorized into stages:

Mild AD:
Characterized by memory issues, cognitive difficulties including taking longer than usual to perform tasks, difficulty handling money, wandering and getting lost.
Moderate AD:
Damage to parts of the brain responsible for language, senses, and reasoning leading togreater memory loss, confusion, difficulty recognizing loved ones, impulsive behaviour and delirium.
Severe AD:
Plaques and tangles spread extensively, causing significant brain tissue shrinkage. Patients may become non-communicative, heavily dependent on caregivers, and bedridden.

Diagnosing AD is complex and relies on recognizing memory loss, cognitive decline,or behavioural changes that hinder daily functioning. Often, friends and family notice symptoms before the affected individual. Medical professionals may conduct cognitive tests, neurological evaluations, blood or urine tests, and brain imaging scans to reach a diagnosis.

Currently, there is no known cure for AD, as it’s impossible to reverse brain cell death.However, present treatments aim to alleviate symptoms and enhance the quality of life. While there are no disease-modifying drugs, certain medications can slow symptom progression and improve cognitive functions for a short while. Lifestyle interventions such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, and cognitive stimulation may contribute to a better quality of life.Emotional and behavioural changes, common in AD, can be managed by identifying the triggers and addressing the underlying causes, such as side-effects of medications or other health issues.

Prevention strategies include staying mentally and physically active, managing heart health, and maintaining a social network. Researchers are actively investigating potential breakthroughs in the field, such as new drug therapies and genetic insights, to better understand and combat AD.

Prevention strategies include staying mentally and physically active, managing heart health, and maintaining a social network. Researchers are actively investigating potential breakthroughs in the field, such as new drug therapies and genetic insights, to better understand and combat AD.