Alzheimer’s is a progressive, degenerative brain disorder affecting a person’s memory, thinking, and reasoning ability. It is the most common form of dementia, which affects people in their mid-60s and beyond. Unfortunately, there is no known cure yet for Alzheimer’s disease, which is currently fatal. However, treatments can help lessen symptoms and improve quality of life.
Let’s take a deeper look at how Alzheimer’s affects the brain.
Effects of Alzheimer’s Disease on the Brain
Alzheimer’s disease is an illness classified as a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain. It is the most common form of dementia characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function and memory.
Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease may include difficulty remembering recent events or names and struggling to complete familiar tasks. As the disease progresses, patients may experience more severe symptoms such as disorientation, mood swings, and difficulty speaking and swallowing.
Alzheimer’s disease primarily affects the hippocampus, a brain region responsible for forming new memories. This damage to the hippocampus leads to the characteristic memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
The disease also affects other brain areas involved in cognition, including the frontal and temporal lobes. The damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease leads to a decrease in brain size and an overall loss of brain tissue.
Main Characteristics of the Alzheimer’s Brain
Currently, available treatments can only manage symptoms and slow disease progression. There is no prevention for Alzheimer’s disease. Still, some factors may reduce your risk of developing the condition, including maintaining a healthy lifestyle, being physically active, and getting enough sleep.
Here are some of the common identifiers of an Alzheimer’s patient’s brain:
1. The Build-up of Plaque and Tangles
Plaque is a sticky substance that consists of bits of the protein beta-amyloid. These clumps of plaque can damage and kill brain cells.
Normal tau proteins help keep nerve cells in place and functioning correctly. When tau proteins become abnormal and twist out of shape, they form tangles inside brain cells, which causes the cells to die.
2. Shrinking Brain Tissue
Brain cells shrink and die when plaque and tangles form in the brain. This shrinkage results in smaller overall brain size.
3. Loss of Connections Between Nerve Cells
Nerve cells communicate with each other by sending electrical signals back and forth. Alzheimer’s disease causes the loss of these vital connections.
4. Inflammation
Inflammation is how our bodies naturally respond to the immune system to injury or disease. In an Alzheimer’s patient’s brain, inflammation occurs in response to the buildup of plaque and tangles.
5. Changes in Brain Chemistry
Many chemicals affect the brain, and these include neurotransmitters and enzymes. Alzheimer’s disease specifically affects the levels of these chemicals in the brain, which can hurt cognitive function and mood.
Neurotransmitters are responsible for communicating messages between cells, and if they are not functioning correctly, this can lead to problems with memory, learning, and other cognitive skills.
Enzymes are responsible for chemical reactions in the body, and if they are not working correctly, this can lead to problems with metabolism, energy levels, and other vital functions.
Conclusion
Alzheimer’s is a sickness in the brain and worsens over time, and commonly presents itself in a patient’s golden years. Though it’s incurable, there are treatments available that can help to manage the symptoms of the disease.
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