Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disease that gradually leads to destruction in memory and the ability to continue learning, speaking reasoning, judging, communication, and activities of daily living, as well as changes in behavior. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, commonly referred to as ‘dementia’.

Alzheimer's disease affects all groups of society and has nothing to do with social class, gender, ethnic group or geographical region. In addition, Alzheimer's disease is more common among the elderly, but young people can also be affected by this disease.

Alzheimer's disease affects millions of people today. It is very important to know that Alzheimer's disease is not a normal consequence of aging. Although there is no treatment that eliminates the disease, there are treatments that can reduce the symptoms of the disease and improve the quality of life of the patient.

What Causes Alzheimer's Disease?

The causes of Alzheimer's disease are currently unknown. However, the issues that do not cause Alzheimer's disease are obvious.
It does not occur due to vascular stiffness.
It does not occur because the brain is used more or less than normal.
It does not occur as a result of infection.

It is not caused by old age and is not a natural part of the aging process.
It does not develop due to exposure to aluminum or other metals.
The exact causes of Alzheimer's are unknown, but it may be due to nutritional deficiencies. For example, it has been found that Alzheimer's patients have low levels of B12 and zinc in their bodies. B vitamins are important for mental function but are poor in processed foods.
In Alzheimer's patients, carotenoids, vitamins A and E are also low. These substances have antioxidant properties and prevent free radicals from causing damage to brain cells.

What Are The Symptoms of Alzheimer's?

Memory loss: Forgetting recent information and events is one of the most important symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common cause of dementia (commonly called dementia). The patient begins to forget more and more often, and then he can not remember them.
Difficulty performing daily life functions: Patients often have difficulty planning and completing their daily tasks. They are increasingly having problems with tasks with certain steps, such as cooking, talking on the phone, or choosing clothes.

Speech difficulties: Alzheimer's patients may have difficulty finding words, hang out while they speak, use definitions instead of baldness, for example, they cannot remember the name of the toothbrush, but instead say "what I use for my mouth". As a result, it becomes difficult to understand what they say or write.
Confusing the time and places: Alzheimer's patients can confuse the day, the month, the season, get lost in familiar places, such as the surroundings of their home, forget where they are, or don't remember what they're doing there.
Difficulty evaluating and deciding: Alzheimer's patients may dress inappropriately, for example, wearing layers of clothes in hot weather or walking around in thin clothes in the cold.
Difficulty with abstract thinking: Alzheimer's patients may have unusual difficulties performing complex mental tasks.

Putting things in the wrong places: Alzheimer's patients can put things in unusual places: for example, putting the iron in the refrigerator or putting their watch in a sugar jar. Also, they often forget where they put their stuff.
Mood or behavioral changes: Alzheimer's patients' moods may show sudden changes when there is no apparent valid reason, for example, they may become suddenly and disproportionately irritable, they may cry quickly or become withdrawn, they may have dreams or misperceptions.
Personality changes: Patients may experience dramatic changes in their personality, become overly skeptical, cowardly, or dependent on a family member.
Avoiding responsibility: Alzheimer's patients may become very passive, sitting in front of the television for hours, sleeping too much, or not wanting to do their usual work.
When one or more of these 10 symptoms are noticed by the individual himself or his relatives, it is important to consult a neurologist or psychiatrist without delay in terms of early diagnosis of the disease.

How often does Alzheimer's disease occur?

Alzheimer's often occurs in people over the age of 65. It has been found that this disease, which is seen in both women and men, is slightly more common in women. Research has shown that on average, one in every 15 people over the age of 65 has this disease. One in two people over the age of 80-85 have Alzheimer's.

There are more than 20 million Alzheimer's patients in the world. Approximately 300 thousand of these patients are in our country. The number of these patients is increasing day by day. Because human life in the world is prolonged and the number of elderly people is increasing.

How Is Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosed?

If you have some of the symptoms, you should consult a psychologist or a neurologist. With the brain film, blood tests and laboratory tests, Alzheimer's disease is tried to be distinguished from other diseases. Not all forgetfulness is a symptom of this disease. In this way, the definitive diagnosis of the disease is made.

What Is Alzheimer's Disease Treatment?

There is no definitive cure for the disease. In other words, with treatment, the disease can not be completely eliminated. First of all, it should be known that early diagnosis is very important in the treatment of this disease.
With treatment, the progression of the disease is slowed down and the symptoms of the disease are reduced. The goal is to improve the patient's quality of life. In addition, various medications are used to cope with the psychological problems that arise. However, if these drugs are not taken under the supervision of a doctor, they can lead to worse problems.