In the intricate tapestry of life, the early signs of Alzheimer’s often go unnoticed.
A name forgotten, an appointment missed – these memory lapses, though easily dismissed, may mark the gradual onset of Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s disease is a formidable brain disorder that disrupts the delicate choreography of neurons, altering how they function and communicate.
Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging; it’s a physical brain condition that gradually erodes cognitive abilities, leading to impaired thinking, behaviour, and loss of memory.
At Alzheimer’s Research Australia, our mission is clear: we are tirelessly searching for ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat Alzheimer’s disease. To understand it, we must delve into the roots of the disease.
The Crux
What causes Alzheimer’s?
The brain is the control centre for your whole body. Different regions of the brain are responsible for different behaviours. Alzheimer’s disease is a physical brain disease – a progressive dementia that results from the gradual degeneration of brain cells.
The degeneration that occurs in Alzheimer’s disease affects memory, thinking skills, emotions, behaviour and mood. As the disease progresses, symptoms worsen. Initially, word recall and memory of recent events is the first casualty, but over time, long-term memory is also lost. Many other brain functions are impacted, including language, attention, and judgment.
Brain Changes
In Alzheimer’s patients, the brain undergoes significant changes. Abnormal protein accumulations, such as beta-amyloid “plaques” outside brain cells and tau “tangles” inside them, disrupt communication between brain cells. These changes develop slowly, beginning 10-20 years before symptoms manifest.
In the early days, the brain can compensate for the damage, but eventually, the damage becomes too great – brain volume shrinks, and brain function is affected. As the disease affects different areas of the brain, specific functions or abilities are lost. Ultimately, individuals with Alzheimer’s lose the capacity to carry out even the simplest tasks. Tragically, Alzheimer’s is a fatal disease with no cure.
TYPES OF DEMENTIA
Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Dementia is not one specific disease: it is an umbrella term describing a set of symptoms stemming from various brain-related diseases. These are the most common causes of dementia:
- 50-75% – Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.
- 20-30% – Vascular dementia is caused by restricted blood flow in the brain resulting in brain damage. It can be caused by multiple strokes or a single large stroke, or from untreated high blood pressure or diabetes leading to vascular disease in the small blood vessels deep within the brain. It affects reasoning and judgment and in the long term, memory is affected.
- 10-25% – Lewy body dementia is diagnosed when proteins called Lewy bodies are abnormally deposited in the brain which affects chemicals in the brain, which in turn leads to changes in behaviour, cognition, memory, sleep and movement. Lewy bodies are also present in Parkinson’s disease.
- 10-15% – Frontotemporal dementia is the result of damage to neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Symptoms include changes in personality and behaviour because of the part of the brain affected. There are also issues with emotional regulations, language and movement. Commonly diagnosed in people under the age of 65.
Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease is the cause of approximately 70% of all dementia cases.
