What is Alzheimer's disease?

根据国家神经疾病和中风研究所, Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, 当大脑中的神经细胞死亡时发生的神经退行性疾病. The disease often results in the following behaviors:

• Impaired memory, thinking, and behavior

• Confusion

• Restlessness

• Personality and behavior changes

• Impaired judgment

• Impaired communication

• Inability to follow directions

• Language deterioration

• 涉及视觉和空间意识的思维过程受损

• Emotional apathy

How is Alzheimer's different from other forms of dementia?

阿尔茨海默病与其他形式的痴呆症的区别在于，只有在尸检时通过显微镜检查才能看到大脑的特征性变化. 受阿尔茨海默病影响的大脑通常表现出以下特征:

• Fiber tangles within nerve cells (neurofibrillary tangles)

• Clusters of degenerating nerve endings (neuritic plaques)

阿尔茨海默病的另一个特征是神经细胞之间交流所必需的某些大脑化学物质的产生减少, especially acetylcholine, as well as norepinephrine, serotonin, and somatostatin.

Alzheimer’s Disease Causes

Scientists do not fully understand what causes the disease, although age, personal health, family history, 遗传和大脑中异常的蛋白质沉积被认为是原因之一.

美国国家老龄化研究所表示，被怀疑的原因通常包括以下几点:

• Age and family history

• Certain genes

• Abnormal protein deposits in the brain

• Other risk and environmental factors

• Immune system problems

Alzheimer’s Warning Signs

The first, 阿尔茨海默病最常见的预警信号是短期记忆的变化，可能会扰乱日常生活, such as forgetting words or names, or how to get to a familiar location. 熟悉的任务，如做饭或支付账单，可能会变得具有挑战性.

According to the Alzheimer's Association, 以下是阿尔茨海默病最常见的症状. 然而，每个人可能经历不同的症状. Symptoms may include:

• 影响工作技能的记忆丧失，尤其是短期记忆丧失

• Difficulty performing familiar tasks

• Problems with language

• Disorientation to time and place

• Poor or decreased judgment

• Problems with abstract thinking

• Misplacing things

• Changes in mood or behavior

• Changes in personality

• Loss of initiative

• Loss of ability to recognize who people are, even people well known to the individual, such as his or her child or spouse, when the disease progresses to a severe stage

Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis

There is no single test for diagnosing Alzheimer’s. 专家可以排除其他类似的情况，诊断出阿尔茨海默病的准确率约为95%. The only way to confirm the disease is through autopsy.

检查和评估对于确定痴呆症是否是可治疗疾病的结果至关重要. 除了完整的病史和广泛的神经运动和感觉检查, 阿尔茨海默病的诊断程序可能包括以下内容:

• Mental status test. This is a brief and simple test of memory and some other common cognitive or thinking skills; it is usually part of a complete neurological exam

• Neuropsychological testing

• Blood tests

• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap). 将空心针插入下背部(腰椎)的手术。

• Urinalysis. 尿液中各种细胞和化学物质的实验室检查, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, infection, or excessive protein

• Chest X-ray. 一种使用不可见的电磁能量束产生内部组织图像的诊断测试, bones, and organs onto film

• Electroencephalogram (EEG). 通过连接在头皮上的电极记录大脑持续电活动的一种程序

• Computed tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan). 一种诊断成像程序，利用x射线和计算机技术相结合来产生水平图像, or axial, images (often called slices) of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than general X-rays.

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 一种使用大型磁铁组合的诊断程序, radiofrequencies, 还有一台电脑，可以生成人体器官和结构的详细图像

• Genetic testing. 一些基因检测是可用的，特别是在一些研究环境中. 因为阿尔茨海默氏症没有治愈或有效的治疗方法, 接受基因检测的决定需要仔细考虑，并咨询遗传学专家.

Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment

At this time, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s. 当大脑中的神经细胞受损，不能再正常工作时，这种疾病就会发展, and there is no way to reverse this deterioration.

体育锻炼和社会活动对控制阿尔茨海默病最为重要, as are proper nutrition, health maintenance, and a calm and well-structured environment. 药物有时可以帮助治疗认知和行为症状.

阿尔茨海默病的具体治疗方法将由您的医生根据以下情况确定:

• Your age, overall health, and medical history

• Extent of the disease

• 你对特定药物、程序或疗法的耐受性

• Expectations for the course of the disease

• Your opinion or preference

At this time, there is no cure for Alzheimer's, no way of slowing down the progression of this disease, 也没有治疗方法可以逆转阿尔茨海默病的恶化. New research findings give reason for hope, 一些药物正在临床试验中进行研究，以确定它们是否能在一段时间内减缓疾病的进展或改善记忆.

有一些药物可以帮助控制阿尔茨海默病的一些最令人不安的症状, including the following:

• Depression

• Behavioral disturbance

• Sleeplessness

In managing the disease, physical exercise and social activity are important, as are proper nutrition, health maintenance, and a calm and well-structured environment.