{"id":813,"date":"2024-06-25T12:31:46","date_gmt":"2024-06-25T16:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/?page_id=813"},"modified":"2024-06-25T13:00:40","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T17:00:40","slug":"what-is-alzheimers-disease","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/resources-materials\/what-is-alzheimers-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Understanding Alzheimer&#8217;s disease<\/h1>\n<p>Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that causes brain cells to degenerate and die. It is the most common cause of dementia, a group of brain disorders that result in the loss of intellectual and social skills. These changes are severe enough to interfere with daily functioning.<\/p>\n<h2>Symptoms<\/h2>\n<p>Alzheimer&#8217;s disease affects each person differently, but common symptoms include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information.<\/li>\n<li>Difficulty planning or solving problems.<\/li>\n<li>Confusion with time or place.<\/li>\n<li>Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships.<\/li>\n<li>Problems with words in speaking or writing.<\/li>\n<li>Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.<\/li>\n<li>Decreased or poor judgment.<\/li>\n<li>Withdrawal from work or social activities.<\/li>\n<li>Changes in mood and personality, including apathy* and depression.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Causes and Risk Factors<\/h2>\n<p>While the exact cause of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease is not fully understood, it is believed to result from a combination of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors that affect the brain over time. Key risk factors include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Age: The risk increases significantly after the age of\u00a0<strong>65<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Family history: Having a close relative with the disease increases the risk.<\/li>\n<li>Genetics: Specific genes, such as APOE-e4, have been linked to Alzheimer&#8217;s.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Diagnosis and Treatment<\/h2>\n<p>There is no single test for Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. Diagnosis is based on a careful medical history, physical examination, neurological exams, and mental status tests. Brain imaging and biomarkers can also support the diagnosis.<\/p>\n<p>While there is no cure for Alzheimer&#8217;s, treatments are available to help manage symptoms. Medications can temporarily improve symptoms or slow their progression. Non-drug approaches, such as cognitive training and lifestyle changes, can also support brain health and quality of life.<\/p>\n<h2>Living with Alzheimer&#8217;s<\/h2>\n<p>Living with Alzheimer&#8217;s disease can be challenging for both patients and their families. Support is available through various resources, including support groups, counseling, and respite care. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, a balanced diet, and mental stimulation can help manage symptoms and improve overall well-being.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Understanding Alzheimer&#8217;s disease Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease is a progressive neurological disorder that causes brain cells to degenerate and die. It is the most common cause of dementia, a group of brain disorders that result in the loss of intellectual and social skills. These changes are severe enough to interfere with daily functioning. Symptoms Alzheimer&#8217;s disease affects [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22249,"featured_media":0,"parent":807,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/813"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22249"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=813"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/813\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":838,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/813\/revisions\/838"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/brainplasticity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}