Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. This progressive and terminal brain disorder has no known cause or cure. It slowly steals the minds of its victims, leading to memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, personality changes, disorientation and the inability to communicate.
Known Risk Factors
* Age: The single greatest risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease is age. Approximately 5 percent of Americans between the ages of 65 and 74, and almost half of those 85 years and older are estimated to have Alzheimer’s.
* Genetics: The majority of Alzheimer’s cases are late-onset, usually developing after age 65, and this form of the disease shows no obvious inheritance pattern. However, in some families, clusters of cases are seen. A gene called Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) appears to be a risk factor for the late-onset form of Alzheimer’s. There are three forms of this gene: ApoE2, ApoE3 and ApoE4. Roughly one in four Americans has ApoE4 and one in twenty has ApoE2. While inheritance of ApoE4 increases the risk of developing the disease, ApoE2 substantially protects against it. Some current research is focused on the association between these two forms of ApoE and Alzheimer’s disease. Familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) or early-onset Alzheimer’s is an inherited, rare form of the disease, affecting less than 10 percent of patients. Familial Alzheimer’s Disease develops before age 65, in people as young as 35. It is caused by one of three gene mutations on chromosomes 1, 14 and 21. More information visit http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/
Click on link below for Memory Games and Exercises
http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/resources/memorygames.html
Tags: Alzheimer's care portland OR, elder care portland, Senior Health
