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Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. It affects your memory, thinking, and behavior. It often progresses to the point where it affects daily activities and functions. Alzheimer disease most commonly affects older adults, but it can also affect people in their 30s or 40s. When Alzheimer disease occurs in someone under age 65, it is known as early-onset (or younger-onset) Alzheimer disease. A very small number of people with Alzheimer disease have the early-onset form. Many of them are in their 40s and 50s when the disease takes hold. Most types of early-onset Alzheimer disease are the same, but there are a few small distinctions:
What causes early-onset Alzheimer disease?Experts don't know what triggers the start of Alzheimer disease. They suspect that 2 proteins damage and kill nerve cells. Fragments of one protein, beta-amyloid, build up and are called plaques. Twisted fibers of another protein, tau, are called tangles. Almost everyone develops plaques and tangles as they age. But those with Alzheimer disease develop many, many more. At first, these plaques and tangles damage the memory areas of the brain. Over time, they affect more areas of the brain. Experts don't know why some people develop so many plaques and tangles, or how they spread and damage the brain. What are the risks for early-onset Alzheimer disease?Family history of the disease is the only known risk factor at this time. What are the symptoms of early-onset Alzheimer disease?For most people with early-onset Alzheimer disease, the symptoms closely mirror those of other forms of Alzheimer disease. Early symptoms:
Later symptoms:
How is early-onset Alzheimer disease diagnosed?The current diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer disease relies on detecting the signs of mental decline noted above. Your healthcare provider can then diagnose Alzheimer disease with a few tests. First, your healthcare provider asks about your health history, and also does cognitive tests of memory, problem solving, and other mental skills. Depending on the results of the office-based cognitive testing, your provider may also request that you have more detailed testing done with a neuropsychologist. Your provider might also test your blood, urine, and spinal fluid. You may also need certain imaging test such as CT and MRI scans of your brain. These give your provider a closer look at brain tissue to show how much damage there is. In the future, researchers hope that studies on biomarkers will allow experts to diagnose the disease more quickly. Biomarkers are proteins in the body, or other types of markers, that reliably indicate the progress of a disease. How is early-onset Alzheimer disease treated?Early-onset Alzheimer disease currently has no cure. But healthcare providers have been successful in helping people maintain their mental function, control behavior, and slow the progress of the disease. Medicines are used to help people maintain mental function. They include:
Results have been mixed, but these medicines seem to help people with their symptoms for anywhere from a few months to a few years. Other treatments that may play a role in slowing the progress of early-onset Alzheimer disease include physical activity, cardiovascular and diabetes treatments, antioxidants, and cognitive training. A number of studies are ongoing in this area, and researchers are learning new things about Alzheimer disease every day. Can early-onset Alzheimer disease be prevented?Experts don’t know how to prevent Alzheimer disease. Recently, some evidence showed that detecting the disease early can lead to better treatment options. It’s best to look for any of the early warning signs mentioned above and see your healthcare provider immediately if you notice any. Living with early-onset Alzheimer diseaseEarly-onset Alzheimer disease can be a difficult disease to cope with. It helps to have a positive outlook and to stay as active and mentally engaged as possible. It’s also important to realize that you are not alone. Rely on your friends and family as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to seek out a support group, if you feel that it might be helpful. When the disease is still in its early stages, it's critical to think about the future. This can include financial planning, working with employers on current and potential job responsibilities, clarifying health insurance coverage, and getting all your important documents in order should your health take a turn for the worse. Although Alzheimer disease has no cure, you can make the best of a bad situation by keeping your mind and your body as healthy as possible. This can include eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, cutting down on alcohol, and using relaxation techniques to reduce stress. There is a lot of talk about the emotional pain patients and caregivers suffer when a loved one loses memories to Alzheimer’s. But what about the other symptoms? Here are tips from a Johns Hopkins expert on what to watch for and how to manage.
As with any disease, it is important to keep an eye on your condition. Call your healthcare provider if you notice any sudden changes in yourself, or in the person you care for, that make additional help necessary. You can discuss the next steps with your provider. Key points about early-onset Alzheimer disease
Next stepsTips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:
Johns Hopkins researcher Michael Miller explains how we can use data to create better diagnostic tools for neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease. The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease often come on slowly. It might start when someone has trouble recalling things that just happened or putting thoughts into words. But over time, the problems get worse. People in the later stages of the disease usually can’t live alone or care for themselves. There are three main phases of Alzheimer's: mild, moderate, and severe. Each stage has its own set of symptoms. The first stage usually lasts from 2 to 4 years. The symptoms include:
When a person has one or a few of these issues, it doesn’t necessarily mean they have Alzheimer's. There are other medical conditions that can cause the same problems, such as: A doctor can check on these symptoms and do tests to know if a person has Alzheimer’s or something else. This is when memory loss gets worse and starts to cause problems in daily life. This stage can last from 2 to 10 years. Someone with moderate Alzheimer's may start to forget details about their life, like where they went to high school or when they got married. They may not recognize or remember family members and friends. They might also forget where they leave things and can’t retrace their steps to find them. Other symptoms at this stage can include:
Some people with moderate Alzheimer’s also become more aware that they’re losing control of their lives, which can make them even more frustrated or depressed. The third stage, also known as late Alzheimer's, is the most severe. It typically lasts 1 to 3 years. People in this phase might have some or all of these symptoms:
Just about everyone has minor memory glitches as they get older. If someone forgets a name or why they walked into the kitchen, that doesn't mean they have Alzheimer's. The main problem that defines the disease is trouble planning and handling day-to-day tasks, like paying bills, managing a checkbook, or using familiar appliances around the house. If you think you notice the signs of Alzheimer’s in yourself or a loved one, the best thing to do is to talk to a doctor. They can let you know what the symptoms mean and what your options are for treating them. There are new advances available which can help with early detection and treatment. One is as simple as a blood test to determine the presence or absence of proteins that may indicate there are Alzheimer's associated plaques in the brain. |