Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a serious, degenerative condition that still has no cure. AD is a disorder of the brain that seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities which can also make an individual mentally handicapped. This type of dementia is irreversible and those who are afflicted by AD cannot be cured, or at least, not yet. As a form of dementia, AD is accompanied by a group of symptoms caused by changes in brain function. Dementia symptoms may include asking the same questions repeatedly, becoming lost in familiar places, being unable to follow directions, or getting disoriented about time, people, or places. It may also include neglecting personal safety, hygiene, and nutrition. People with dementia lose their abilities at different rates.

Further, there are many different medical conditions that may cause symptoms that seem like AD, but are not. Some of these medical conditions may be treatable. Reversible conditions can be caused by a high fever, dehydration, vitamin deficiency and poor nutrition, bad reactions to medicines, problems with the thyroid gland, or a minor head injury. Medical conditions like these can be serious and should be treated by a doctor as soon as possible.

In AD, nerve cell changes in certain parts of the brain result in the death of a large number of cells. Symptoms of AD begin slowly and become steadily worse. As the disease progresses, symptoms

range from mild forgetfulness to serious impairment in thinking, judgment, ability to perform daily functions. Eventually, patients may need total care.

Research has shown that there is not enough of a chemical called acetylcholine in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. Acetylcholine is one of the chemicals that nerve cells use to communicate.

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic condition in which changes begin in midlife or even earlier. But currently, researchers found out that the diagnosis is not made until symptoms develop, and by then it may already be too late to rescue the brain. There are medications in use to temporarily ease the effects of symptoms. however, it cannot stop the underlying disease.

Medications such as Aricept, Exelon, and Reminyl prevent an enzyme known as acetylcholinesterase from breaking down acetylcholine in the brain. Increased concentrations of acetylcholine lead to increased communication between nerve cells, which may in turn temporarily improve or stabilize the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. It is possible that one of these drugs might suit an individual better than another. Drug interactions may occur so it is better to seek advice from a medical expert first before trying one of these drugs.

Many scientists believe that the best hope of progress, maybe the only hope, lies in detecting the disease early and devising treatments to stop it before brain damage becomes extensive and before one becomes mentally handicapped. Better still, they would like to intervene even sooner, by identifying risk factors and treating people preventively. This is the same strategy that has marked lowered death rates from heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

Cecill Artates is a women's health advocate and currently writes health-related articles for a women's health magazine. She is also active in promoting sports and health among women and the youth in disadvantaged communities.

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