Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease that causes memory loss and cognitive decline. It’s caused by a build-up of plaques and tangles in the brain that affect how nerve cells communicate with each other.
These abnormal structures obstruct communication between nerve cells, killing them slowly. They also reduce the levels of chemicals in the brain that help brain cells communicate.
That cause alzheimer
There are several factors that may increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. These include age, family history, health, lifestyle and genetics. These factors may affect how your brain works and what types of changes you’ll experience.
A key factor is the way your brain cells function. These cells run like tiny factories that receive supplies, generate energy, build equipment, get rid of waste and process information. It takes a lot of coordination to keep everything running well.
To do this, your brain relies on chemicals that send messages to the other cells. These chemical messengers are called neurotransmitters, and a person with Alzheimer’s has fewer of them than someone without it.
As the levels of these neurotransmitters decrease, your brain becomes less able to communicate with the other parts of your body and think clearly. These changes start in your brain decades before you have symptoms.
Eventually, your brain begins to shrink, a condition known as brain atrophy. This is what causes your memory and thinking skills to decline over time.
Researchers don’t know what triggers these changes in your brain. But they believe it’s because of abnormal deposits of proteins inside and around your brain cells. The deposits, known as amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, damage and kill your neurons.
These abnormal tangles can also create an obstruction in the brain’s pathways. This can cause memory loss and other problems, including disorientation to time and place.
Some people with Alzheimer’s disease are confused about the difference between right and wrong, have trouble understanding instructions and don’t remember what they did the day before or the last time they saw a particular person. They’re also more likely to get lost or misplace things, and may need assistance to perform everyday tasks.
It’s important to recognize these early warning signs of Alzheimer’s and other dementias so that you can get treatment before it’s too late. Getting the proper care and support can help you live comfortably, enjoy a quality life and make the most of your remaining years.
Some of the risk factors that can contribute to your risk of developing Alzheimer’s can be changed, such as alcohol use and sleep habits. There are also ways to lower your risk of vascular disease, which is a common cause of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. These include a healthy diet, exercise, and not smoking.
Signs of alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that affects the brain. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s are related to two abnormalities in the brain called amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. These structures may be a cause of the memory loss and other signs of Alzheimer’s.
These abnormalities in the brain prevent the brain from doing its normal work. Like tiny factories, nerve cells in the brain need fuel and oxygen to operate properly. When the fuel runs out, or when a faulty part of the factory stops working, problems can develop in other areas of the brain as well.
This can make it hard for people with Alzheimer’s to do once-routine activities, such as remembering the names of their children or a favorite song. They may also have trouble finding the right words or understanding what they’re seeing or hearing, or making decisions.
As Alzheimer’s progresses, people can start forgetting important details of their daily lives, such as where they left their car keys or which street to turn on. This can lead to a person becoming lost on their own street or having difficulty getting back home, even when they have a familiar route.
Sometimes, people with Alzheimer’s also have changes in their mood or behavior. They might become confused, suspicious or depressed. They might act out, and they might feel uninterested in family or social obligations.
Eventually, these changes become so severe that they begin to interfere with daily living. This is a normal part of the disease, but it can be frustrating for people with Alzheimer’s and their families.
It’s important to know the symptoms of Alzheimer’s so you can recognize them when they happen and be able to take action. If you notice these signs, or if they appear in someone you know, contact your doctor as soon as possible to discuss the possibility of Alzheimer’s disease.
The stages of Alzheimer’s disease vary from person to person, but they usually follow a progressive pattern. Knowing these stages helps healthcare providers and family members decide how to help a person with Alzheimer’s disease as the disease progresses.
Treatment for alzheimer’s disease
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but there are several treatments that can reduce the symptoms and improve a person’s quality of life. There are also support groups and counselling services to help people and their families cope with the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
In the short term, medicines called cholinesterase inhibitors (such as galantamine and rivastigmine) can improve thinking, memory and judgment problems for a while. These drugs also increase acetylcholine levels in the brain, which helps nerve cells communicate better and slows the progress of Alzheimer’s.
Another drug, memantine, also improves the communication of brain cells and can reduce the symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s for a while. It can be used alone or with cholinesterase inhibitors.
Memantine is available as a tablet or a pill, and can be given to patients as early as the start of symptoms. It is an N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist.
Research shows that memantine can slow or stop the development of plaques and tangles, and even delay the onset of Alzheimer’s. It may also allow some people to maintain daily activities for a few more months, which could give them greater comfort and independence.
New experimental drugs and devices are currently being tested to target the various hallmarks of Alzheimer’s, including the buildup of beta-amyloid plaques and tau protein tangles in the brain. These proteins are a major cause of the neurodegenerative changes that contribute to dementia, and researchers believe these changes offer potential targets for new medications and devices that can stop or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
The FDA recently approved a drug, lecanemab, which can be administered by an intravenous infusion every two weeks for some people with Alzheimer’s. It has been shown to slow cognitive decline and functional impairment in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, but it isn’t yet known how long it will work or what side effects it may have.
A drug called Namenda, which is a mix of the cholinesterase inhibitors Aricept and Donepezil, has also been shown to slow the development of Alzheimer’s. It can be used alone or with a cholinesterase inhibitor to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, and it may also reduce the number of plaques and tangles that develop in the brain.
How to prevent alzheimer’s disease
If you have a family member or loved one who is showing early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, it’s important to talk with your doctor. Often, your doctor will order tests to check for other problems that may be causing memory lapses.
Some of the early signs of Alzheimer’s can be very subtle, so you’ll need to be patient and be on the lookout for changes that you notice. Typical changes include forgetting how to do something that used to be easy, such as getting dressed or preparing meals. They also can include having a hard time remembering someone’s name or a phone number.
People with Alzheimer’s have abnormal deposits of proteins in and around their brain cells. These include plaques of a protein called beta-amyloid and tangles of another protein, tau. They build up in a predictable pattern, beginning in the areas that are important for memory before spreading to other parts of the brain.
These deposits disrupt cell-to-cell communication and interfere with processes that nerve cells need to survive. Over time, this leads to the loss of neurons.
Researchers don’t yet know why this occurs. However, they think that the abnormal proteins (called amyloid plaques and tau tangles) play a role by blocking chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters, that carry information between brain cells.
You can help protect your brain from Alzheimer’s by reducing your risk factors. Some of the best ways to do this are by avoiding tobacco use, getting plenty of sleep, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
Your doctor can also recommend certain medications to treat the disease. These medications, such as donepezil (Aricept) or rivastigmine (Exelon), can help keep levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, in your brain high. These medications can help ease some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and slow down its progression.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative brain disorder that causes memory loss and affects other thinking skills. It’s the most common form of dementia. Symptoms usually start in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that controls memory.
These are the top 5 best prescription weight loss medications on the market. These weight loss meds actually work and I’ve personally used them on many patients with success.
I’ve been helping people lose weight for a long time and over the years I’ve been able to test many different weight loss medications. I’ve found that while there are many prescription weight loss medications available, only a handful actually work very well.
In this video, I will walk you through the top 5 best prescription weight loss medications available on the market, which ones I prefer to use, what you can expect while using them, how they work, and more.
Before you jump in, make sure you understand that while prescription weight loss medications can be very effective, you should never just use them by themselves. If you are serious about weight loss you should combine these weight loss medications with other changes such as adjusting your diet, reducing your stress, exercising daily, and balancing your other hormones.
If your plan is to jump on one of these medications and lose a bunch of weight, it’s probably not going to happen!
But these medications can be very effective if used correctly and if combined with a healthy lifestyle.
The top 5 best prescription medications for weight loss include:
#1. Saxenda/Victoza
Saxenda is FDA approved for weight loss and is probably the single most effective medication on this list.
#2. Invokana/Farxiga
Invokana and Farxiga are not FDA approved for weight loss but they can help. They work by helping your body eliminate or pee out sugar from your kidneys.
#3. Naltrexone
Naltrexone is a part of one FDA approved weight loss medication known as Contrave. Naltrexone is not as effective as the others but it is very safe.
#4. Metformin
Metformin is commonly used to treat diabetes but it does have some weight loss benefits. Don’t expect much from metformin though because many people are already taking it.
#5. Phentermine
Phentermine helps with weight loss by reducing your appetite and increasing up your metabolism. It only works if it is used correctly, however, so don’t just jump on it without understanding how to use it.
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Disclaimer:
Dr. Westin Childs received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic medicine in 2013. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Childs is no longer practicing medicine and does not hold an active medical license so he can focus on helping people through videos, blog posts, research, and supplement formulation. To read more about why he is no longer licensed please see this page: /
This video is for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Childs and you. You should not make any changes to your medications or health regimens without first consulting a physician. If you have any questions please consult with your current primary care provider. Restart Medical LLC and Dr. Westin Childs are not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this website or video.
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