ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

TORI MICHALSKI
WHAT IS ALZHEIMER’S
DISEASE?

 Most common type of dementia

 A progressive disease
 Involves the memory, thought, and language
parts of the brain
 Seriously interferes with daily life
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES?

 Scientists have not fully figured out the causes

 Age
 Family history
 Changes in the brain
 Could be…
 Education, diet, or environment
 Heart disease, strokes
 High blood pressure and high cholesterol

Because of these causes, the cells in the brain change and are damaged
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

 Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging

 Memory loss
 Difficulty with basic tasks at home
 Difficulty with speaking, swallowing, and walking
 Poor judgement
 Loss of items
 Changes in mood, behavior, or personality
DOES IT SPREAD?
 Can be passed on by past
family members
 Inherited by mother is higher
chance than father
 Spreads throughout brain
 Earliest
 Mild to moderate
 Severe
CAN IT BE TREATED?

 There is currently no cure for this disease

 Scientists are working on ways to find a treatment
 So far, some drugs can mask symptoms, but they do not treat the disease in the brain or stop progression
 Researchers have found more promising drugs, but they need volunteers to perform clinical trials on
 Fatal disease
INTERESTING FACTS
 Death rates of Alzheimer’s is increasing by 89%,
unlike the rates of heart disease, which has
decreased by 14%
 More than 5 million Americans are living with
Alzheimer’s and by 2050 this number can
increase to as high as 16 million
 More women than men have Alzheimer’s
disease. (2/3)
 Total payments in 2017 for individuals with
Alzheimer’s was estimated at $259 billion
 The more education you have, the lower your
risk
RESOURCES

 “Healthy Aging.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Mar.
2018.
 “Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia.” Alzheimer's Association.
 “Alzheimer's Progression.” Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia.
 “8 Interesting Facts About Alzheimer's.” 8 Interesting Facts About Alzheimer's | Lynchburg.
 “Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet.” National Institute on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
 “Alzheimer's Disease.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 30 Dec. 2017.