Understand how Alzheimer's affects a person's memory 1

Understand how Alzheimer’s affects a person’s memory

According to data from Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), of the nearly 55 million people with dementia worldwide, it is estimated that 60% to 70% have Alzheimer’s disease.

Of this total, around 1.2 million people live with some form of dementia and 100,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. But how does Alzheimer’s disease affect memory?

So far, what is known about the condition is that it is a degenerative brain disease that usually affects older people.

Furthermore, ADI estimates that, due to the aging of the population, the number of people with this condition will reach 74.7 million in 2030 and 131.5 million in 2050.

The disease is characterized by changes in the brain that result in a lack of certain proteins, which causes brain shrinkage and brain cell death.

This change commonly causes dementia, a gradual decline in memory, thinking, behavior, and social skills.

How does Alzheimer’s affect memory?

Recent memory loss is one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease. There are medications that can help improve these symptoms or slow the progression of the disease, but there is still no treatment that guarantees a cure for the condition.

As the disease progresses, the person begins to lose long-term memory, such as important events – weddings, loss of loved ones, names of children and friends.

Furthermore, in advanced stages, severe loss of brain function can lead to dehydration, malnutrition or infection; complications from these conditions can lead to death.

Because Alzheimer’s affects memory, some of the symptoms that people with the condition may experience include:

  • repetitive statements and questions;
  • forgetting daily events and commitments;
  • loss of everyday objects – such as glasses;
  • getting lost in familiar places – like the way home from work;
  • difficulty concentrating and reasoning, especially with abstract questions, such as numbers;
  • forget vocabularies of names of people, objects and feelings.

Consequences

The disease causes changes in the brain that can affect mood, behavior, and sense of identity. This leads to:

  • depression and loss of interest in daily activities;
  • social withdrawal and distrust of other people;
  • mood swings and changes in sleeping habits;
  • disinhibition, anger or aggression;
  • disorientation and delusions.
In relation :  Telegram vs Signal: Which WhatsApp Alternative Is Better?

When Alzheimer’s affects memory more aggressively, carrying out daily activities that require completing steps in order becomes increasingly difficult, such as preparing a meal or getting ready to go out.