The Development Of Early Onset Alzheimers Disease


Early onset Alzheimers is defined as the development of Alzheimers before a person 65-years-old. In fact, some people as young as 40 or 50-years-old can develop early onset Alzheimers. However, it most commonly begins when a person is in their 50s.

Genetics And Early Onset Alzheimers

While it is possible for genetics to play a role in early onset Alzheimers, it is a very small chance that this is going to happen. These people have a defective gene on chromosome 1, 14 or 21. This seems to be what triggers early onset Alzheimers. Unfortunately, only 1 copy of the gene from either parent is required for a person to be affected by early onset Alzheimers. It happens because these genetic mutations produce beta-amyloid, which is a protein. Whenever the production of this protein is disrupted early online Alzheimers occurs.

Only a really small group of families actually has a fault in this chromosome. These families are mostly found within the United States. They are descendants of German immigrants who came from the Volga River Valley.

The Connection Between Downs Syndrome And Early Onset Alzheimers

Unfortunately there is also a clear connection between Down's syndrome and early onset Alzheimers. This is most likely due to the fact that Down's syndrome is caused by a genetic abnormality that takes place in chromosome 21. Research has been done that show that 50% of those people who have Downs syndrome will eventually develop Alzheimers whenever they are between the ages of 50 and 60-years-old. This is a definite increase over those people who do not have Down's syndrome.

Testing For Early Onset Alzheimers

You may be wondering whether or not you should get yourself tested. Well, it is actually very difficult to get genetic testing done for this because there is no known cure for Alzheimers as of yet. Therefore, it really is a personal decision that you will have to make. Only you can really decide whether or not there is any advantage to you or your family in knowing that you have a greater than average possibility of developing Alzheimers at an early age. You also need to understand that even if these tests show that you are at higher risk, they still will not tell you at what age you will develop early onset Alzheimers. It will be difficult even for yourself to gage this as the development can vary by as much as 2 decades.

Alzheimer Medication

As Alzheimers disease history progresses, there has been new research in exactly how these other factors can play a role in a persons risk for developing this illness.

There are certain symptoms that may indicate a person will have a shorter lifespan than other Alzheimers disease patients. Overall, evidence suggests that there is no real Alzheimers gene, rather a large set of genes that work in conjunction with other factors that make Alzheimers disease more likely to strike. Of course, you probably wont find help physically taking care of your ill parents, but you can find advice, information and shared stories from others going through what youre going through. Patients may also lose track of their money or begin giving away large sums of money, which they would have never done in the past.

On the contrary, it involves many different types of tests and procedures to diagnose properly.
There is one mediacation for Alzheimers disease that can be given in the later stages of the illness, and this is memantine, which is known by the commercial name, Namenda. Most researchers conclude there is a continued need to study Alzheimers brains, as the more they learn, the sooner they may be able to find a cause, other than natural aging, and possibly find a way to reverse the effects of Alzheimers Disease. The progression of Alzheimers disease is difficult for family members to watch as the stages indicate; it becomes a completely disabling disuse. While there is still no cure for Alzheimers, the goal of the Alzheimers Association is to create a world wherein Alzheimers no longer exists. The trouble with Alzheimers disease is that as soon it will touch a persons life, the effects of Alzheimers will impede that persons thought processes as well as how he or she acts. Food and Drug Administration have thus far approved five drugs that temporarily slow the Alzheimers deterioration.

People may experience forgetting where they put something like keys or glasses.
In short, the person suffering from alzheimers disease will experience slow deterioration of the mind. Shockingly, the diagnosis of Alzheimers disease is often delayed as much as three years after the symptoms of the disease begin to affect the patient. Bathing and dressing can be a simple task or an extreme challenge for an Alzheimers caregiver as some patients enjoy it and have no trouble at all, while others may find it a terrifying experience. Researchers are also constantly looking for medications and other treatment options that will slow the progression of the disease and hopefully bring a greater amount of quality time for families as a result. This is due to the fact that Alzheimers disease is very similar in symptoms to other forms of dementia. All of these three medications have less harmful side effects than the original drug that was developed, showing a definite positive progression in the research occurring in Alzheimers disease history.