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.

Pictures Of Alzheimers

About five million people in the United States alone are suffering from this disease, and if you are one of these people, or the friend or family member of one, then you are going to want to learn about Alzheimers information, so that you can understand the disease better and thereby understand just what your loved one is actually going through.

The tests for Alzheimers (or to help eliminate Alzheimers as a possibility) are quite varied. Specifically, when this gene shows the variant APOE4, the person with this trait is more likely to develop Alzheimers disease. Alzheimers disease is something that affects more and more older people every day. Many children of people suffering from alzheimers disease need help with inspiration, advice and just plain support. Alzheimers Disease International is the international federation of Alzheimers associations around the world, and their mission is to work towards improving the quality of life of people who suffer from Alzheimers, as well as their friends and family. While there is no known cure for Alzheimers disease at this time, there are medications available that will prolong the deterioration and improve quality of time with family members for as long as possible.

Cognitive impairment extends to the domains of language, skilled movement, and recognition, which is why sufferers of Alzheimers soon get to a point where they forget how to do the most basic things, such as brushing their teeth or combing their hair.
Having the support of others dealing with the same problem is known to be one of the most effective ways of dealing with this disease. These people will need help in not only dealing with the person's death but also in resuming their own lives afterwards. As the diseases degenerative traits continue to worsen, occupational therapy may provide some aid, but over time, the patients ability to perform simple, daily tasks will degrade to the point that occupational therapy for Alzheimers Disease will no longer be productive.

They progress from simple memory loss to total dependence upon a caregiver.
Unfortunately, there are no tests that can be done in order to determine if you will get Alzheimers disease. The ability to follow written instructions fades, and even simple tasks like getting dressed can become confusing and difficult to complete. Reading e-books and reports that online support groups offer is a big start. Early onset Alzheimers is defined as the development of Alzheimers before a person 65-years-old. In fact it accounts for approximately 70% of all of the cases that have been diagnosed with dementia. Two of these are Aricept and Namenda.