The most common type of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease causes problems related to memory, thinking, and some behavioral attributes. The development of symptoms happens over a period and the condition gets with time. At a certain point in time, the condition is so severe that the patient might face problems carrying out basic daily tasks.

Around 70 percent of all dementia cases can be linked to Alzheimer’s Disease. While it occurs in aging people, the condition cannot be considered as a normal part of the aging process.

Symptoms
There are different stages of Alzheimer’s disease and mild Alzheimer’s might last for approximately two to four years. Then, the stage advances to moderate and finally the severe condition. When a person reaches the later stages of the disease, he or she might not be able to live alone or take care of himself or herself. Let us understand the different symptoms associated with mild Alzheimer’s disease:

• Being low on energy and not having the will to do things.
• Being disinterested in working and spending a lot of time sitting idle, watching TV, or even sleeping.
• Forgetting events that have happened recently or losing the memory of things that people said.
• Having a problem with putting simple thoughts into words.
• Facing problems with coordination and the inability to use simple objects.
• Having mood swings and depression.
• Being unable to navigate through familiar routes while driving.

The symptoms just keep getting more serious as age progresses. While these symptoms get worse, delusion and losing temper quickly are some other symptoms associated with moderate Alzheimer’s. In severe cases, a person might experience confusion about the past and the present. One might face a problem performing basic body functions like swallowing and controlling their bowels and bladder. One might not be able to move independently.

Causes

The causes of Alzheimer’s disease have not yet been fully ascertained. But multiple age-related changes as per genetic, environmental, and lifestyle might have a role to play. All of these factors lead to changes in the brain, which might end up showing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The changes in the brain are pertaining to amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary, which head to loss of both neurons as well as their connections. This leads to the loss of the ability to remember and think in the initial stages, and eventually live independently in the severe stage.

Risk factors

There are three major risk factors associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease. Since there is no cure to the disease, understanding the risk factors can help to a great extent in delaying the development of this health condition. They are

• Age
  While age is not responsible for the development of Alzheimer’s disease, it is definitely considered a factor for getting it.
• Family history
  If there’s an immediate family member who is known to have Alzheimer’s disease, one is more likely to get this health condition.
• Genetics
  Certain genetics have also been connected to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.