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Cause and nature of progression of Alzheimer’s disease

The cause and nature of progression of Alzheimer’s disease are still to a large extent ambiguous. From the Genetic point of you, the vast majority of cases of Alzheimer’s disease are sporadic, i.e. not genetically inherited. However, some genes may act as risk factors.

Even the way it develops in a certain individual is unique and relative, but some of the most common symptoms include: memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, problems with language, time-place disorientation, and poor or decreased judgment, problems with abstract thinking, misplacing things, mood swings, lack of initiative and interest and so on.

The preclinical stage of the disease has also been termed mild cognitive impairment, but it remains disputable whether this term corresponds to a different diagnostic stage or identifies the first step of AD. As a part of pre-dementia diagnosis, mild cognitive impairment might be located. This may come in the form of subtle challenges in performing the executive tasks which require attentiveness, planning, flexibility and some amount abstract thinking might be located. Semantic Memory impairments which include challenges with constituting meaning of memory and concept relationships comes up the most important symptom of the early stages of AD. Apathy or a state of perpetual indifference is the most persistent neuro-psychiatric symptom throughout the course of this disease. With the deteriorating nature of this disease: irritability, aggression, mood-swings, long-term memory loss and withdrawal may become frequent. With all its physical, social, psychological and emotional complexities, Alzheimer’s disease places a lot of responsibility on the Alzheimer’s caregivers vis-a-vis the management of the patients. Furthermore, AD being an incurable, degenerative and terminal disease also comes with its economic pressures on the family of the patient.

 

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