My speech addresses detailed facts about Alzheimer’s disease explaining its causes, symptoms and how the diseases can be managed. For many years, the cure off the disease remains unknown hence the need for obtaining information that can help manage and even prevent it. Alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia that can occur at any age in life, but it mostly attacks the elderly above 65 years. By the end of my speech you will be able to have sufficient information about the disease to guide in its management and treatment. Let us start with the symptoms of the disease.
The main sign of the Alzheimer’s disease is the memory loss in a person. It is normal to forget things where you have placed your keys, or even fail to recall the name of a person who you do not interact with regularly; however, with the disease the loss of memory gets severe and persistent. The affected person routinely forgets where she has placed had belongings, and eventually forgetting family and familiar objects’ names.
A person with Alzheimer’s disease experiences disorientation and misinterpreting spatial relationships (Mayo, 2013). She starts to lose the knowledge of what a day or a season is, and forget about their current life situation. The disease interferes with the brain affecting its ability to interpret, and
hence poor reasoning, challenges in making judgments and changes I personality as well as behavior. But, what causes this?
Even if the cause of Alzheimer’s disease not fully understood, Scientists believe that the disease nurtures from a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors which damage the brain cells (Mayo, 2013). Early-onset of the disease at an early age is very rare, but if it sets that early, it is due to the changes in genes inherited from the parents (Belluk, 2013). When the disease occurs late, it normally develops out of apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene.
Studies have indicated that beyond the genetics, the disease develops out the environment and lifestyle factors. According to Belluk (2013), there is a big deal of interest, for example, in associations between cognitive decline and vascular and metabolic conditions such as; heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. The conditions are influenced by the environment, lifestyle, or a combination of the two. The question that follows next is, how do you manage it once infected?
There is no cure for the disease, but living a lifestyle that ensures a nutritious diet, socialization and physical exercise can help keep a person healthy preventing him from Alzheimer’s disease. The suggested lifestyle factors minimize the risk and chances of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. Having s good understanding of the relationships between the factors for the conditions with the help of clinical tests will reduce the risk of contracting the disease, and seeking early treatment will help greatly. I believe the information I have presented to you will help in understanding and managing Alzheimer’s disease.
References
Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia | Alzheimer's Association. (2013). Retrieved June 13, 2013, from http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp
Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet | National Institute on Aging. (2013). Retrieved June 13, 2013, from http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet
Belluk P. (2013). For Edge on Alzheimer’s, Testing Early Treatments. The Nerw York Times[Nerw York].
Mayo Clinic Staff (2013). Alzheimer's disease Causes. Mayoclinic.
