Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. In the UK alone, there will be an estimated 520,000 people with the disease in 2015. Recently, it has been found that it is the leading cause of death in women and the third most common cause of death for men. The term “dementia” is an umbrella term which refers to the set of symptoms that includes memory loss, mood changes and problems with communication and understanding. These symptoms occur when the brain becomes damaged by diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease affects the physical part of the brain. The disease results in protein plaques developing in the structure of the brain, leading to the death of the brain cells. It is believed that people with Alzheimer’s disease lack the chemicals which are involved with the transmission of messages within the brain, which corresponds with the symptoms of the dementia. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, meaning overtime, the brain will be further damaged and the symptoms will become more prominent and severe.
Alzheimer’s disease is not caused by a single factor. Analysts believe that there is likely to be a combination of factors that causes dementia, consisting of age, genetic inheritance, environmental factors, lifestyle and the general health of the person. Age is the greatest factor for dementia as it affects 1 in 6 people over the age of 80 and 1 in 14 people over the age of 65. However, dementia is not only prominent in elderly people as in the UK; there are more than 40,000 people under the age of 65 who suffer from it too. In many people, the disease develops for many years before symptoms appear. Furthermore, it is sometimes seen as a natural part of ageing and so the disease goes unnoticed. As it has become the most common cause of death, people have now turned their attention towards dementia and investing in research that will provide better prevention and treatment of the condition.
This has been evident in the recent discovery of an injection that could stop Alzheimer’s disease developing. Neurological disorders like dementia have always proven difficult to treat as the network of blood vessels in the brain stops everything except the vital nutrients entering the brain. However, scientists have discovered how to attach antibodies to a special protein which is in the body and helps transport materials through the network of blood vessels. Once inside the brain, the antibodies block the build-up of plaques which cause Alzheimer’s disease. If this proves successful in humans, patients would receive weekly or monthly injections to prevent the disorder from developing.
This method has been welcomed by scientists and charities, and further research will indicate if this method is safe and effective for people.
