ASOCIACION DE ALZHEIMER DE PUERTO RICO
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Edif. Santurce Medical Mall E-Mail: alzheimerpr@alzheimerpr.org |
Alzheimer's Disease |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Alzheimer's disease?
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive nuerological disorder, debilitating and eventually fatal, which affects about 4 million North Americans. It is the most common form of dementia, and one of the main causes of death in the United States to date. It is classified as the 4th most frequent cause of death, after heart illness and cancer. It is estimated that in Puerto Rico there are between 30,000 and 60,000 diagnosed and undiagnosed cases of the illness.
Who does it affect?
Alzheimer's disease can affect anyone. There are no economic, social, racial or national barriers. More than half of the elderly that suffer mental impairments have this illness. Yet, its symptoms are not limited to the elderly, since it also affects people who are in their forties and fifties. The youngest known victim is 28 years of age.
What are they symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?
The victim looses their memory over recent events, they even loose the ability to perform tasks at work and at home, and have difficulty learning and discerning things. They is also a marked change in their personality and they have difficulty in their movements, speach, and eventually manifest total disorientation and no longer respond to external stimulus. There are many different patterns as far as type, severity and sequence of the changes. The symptoms are progressive, but there is a great variation in the rate at which the changes ocurr from one person to another.
What causes Alzheimer's disease?
Up until now, a cause or cure has not been found. Some of the most common theories are that it is caused by a virus, a genetic defect, or a failure in the immune system. Investigations under way have shown that the changes most frequently attributed to Alzheimer's occur in the outer layer of the brain where often there are accumulation of abnormal structures. Also, in there, are nerve endings which have degenerated and interrupt the flow of signals between brain cells.
What is the impact of Alzheimer's disease on society?
Dementias, such as Alzheimer's, rob us of our human aspect, frequently taking with it our most valuable members of society. For all of us that pay taxes, dementia is a very expensive illness that every day is costing us more.
According to Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), in the next 25 years there will be a dramatic increase in the number of persons with dementia. This increase will be most evident in China, India and Latin America .
The great majority of people with dementia live in developing countries. By the year 2025 over 70% of persons with dementia will be living in developing countries. In the year 2000 it is estimated that the population with dementia will be 18 million and in 2025, 34 million.
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