ABC Medical Center > Diseases > Alzheimer’s disease

What is alzheimer’s disease?

4 May 2021

It is the degenerative neurological pathology with the highest incidence in the world, which normally affects individuals over 60 years old. Brain atrophy and shrinkage occurs causing the progressive death of neurons, being a type of dementia that damages the ability to reason and memory of those who suffer from it, altering their behavior and their ability to socialize, thus being a disabling disease.

Its origin is unknown, but it is believed to be due to several factors, involving genetic, environmental, and unhealthy lifestyle issues. 

Signs and symptoms Alzheimer’s disease

The first symptom is not remembering names, situations, or conversations, but as the deterioration progresses, memory is seriously affected and other signs such as difficulty thinking begin to appear.

The damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease increases in intensity over time, generating increasingly severe symptoms, which include drastic behavioral and personality changes such as:

  • Depression.
  • Antisocial behavior.
  • Dijection.
  • Bipolarity.
  • Paranoia.
  • Insomnia.
  • Anger.
  • Aggressiveness.
  • Lack of control.

Diagnosis and treatment Alzheimer’s disease

To diagnose it, it will be necessary for the patient to be accompanied by a family member who helps explain the symptoms to the doctor, who will perform a physical examination and a series of tests of its ability to reason and memory. They will also order laboratory and imaging tests, such as MRI and CT scans. 

As it is not a curable disease, the treatment focuses on counteracting the symptoms and delaying cognitive deterioration through neurological medications, which are usually combined with antidepressants and anxiolytics to mitigate the effects of the behavioral change typical of these patients. 

At the Neurological Center, a select group of highly professional and certified doctors in the various neurological specialties are ready to assist you with the quality and warmth that characterizes us.

Our mission is to provide you with comprehensive and multidisciplinary care programs for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of nervous system diseases, always focusing our activities on your safety.

Nervous system specialties

  • Neurology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Spine surgery
  • Pediatric neurosurgery
  • Neurophysiology
  • Neuro-rehabilitation
  • Neuro-pathology
  • Interventional neuro-radiology
  • Neuropsychology
  • Neuro-oncology
  • Neuro-otology
  • Epilepsy
  • Neuro-ophthalmology
  • Neuroimaging

Related centers and departments Alzheimer’s disease

Neurology Center
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

  • mayoclinic.org
  • alz.org
  • medlineplus.gov
  • cun.es
  • topdoctors.es
  • msdmanuals.com
  • medigraphic.com
  • Hernández-Contreras KA, Martínez-Díaz JA, Hernández-Aguilar ME, et al. Mecanismos de asociación entre Enfermedad de Alzheimer y Diabetes Mellitus: La paradoja de la insulina. Arch Neurocien. 2020;25(4):45-54.
  • Garzón PM, Pascual CY, Collazo LEC, et al. Severidad de los síntomas psicológicos y conductuales en pacientes con enfermedad de Alzheimer. Geroinfo. 2019;14(1):1-10.
  • Castro-Álvarez JF, Cardona-Gómez GP. Nuevas aproximaciones para la comprensión de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Medicina & Laboratorio. 2014;20(07-08):337-355.
  • Espín FJC. Factores de riesgo asociados a pacientes con enfermedad de Alzheimer y sus cuidadores principales. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr. 2020;36(1):1-18.

How can we help you?

    The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.