What Is Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer’s Disease vs. Dementia
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia（丧失记忆、语言和其他思维能力的总称）. 阿尔茨海默病占痴呆症病例的60 ~ 80%. Unlike occasional forgetfulness, 阿尔茨海默病引起的痴呆症严重到足以干扰你或你所爱的人的日常生活.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that has no cure. 大多数阿尔茨海默病的诊断发生在65岁及以上的人群中. However, it may occur earlier in rare cases.
Why Choose U of U Health?
At University of Utah Health's Cognitive Disorders Clinic, 大发娱乐了解阿尔茨海默病诊断带来的挑战，以及它对您和您的整个家庭的影响.
Our multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, 神经心理学家聚集在一起，为你或你所爱的人的记忆和思维需求找到解决方案. 大发娱乐的目标是做出准确的诊断，并尽早对您进行治疗，让您或您所爱的人过上更好的生活.
Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms
你或你爱的人可能会出现阿尔茨海默病的早期症状：
- Difficulty remembering newly learned information
- Confusion with knowing the current time, place, and situation
- Shortened attention span
- Losing or misplacing items
- Increased sleeping
- Personality or mood changes
- Losing initiative for activities once performed or enjoyed
- Problems coping in new situations
在晚期，严重的阿尔茨海默病会引起以下症状：
- Loss of language and ability to communicate
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Weight loss
- Seizures
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty completing common tasks that were once familiar, such as driving, performing job duties, doing finances, and managing medications
Alzheimer's Disease Stages
由于症状和阶段可能重叠，很难将个体划分为一个阶段：
- Mild dementia—As Alzheimer's disease progresses, 记忆和认知问题可能开始影响日常生活和表演活动.
- Mild cognitive impairment—你或你所爱的人可能会开始在记忆、思考、判断或语言上挣扎.
- Moderate dementia—Memory loss, confusion, and poor judgment may increase. This indicates the disease has progressed to a moderate stage.
- Severe dementia—患有严重痴呆症的人可能在没有大发娱乐的情况下无法照顾自己或进行常规活动. Symptoms may not only impact their memory and thinking, 但也会导致他们的肠道或膀胱控制或保持清醒的能力受损.
Find a Cognitive Disorders Specialist
Alzheimer's Disease Causes
随着科学家和医生继续研究阿尔茨海默病的病因，研究正在进行中. Current data shows that a combination of genetic, environmental, 生活方式因素可能在发病中起作用：
- Age—这并不直接导致阿尔茨海默氏症，但它是已知的最大风险因素. According to the Alzheimer’s Association在美国，65岁以后患老年痴呆症的风险每5年翻一番.
- Family history—如果父母或兄弟姐妹也患有这种疾病，你更有可能患上阿尔茨海默病. 你家里患老年痴呆症的人越多，你患老年痴呆症的风险就越高.
- History of brain injuries—There is a link between head injuries and later risk of dementia.
- Unhealthy lifestyles—An unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, 经常吸烟和饮酒会增加患老年痴呆症的风险.
- Other health conditions—Heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, 以及未经治疗的睡眠呼吸暂停与阿尔茨海默氏症的发展有关.
Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis
确认阿尔茨海默氏症最权威的方法是在人死后进行尸检时对其脑组织进行检测. However, 有一种或多种不同症状的患者将被诊断为“可能的阿尔茨海默病”。.
During the initial evaluation, we will ask questions about a patient’s cognitive decline, 比如他们所经历的认知问题的类型以及这些问题对他们生活的影响程度. We ask that a family member, friend, 或熟悉患者症状的护理人员陪同. 新病人就诊和复诊通常持续约一个小时.
大发娱乐可能会执行以下一项或多项测试来进行诊断：
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—An MRI uses a computer, radio frequency, 还有一个磁场来创造你身体内部的照片. MRIs may reveal abnormalities in different areas of the brain, indicating cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer’s.
- Positron emission tomography (PET scan)—这种扫描使用少量的放射性染料让神经科医生看到你的身体内部. PET扫描有助于识别大脑中的某些斑块，这些斑块是阿尔茨海默氏症的指标. 医生可能会要求你做FDG-PET扫描，以显示大脑不同部位的葡萄糖代谢情况. 这有助于识别与阿尔茨海默病或额颞叶痴呆相关的功能低下模式.
- Neuropsychological testing—We use a variety of neuropsychological tests to assess memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and other functioning. 你可能会被要求在电脑上回答问题、写字、画画或回答问题.
Prognosis of Alzheimer's Disease
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The disease will become worse over time and is fatal. The Alzheimer’s Association 据估计，大多数被诊断患有阿尔茨海默病的人在确诊后还能再活4到8年, but that time may vary.
Alzheimer's Disease Treatment
目前还没有药物或外科手术可以逆转或减缓阿尔茨海默病引起的大脑变化. 然而，有两类药物可以暂时大发娱乐改善认知能力.
Alzheimer's Disease Prevention
There is no proven way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. However, 研究表明，你可以通过健康的生活方式来降低患这种疾病的风险，降低患心血管疾病和中风的风险。
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes of each day.
- Sleep for 7-9 hours of each night.
- Eat a well-balanced diet, such as the Mediterranean diet.
Schedule a Cognitive Disorders Evaluation
If you or a loved one are having trouble with memory, language, or daily activities, talk about your symptoms with your primary care provider. We accept self-referrals; however, we prefer referrals from a primary care provider or neurologist. You may request an appointment or call 801-585-7575. 在您预约之前，请发送所有以前的医疗记录和脑成像，如果相关的话.
To refer a patient to our Cognitive Disorders Clinic, please fill out our referral form and fax it to 801-585-2746.
