Once it was thought that nearly everyone who reached a certain age was destined to senility. Senility was a catch all phrase used to describe all forms of dementia in the elderly. We now can be a bit more precise, and in most cases, dementia that occurs in the elderly has a name. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that slowly robs the sufferer from the ability to remember, perform familiar tasks, recognize family and friends, and finally speech and language is lost. There are only three types of Alzheimer’s disease that have been noted. One type, late onset, is the most predominant, and it is also the form of which we are most aware. The other two types, early onset Alzheimer’s, and Familial Alzheimer’s disease, make up only a small fraction of the people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease
Anyone who develops Alzheimer’s disease prior to reaching the age of 65 is said to have early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Unlike late Alzheimer’s disease, early onset Alzheimer’s disease is link to a mutation in one of three genes, presenilin 1, presenilin2 and the amyloid precursor genes. These genes are not bad in and of themselves, and undoubtedly serve a purpose in the human body. The problem comes when one of these genes mutate, which can trigger early onset Alzheimer’s. Because of these genetic mutations, early onset Alzheimer’s has a genetic component that late onset Alzheimer’s does not.
The early onset form of Alzheimer’s disease occurs in less than 10% of the Alzheimer’s population. People with Down’s syndrome, because they age at a more rapid rate, are at a higher risk of developing early onset Alzheimer’s. Also, people with early onset Alzheimer’s disease are more likely to develop myoclonus, which is a specific type of body twitching that makes performing the activities of daily living very difficult. Because both the body and mind can be affected in people with early onset Alzheimer’s, the impact of this form of Alzheimer’s disease is greater and often occurs before a person’s work life is over and families are prepared.
Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease.
Some 90% of the people who have Alzheimer’s disease have late onset Alzheimer’s disease, or Alzheimer’s disease that begins after the age of 65 years old. Of people who reach the age of 85, almost 50% will have late onset Alzheimer’s disease. This is the senility that once most everyone expected. It is not known if there is any hereditary link with late onset Alzheimer’s disease. However, there are a number lifestyle choices that seem to increase the chances of getting late onset Alzheimer’s. Some of these include obesity, smoking, lack of regular exercise, and a poor diet.
Familial Alzheimer’s Disease
Affecting less than 1% of people with Alzheimer’s disease, familial Alzheimer’s runs in families, as the name implies. An inherited faulty gene is the culprit in familial Alzheimer’s and 50% of children who have a parent with this type of familial Alzheimer’s disease will go on to develop the disease themselves. Familial Alzheimer’s usually strikes people in their 40’s and 50’s making this extraordinarily rare form of Alzheimer’s disease all the more tragic.
As can be seen, for 90% of the population, late onset Alzheimer’s disease is the form that is most likely to become a problem. Because this is the one form of Alzheimer’s disease that has a very strong link to lifestyle choices, your risk for developing the disease is in your hands, to a greater extent. Learn what you can do to now to prevent Alzheimer’s disease from becoming a part of your future. The sooner you make necessary lifestyle changes, the more time you will have to treasure the lifetime of memories that you and your family have built.
Types of Alzheimer’s
http://www.webmd.com
Types of Alzheimer’s Disease
http://www.guide4living.com
