Alzheimer’s Disease
Affecting nearly 4.5 million people in the U.S. alone, Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys almost all cognitive functions: memory, learning, reason, judgment making, communication and ability to carry out daily activities. As Alzheimer’s worsens, it can also affect an individual’s personality and behavior, causing agitation, paranoia, anxiety, delusions and hallucinations. Alzheimer’s disease is actually the most common form of dementia, a condition that destroys brain cells and leads to a decline in mental function. When addressing causes of Alzheimer’s, scientists approach the subject with a somewhat limited understanding of a singular cause to brain cell degradation. However, there are a number of risk factors that increase the probability of developing Alzheimer’s.
Age and Alzheimer’s
The number one risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is increase in age. As the brain and body age, its ability to ward off internal attacks weakens, making it exponentially more susceptible to diseases such as Alzheimer’s. As damaged nerve cells begin to die the brain loses its ability to function, and age only makes this process worse. Most individuals with Alzheimer’s are over 65; and the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s doubles every subsequent five years. By the time a person reaches 85, the risk of Alzheimer’s is nearly 50 percent.
Family History and Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s research shows that genetics are a strong component to the development of the disease; and, although scientists are certain of the genetic link to Alzheimer’s, they also recognize that environmental affects can play a role. Persons with a grandparent, parent, sibling or even child with Alzheimer’s are subject to heightened risk for the disease. If more than one family member has Alzheimer’s, risks are even greater.
There are two genetic categories that determine a person’s susceptibility to disease development; Alzheimer genes have been found in both. The first category, "risk genes," increase, but do not guarantee, the chances of developing a disease. So far, scientists have securely identified one, among at least a dozen more, Alzheimer risk gene called apoliprotein E-e4 (APOE-e4), which is one of three types of APOE genes that provide a blueprint for a protein involved in cholesterol transportation within the bloodstream. Everyone inherits one form of the APOE gene from each parent, and those that inherit the APOE-e4 gene are not only at a greater risk for Alzheimer’s, but also have higher chances of developing Alzheimer’s at a younger age.
The second category, "deterministic genes," guarantees the development of a disease. Though an inevitable cause of Alzheimer’s, scientists have found a rare deterministic gene that directly causes Alzheimer’s in only a few hundred families worldwide. Known as “familial Alzheimer’s disease,” this gene affects multiple family members across many generations, yet it only accounts for 5 percent of all known Alzheimer cases.
Other risk factors for Alzheimer’s
While age and family history comprise the vast majority of Alzheimer causes, researchers have recently made discoveries between the development of Alzheimer’s and other extraneous circumstances. For instance, there appears to be a strong link between future risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and head injury. Also, the connection between heart and brain has shown significant influence in brain health and Alzheimer’s development. With every heartbeat, your heart sends 20 to 25 percent of the body’s blood to the brain and with that blood the brain uses 20 percent of the food and oxygen it carries. That being the case, when the heart is weakened by heart attack, heart disease, stroke, diabetes or cholesterol, the brain runs a higher risk of being prone to Alzheimer’s.
Other evidence suggests that healthy aging is key to maintaining a healthy brain and fending off Alzheimer’s. One should refrain from smoking and heavy consumption of alcohol, and it’s also important to stay socially connected and exercise regularly.