What to Do with Early Alzheimers

Did you know that you could be under 65 and still have Alzheimers Disease? Early Alzheimers affects roughly 200,000 Americans and accounts for 5-10% of all Alzheimers cases. Unlike other forms of the disease, this type generally runs in families and is linked to three separate genes. You may choose to get pre-screened for early onset Alzheimers if you have parents or grandparents who suffered from this disease before age 65. Learning about Alzheimers is the first step toward managing its progression.

Some people wonder if they should be tested for early Alzheimers if a parent or grandparent is an Alzheimers patient who suffered an early onset. Genetic testing can uncover a defective 1, 14 or 21 gene that predisposes them to the memory loss, confusion and degeneration characterized by Alzheimers. On one hand, an Alzheimers diagnosis can be confirmed or a predisposition can be confirmed by genetic testing. However, finding a gene mutation doesn't 100% guarantee that you will come down with the disease and it fails to predict the severity or how the stages will progress. To get tested you'll need to give a blood sample, which could cost $100 to $1,000, depending on your health insurance plan, where they are sending the sample and other factors.

The US-FDA has approved two types of medication to deal with the cognitive effects of early onset Alzheimers Disease. The first type is Cholinesterase (KOH-luh-NES-ter-ays) inhibitors, which work by preventing the breakdown of the chemical messengers responsible for learning and memory. This medication may delay worsening of symptoms for 6 to 12 months for half the people who take them. To treat Alzheimers symptoms, there are three inhibitors commonly prescribed: Galantamine (Razadyne), Rivastigmine (Exelon) and Donepezil (Aricept).

The second US-FDA approved early onset Alzheimers treatment is Memantine (Nameda), which works by regulating glutamate activity. Glutamate is a different chemical messenger involved in learning and memory and is affected more in the moderate to severe cases. Experts say that this drug helps with naming abilities and functional communication; however, they add that there is currently no significant treatment that can reverse or completely halt the degeneration.

Many people dismiss Alzheimers patients as simply being "senile." However, many patients diagnosed with early Alzheimers are speaking out; calling attention to this degenerative disease that researchers suggest will be an epidemic as the baby boomers age. Alzheimers patients with milder stages of Alzheimers are lobbying for drug treatment funding, more medical benefits and better services to help them retain their independence. AIDS patients have taken a similar initiative, thus placing their disease in the spotlight and at the top of the medical agenda. Doctors feel that a more effective Alzheimers treatment is just around the corner, but they say there needs to be more funding and encouraging clinical studies.

Early Alzheimers - Google News
Early Alzheimers - Google News

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