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Just about everybody knows Alzheimer's, even if just its name or a few of its symptoms. It turns people afflicted by it into a shadow of what they once were, completely transforming their lives and those of their loved ones.

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An estimated 12 million people around the world have Alzheimer's, and it is thought the figure could soar to 45 million in 2050. The forecast is just an estimate, but it is based on three circumstances: the progressive graying of the population, the relative lack
of knowledge of the causes of the disease and how to treat it. Treatments are more and more efficient these days, but they are no cures.

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Alzheimer's is a degenerative brain disorder that hits nerve cells and parts of the cortex, causing a progressive deterioration of a person's mental capacities, both cognitive and motor. It leads to alterations in movement and emotion, speech difficulties, hallucinations
and, of course, memory loss, among other symptoms.

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The disease does not appear suddenly, but rather slowly, and gets worse over time. In
fact, experts distinguish between three phases. The first is a mild one which lasts two
to four years, in which language and motor skills remain but there are episodes of disorientation, minor memory problems and mood swings. Next come motor difficulties, speech problems, limited recognition of places and people, neglect of personal hygiene
and hallucinations. The most serious phase involves muscular trouble, urinary and fecal incontinence and loss of the ability to walk, get dressed and eat.

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What causes Alzheimer's? No one knows for sure. Although it seems to stem from a malfunctioning of some substances in the brain, such as acetylcholine, it is not known
what causes this malfunctioning. What does seem clear is that there is a strong genetic component. Certain nerve cell abnormalities observed in Alzheimer's patients are passed
on from parents to children. There is also research which suggests that head injuries can speed up the advance of the disease in people who were not predisposed to develop it.

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Other research points to the formation of amyloid plates in the brain tissue of Alzheimer patients because of changes in a cell protein. All of these hypotheses have been proven
but they only give a partial explanation of why the disease arises.

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On the prevention front, two recent studies show that women who undergo hormonal substitute therapy reduce their risk of Alzheimer's. When applied to women who already have the disease,� the therapy improves mental function.

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Scientists are waging an all-out effort to learn more about the disease and find a definitive cure. For now, as the disease is impossible to defeat altogether, different medicines with varying degrees of efficiency alleviate symptoms and halt the disease's advance.�

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Tracine and Donepezil are two drugs capable of raising acetylcholine levels in the brain and improving patients' functioning and mental capacity. Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs are also being used, as are hormonal therapies which, in addition to preventing the disease, may ease it in cases where people are already suffering from it. As difficult as Alzheimer is to attack at the root, anti-depressants, ansiolitics and other medications are prescribed to ease the psychiatric problems caused by the disease and improve the patient's quality of life.

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But Alzheimer is not just a problem for the patient. Its symptoms and advance affect those close to the patient, forcing them to spend long hours providing care. A person with Alzheimer's disease requires constant attention and can live for many years, so this dedication can last a long time and take its toll on the caregiver.

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Associations of patients and their relatives are a big help. They provide information and advice, and lobby governments for assistance for patients and their families, such as professional care-providers or "rest beds" where they can admit patients for a few days while the caretaker recovers.

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Fundaci�n Alzheimer Espa�a: 91-344-1830 // 91-344-0394.
Confederaci�n Espa�ola de Familiares de Enfermos de Alzheimer: 902-174-517.
Fundaci�n antidemencia Al-andalus: 957-482-395.
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