Alzheimer's Disease : Moderate, Severe

by National Institute on Aging

(Page 5 of 16)

The growing number of plaques and tangles first damage areas of brain that control memory, language, and reasoning. It is not until later in the disease that physical abilities decline. This leads to a situation in mild AD in which a person seems to be healthy, but is actually having more and more trouble making sense of the world around him or her. The realization that something is wrong often comes gradually because the early signs can be confused with changes that can happen normally with aging. Accepting these signs and deciding to go for diagnostic tests can be a big hurdle for patients and families to cross.

Moderate AD

By this stage, AD damage has spread further to the areas of the cerebral cortex that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and conscious thought. Affected regions continue to atrophy and signs and symptoms of the disease become more pronounced and widespread. Behavior problems, such as wandering and agitation, can occur. More intensive supervision and care become necessary, and this can be difficult for many spouses and families. The symptoms of this stage can include:

• Increasing memory loss and confusion
• Shortened attention span
• Problems recognizing friends and family members
• Difficulty with language; problems with reading, writing, working with numbers
• Difficulty organizing thoughts and thinking logically
• Inability to learn new things or to cope with new or unexpected situations
• Restlessness, agitation, anxiety, tearfulness, wandering - especially in the late afternoon or at night
• Repetitive statements or movement, occasional muscle twitches
• Hallucinations, delusions, suspiciousness or paranoia, irritabilityLoss of impulse control (shown through sloppy table manners, undressing at
• inappropriate times or places, or vulgar language)
• Perceptual-motor problems (such as trouble getting out of a chair or setting the table)

Behavior is the result of complex brain processes, all of which take place in a fraction of a second in the healthy brain. In AD, many of these processes are disturbed, and this is the basis for many distressing or inappropriate behaviors. For example, a person may angrily refuse to take a bath or get dressed because he does not understand what his caregiver has asked him to do. If he does understand, he may not remember how to do it. The anger is a mask for his confusion and anxiety. Or, a person with AD may constantly follow her husband or caregiver and fret when the person is out of sight. To a person who cannot remember the past or anticipate the future, the world around her can be strange and frightening. Sticking close to a trusted and familiar caregiver may be the only thing that makes sense and provides security. Taking off clothes may seem reasonable to a person with AD who feels hot and doesn't understand or remember that undressing in public is not acceptable.

Severe AD

In the last stage of AD, plaques and tangles are widespread throughout the brain, and areas of the brain have atrophied further. Patients cannot recognize family and loved ones or communicate in any way. They are completely dependent on others for care. All sense of self seems to vanish. Other symptoms can include:

• Weight loss
• Seizures, skin infections, difficulty swallowing
• Groaning, moaning, or grunting
• Increased sleeping
• Lack of bladder and bowel control

At the end, patients may be in bed much or all of the time. Most people with AD die from other illnesses, frequently aspiration pneumonia. This type of pneumonia happens when a person is not able to swallow properly and breathes food or liquids into the lungs.

Finding New Answers and Asking Better Questions

In the past 25 years, scientists have studied Alzheimer's disease from many angles. They've looked at populations to see how many cases of AD occur and whether there might be links between the disease and lifestyles or genetic backgrounds. They've conducted clinical studies with healthy older people and those at various stages of AD. They've examined individual nerve cells to see how beta-amyloid and other molecules affect the ability of cells to function normally.

These studies have led to better diagnostic tests, new ways to manage behavioral aspects of AD, and a growing number of possible drug treatments. Findings from current research are pointing scientists in promising directions for the future. They are also helping researchers ask better questions about the issues that are still unclear.

Part 2 of Unraveling the Mystery describes what we're learning from our search for:

• The causes of AD
• New techniques to help in diagnosis
• New treatments
• Ways to improve support for families and other caregivers

Results from this research will bring us closer to the day when we will be able to prevent or even cure the devastating disease that robs our older relatives and friends of their most precious possession - their minds.

About the Author

www.nia.nih.gov
NIA, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. In 1974, Congress granted authority to form NIA to provide leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people.