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| Familial Alzheimer's Disease is an inherited, clinical syndrome characterized by memory loss, thinking disturbances and physical aliments. Researchers typically divide Familial Alzheimer's disease into two categories, early and late onset. Early onset means that the disease occurs in most family members before the age of 65, and late onset occurs after. Because of the several know genetic mutations known to cause Alzheimer's disease, it is possible to identify family members with these mutations before they start to show signs of having the disease. Early Onset Familial Alzheimer's Disease At least five different mutations on chromosome 21 have been associated with early onset Familial Alzheimer's Disease. But the majority other early onset causes are due to mutation which has recently been described on chromosome 14 and a few are related to a point mutation on chromosome 1. If you come from a family with multiple affected family members who develop Alzheimer's disease at ages younger than 65, these mutations can be looked for in samples of blood or other tissues. Late Onset Familial Alzheimer's Disease These cases of Alzheimer's disease have been linked to the apolipoprotein E gene on chromosome 19. There are three types of the inherited gene, Apo E- E2, E3 and E4. If you come from a family with multiple family members who develop Alzheimer's at an age 65, you and your family members can have your blood tested for the apolipoprotein E type. Signs and Symptoms People With Alzheimer's Disease Sometimes Have These Behaviors: · Agitated and Restless Behaviors: blaming others, endless wandering and pacing, and sleep disturbances · Dependent and Clinging Behaviors: lack of initiative, keeping watch over caregivers at all times and expression of insecurity and abandonment · Repetitive and Ritualistic Behaviors: constant crying, packing, sorting and hiding items, speaking of "going home" when they are already at home and repeating questions · Mistakes in Recognition and Perception: trouble recognizing their caregiver and other loved ones, seeing or hearing things and people others don't notice, and having delusions · Demanding and Aggressive Behavior: being cruel, physical and aggressive towards others, and expressing sexual desires constantly · Exaggerated Emotional Responses: becoming depressed constantly and severely depressed for any reason at all, crying all night, and becoming jealous and violent when grandchildren or other irregular family members visit. People Most Susceptible There is not one sex, race or religion of people most susceptible to Familial Alzheimer's disease. Older people with a family history of Alzheimer's are the ones at risk. Even if your grandfather had Alzheimer's and mother or father didn't have Alzheimer's, you may still be susceptible. Quality of Life The quality of life for someone with Alzheimer's is greatly reduced. Because they become unable to care for themselves, they must either institutionalized or put under clinical care and supervision. With Alzheimer's, a person's brain slowly deteriorates until they die. With that goes everything normal, comfortable, nostalgic and ordinary for both the affected person and their loved ones. Lifespan Most people with Familial Alzheimer's disease are thought to live about 15-20 years with the disease, but like many other diseases there are many cases that stray from the norm. Sometimes the affected person has such an advance form of Alzheimer's that they only live 5-10 years, and also the other way around where some have lived for about 25-30 years. Ways to Cure or Prevent There is still no found way to cure or prevent Familial Alzheimer's disease, but there are ways to somewhat alleviate the symptoms. The treatment of Alzheimer's is likely to involve multiple drugs with multiple mechanisms of action. Cholinergic drugs are the first approach and there is now one FDA approved medication in this class. Other drugs thought to help are: estrogen replacement drugs, drugs that enhance or mimic APO E3 or inactive APO E2, APO E4 genotypes, anti-oxidant drugs, anti-amyloid drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, and neurotrophic growth factors. Risk Factors Some of the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease are: · Aging · Postmenopausal estrogen deficiency · Positive family history · Past significant head injury · APO E4 genotype · Low education An examination of these risk factors leads to theories about how these risks produce plaques, tangles and cell loss in the brain. Bibliography Alzheimer's Disease Center www.bmc.tmc.edu/neurol/struct/adrc/adrc6.html By: Shannon Mulvaney |
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