y The most complex organ in the body is a

jellylike mass made up of fat and protein weighing about 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms).
y It is, nevertheless, one of the body's biggest

organs, consisting of some 100 billion nerve cells that not only put together thoughts and highly coordinated physical actions but regulate our unconscious body processes, such as digestion and breathing.

y Alzheimers disease is an irreversible, progressive

brain disease that gradually destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimers, symptoms first appear at age 60.
y Alzheimer's is terminal diseases and Alzheimers

affect The neurons in the neo-cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and the basal forebrain cholinergic system are the most affected brain regions y The pathogenesis of this disease is complex, and involves many molecular, cellular, and physiological pathologies

y Dementia is a loss of mental skills that affects

your daily life. It can cause problems with your memory and how well you can think and plan. Usually dementia gets worse over time. mild memory loss that many people experience as they grow older. Alzheimer's disease also affects behavior, personality, the ability to think clearly, and the ability to carry out daily activities. Close family members usually notice symptoms first, although the person affected also may realize that something is wrong.

y Alzheimer's disease is more severe than the

y Dr. Alois Alzheimer noticed changes in the

brain tissue of a female who had died of an strange mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. After she died, he examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps (amyloid plaques) and twisted bundles of fibers (called neurofibrillary tangles). Plaques and tangles in the brain are two of the main features of Alzheimers disease. The third is the loss of connections between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. After when Dr. Alzheimer made this discovery he named it after him self

y Alzheimers patients show numerous plaques which are

composed of 4 kD Amyloid-beta (A-beta) peptides, which are derived from beta amyloid precursor proteins (APPs) y Alignment of several strands of A-beta show that Abeta42 and A-beta43 preferentially form networks of salt linkages and strong hydrogen bonds between ionized side chains of opposite charge which thus form the observed plaques

y Intracellularly, Alzheimers patients show high

levels of neurofibrillary pathology

y Affected neurons accumulate tau and ubiquitin

immunoreactivities within neurofibrillary tangles, in cell bodies and dendrites, and in dystrophic neuritis

y The trigger for alzheimers disease is the A-

beta peptide, and the accumulation of this peptide in the form of plaques is the initiating molecular event y The plaques trigger an inflammatory response, neuronal cell death, and gradual cognitive decline y The rest of the disease process, including formation of neurofibrillary tangles containing tau protein, is caused by an imbalance between A-beta production and A-beta clearance

y Stage 1: No impairment(normal) y Stage2 :Very mild cognitive decline (may be normal agey

y y y y

related changes or earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease) Stage 3:Mild cognitive decline (early-stage Alzheimer's can be diagnosed in some, but not all, individuals with these symptoms Stage 4:Moderate cognitive decline (Mild or early-stage Alzheimer's disease) Stage 5:Moderately severe cognitive decline (Moderate or mid-stage Alzheimer's disease) Stage 6:Severe cognitive decline (Moderately severe or mid-stage Alzheimer's disease) Stage 7:Very severe cognitive decline (Severe or late-stage Alzheimer's disease)

y There is no single test that can show whether a

person has Alzheimer's.While physicians can almost always determine if a person has dementia, it may be difficult to determine the exact cause. Diagnosing Alzheimer's requires careful medical evaluation, including y A thorough medical history
y A thorough medical history

y A physical and neurological exam y Tests (such as blood tests and brain imaging) to

rule out other causes of dementia-like symptoms

TREATMENTS
y Alzheimer's is terminal disease. y There is no cure but you can treat its side effect y Aricept y Exelon y Razadyne y Cognex and Namenda y Lower levels of Cholesterol