Alzheimer’s is understood as a common memory loss disease in the elderly. The origin of Alzheimer’s disease comes from the fact that brain cells responsible for memory and some other functions begin to die.

1. What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible brain disease that gradually destroys memory, language ability and thinking ability, eventually making the patient unable to complete even the smallest tasks. The disease usually progresses slowly, starting with a mild, transient absent-mindedness. When it reaches the final stage, the patient often suffers severe brain damage. This is one of the leading causes of death in the elderly.

On average, people with Alzheimer’s disease can only live for about 8-10 years from the time of diagnosis. However, there are still cases of living longer if detected early and treated properly. On the other hand, the progression of Alzheimer’s disease is fast or slow depending on each person. Although the cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not known and may not be genetic, the risk is higher if a family member has the disease. The risk doubles every five years after age 65.

2. The Origin of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed unusual changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of a mental illness. The patient’s symptoms included memory loss, speech problems, and unpredictable behavior. After the woman died, the doctor examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps (later called amyloid plaques) and tangles (later called neurofibrillary tangles, or “tangles”).

The formation of amyloid plaques and tangles in the brain is still considered one of the main characteristics and the origin of Alzheimer’s disease. Another condition observed in patients is the loss of connections between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. Neurons are the part that helps transmit messages between different parts of the brain and from the brain to organs in the body.

Before Dr. Alzheimer’s findings, scientists continued to clarify the complex changes in the brain related to the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Later, experts said that it seemed that changes in the brain occurred a decade before memory loss and other cognitive problems appeared.

In fact, in the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease, patients rarely show any symptoms, but abnormal changes have been taking place inside the patient’s brain. Amyloid plaques and tangles gradually form. In contrast, healthy neurons, once they stop working, will lose connections with other neurons and die. In addition, many other complex changes in the brain are also thought to be at the root of Alzheimer’s disease.

The initial damage appears to be limited to the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex – two areas that are essential for storing memories. As more neurons die, the rest of the brain is affected, and they begin to slow down and shrink. By the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease, the brain damage has spread widely and the entire brain tissue has shrunk significantly.

In the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease, the patient shows almost no symptoms.

3. Milestones in the History of Alzheimer’s Disease

3.1. Alzheimer’s Disease First Described

Dr. Alois Alzheimer was the first to describe the symptoms of a patient believed to have a form of dementia in 1906. Psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin, a colleague of Dr. Alzheimer, gave the disease the name Alzheimer’s in a medical book in 1910.

3.2. NIA Established

The U.S. Congress established the National Institute on Aging (NIA) as part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1974.

The mission of the NIA is to better understand the nature of aging and to find ways to improve the quality of life for older adults. The NIA is also the federal government’s source of funding for research into the origins of Alzheimer’s disease.

3.3. Public Awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease

In a 1976 editorial, neurologist Dr. Robert Katzman stated that Alzheimer’s disease was the most common form of dementia and a significant public health challenge.

This event brought initial public awareness of the disease and also initiated many brain-related research projects through the NIA.

3.4. The Alzheimer’s Association is founded

Jerome Stone and other members of Alzheimer’s family support groups came to the NIA to form the Alzheimer’s Association in 1980.

Stone became the first president of the association, with the overall goals of:

• Providing support services to families affected by Alzheimer’s disease;
• Promoting more research projects on the disease.

3.5. Causes of Brain Damage Identified

The main signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain are the buildup of large amounts of two proteins: beta-amyloid and neurofibrillary.

Beta-amyloid was discovered in 1984. Two years later, neurofibrillary was discovered in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s. Both proteins are capable of damaging brain cells.

3.6. First Alzheimer’s Drug Trial

In 1978, the NIA and the Alzheimer’s Association partnered with Warner-Lambert Pharmaceuticals (later Pfizer) to begin the first clinical trial of a drug to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

In 1993, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tacrine for the treatment of Alzheimer’s. Four other Alzheimer’s drugs were approved over the next decade.

3.7. Reagan Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s

Former President Ronald Reagan announced that he had Alzheimer’s disease on November 5, 1994. He was 83 years old.

At the time, Reagan was the first high-profile person to be diagnosed with the disease. His announcement brought Alzheimer’s disease to public attention. Reagan died in 2004 from pneumonia and complications from Alzheimer’s.

Many experts began to wonder about the difference between normal age-related dementia and Alzheimer’s.

3.8. Genetics and Risk Research

In 2003, the Alzheimer’s Association and the NIA began a study to determine whether there was a genetic link to Alzheimer’s risk. The federal government funded the study.

3.9. NAPA Act Signed

In 2011, President Obama signed the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA). NAPA was the first law to outline a national strategy for Alzheimer’s research and care. It also included support for caregivers.

A year later, the National Alzheimer’s Plan was released, with the goal of finding ways to prevent Alzheimer’s by 2025.

4. Recognizing the Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

Memory problems are one of the first signs of cognitive decline related to Alzheimer’s disease.

Damage to the brain of an Alzheimer’s patient causes a variety of serious neurological symptoms. Memory problems are one of the first signs of cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Some people begin to notice confusion, a condition known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This is when a person begins to feel less able to function in their daily lives than they did before, but their symptoms do not significantly impact their daily lives. Older adults with MCI are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

The early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease vary from person to person. In the vast majority of cases, a decline in cognitive abilities (not directly related to memory), such as the ability to use words, problems with vision, space, reasoning, or judgment, usually signals the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists are studying biomarkers (biological signs of Alzheimer’s found in brain imaging, cerebrospinal fluid, and blood) to detect early changes in the brains of people with MCI and in normal people who may be at high risk for Alzheimer’s.

Studies suggest that early detection of the disease is possible, but more research is needed before these techniques can be used in routine diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.