Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive illness that is incurable and accounts for most dementia-related cases (Alzheimer’s Association, 2018). It involves damage to the brain resulting in the degeneration and death of brain cells. If not detected early enough, its progression leads to a patient being incapable of performing daily activities and requiring constant care (Grabher, 2018). At its critical stage, patients lose most cognitive functions such as thought processing, awareness, thinking, response inhibition, and control. Patients also suffer from social, behavioral, and personality issues and lack coherency in thoughts and ideas. This paper will discuss the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on the mind and body of its patients.
Memory loss is the main symptom and effect of Alzheimer's disease. It is the most noticeable symptom identified in the disease early stages (Grabher, 2018). AD is characterized by the inability to remember events, conversations, or commitments. As this decline develops, the patient cannot think clearly and organize thoughts (Alzheimer’s Association, 2018). Patients start doing illogical and absurd things, and as memory declines further, they start forgetting the names of common objects and those of family members. AD patients also repeat the same words or phrases, cannot convey their feelings, and eventually lose the ability to speak clearly (Alzheimer's Association, 2018). Such results from incoherency of their thoughts and the effect the disease has on the brain's part that controls speech. As the disease worsens, the symptoms increase, with the patient losing normal functionality and forgetting most basic things like bathing or cooking.
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AD’s effect on the brain leads to other mental and behavioral disorders such as depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. The patient will likely suffer from self-injurious behaviors and suicidal thoughts (Alzheimer’s Association, 2018). This is because of the feeling of helplessness, agony, and gloom the disease brings. Patients may feel that this is the only way to relieve themselves of all the uselessness occasioned by the disease and also relieve their loved ones of the burden of caring for them all the time. Through the intermittent memory and concentration lapses, a patient soon forgets themselves and therefore alter their individuality and personality; they become a shadow of themselves with no sense of self and often are withdrawn from others. They can also grow irritable, restless, and delusional, with some seeing things or remembering events that never occurred.
Alzheimer's disease also has various effects on the physiological and biomechanical processes of the body. As the mental faculties are affected, some functionalities such as balance and coordination are lost. This leads patients to fall, often resulting in multiple injuries. The injuries also come from using normal tools such as scissors and knives. They also lose the power to control their muscles and cannot contract and relax muscles at will. This means he or she will be unable to hold his/her bladder and bowels. As the disease advances and the patient loses more functionalities, they cannot walk or use their hands altogether due to the lack of coordination and muscle strength in their bodies.
As a patient's strength diminishes, the immune system also becomes susceptible to diseases or recurrences of certain conditions (Alzheimer’s Association, 2018). Patients become bedridden at the severe stage, making them susceptible to conditions such as skin complications, sepsis, and blood clots. Swallowing becomes more difficult due to damage to parts of the brain that control swallowing. Thus, they may swallow through the trachea instead of the esophagus, which could be fatal as it may choke the patient or lead to a deposit of food particles in the lungs, which cause an infection. This lung infection is called aspiration pneumonia, a significant cause of death among Alzheimer's patients (Alzheimer’s Association, 2018). Patients lose all their autonomy and have to be looked after by a loved one around the clock to counter these effects.
AD is a disease that affects the brain of a patient. If not diagnosed early enough, it may have adverse effects on an individual's daily life since by damaging his brain, a patient can lose most bodily functions like talking and walking, among others.
References
Alzheimer's Association. (2018). 2018 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures. Alzheimer's & dementia , 14 (3), 367-429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2018.02.001
Grabher, B. J. (2018). Effects of Alzheimer disease on patients and their family. Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology , 46 (4), 335-340. https://doi.org/10.2967/jnmt.118.218057
