11-4-08

Alzheimer’s Disease

More than 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.   It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain that results in impaired memory and thinking.  Dr. Tom Ala, associate professor of neurology and interim director of the Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, explains how the disease affects individuals.

SOUND BITE: “It should start out with short-term memory loss, then progresses to where the patient loses their ability to communicate, to figure things out, to know where they are, to take care of themselves, to do complicated things like cooking, driving, cooking, their finances. It’s a gradual loss of cognitive ability which occurs for many years.”

Dr. Ala says the biggest risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease are age and family history.  Most of the people who are diagnosed with the disease are over age 65, but it can occur in younger people.   Although there is no cure, some medications can slow the progression of the disease.  He describes some of the treatments.

SOUND BITE:  “. . .  there are medications that can help, but they don’t slow the disease, they don’t stop the disease.  There are four prescription medications right now, there’s Aricept, Exelon and Razadyne that work in one chemical system.  Then the fourth the second chemical system and fourth drug is Namenda.”

If someone you know is suffering from serious memory problems and needs help, contact your family physician or call the Alzheimer’s Center at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield at 1-800-342-5748.

This is Ruth Slottag at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.