Alzheimer’s disease: Signs, symptoms, support, and the urgent importance of clinical trials
Thousands of families have their lives turned upside down by an Alzheimer’s diagnosis each day.
"Currently more than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and may contribute to 60-70% of cases.”
Memory loss is often the symptom most people think of, but that’s just one of the earliest signs of the disease. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the easiest symptoms to dismiss as a so-called normal part of aging. Alzheimer’s, however, is not a normal part of aging. It’s the result of complex changes in the brain that start years before symptoms appear.
Although there are few treatments and no cure for Alzheimer’s disease yet, clinical trials offer hope. There is an ongoing worldwide effort to find ways to treat this disease, delay its onset, and prevent it from developing.
What to look for: Signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease. This means that symptoms get worse over time. Memory problems are among the first signs of Alzheimer’s. However, there is much more to this disease. Other signs vary from person to person, and may include:
- Difficulty coming up with words
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- Decreased or poor judgment, possibly leading to bad decisions
- Trouble handling money and paying bills
- Losing things or misplacing them in odd places
- Repeating questions
- Taking longer to complete daily tasks
Symptoms can also include changes in behavior and personality, such as:
- Wandering and getting lost
- Increased anxiety, irritability, or aggression
- Social withdrawal
- Mood swings
- Distrust in others
- Changes in sleeping habits
- Loss of inhibitions
- Delusions, such as believing something has been stolen
Alzheimer’s care and support
If you see signs of Alzheimer’s in yourself or a loved one, it’s important to find out what’s going on. Even if you or someone you know has several or even many of these signs, it doesn’t mean it is Alzheimer’s. These are health concerns that should be evaluated by a doctor.
You may feel uncertain, nervous, or even afraid to talk about these symptoms. Those feelings are common, but you don’t have to face this on your own. Some good first steps are to talk with family or friends and make an appointment with a doctor you trust.
If you are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, specialist doctors can help you and loved ones understand the disease. They can also help you make plans to manage symptoms and deal with long-term effects. The more you and your loved ones know, the better prepared you can be.
Support for families and caregivers
When your loved one has Alzheimer’s, you face emotional and physical challenges every day. As the disease progresses, your work gets more difficult. The time may come when your loved one needs more care than you can provide.
Alzheimer’s support groups offer a range of help. Some provide services, such as helping with everyday care for your loved one or running errands. Other groups bring people together so they can talk about their experiences with this disease. There is strength in numbers, and letting others help you can be good for your health. It can also make you a better caregiver for your loved one.
Advancing Alzheimer’s treatments with clinical trials
Clinical trials are an important part in the fight against this disease. Thousands of volunteers have taken part in Alzheimer’s clinical trials, and the number of active trials is increasing.1 These volunteer participants have helped researchers:
- Improve detection and diagnosis of the disease.
- Assess the effects of exercise, healthy eating, and cognitive training.
- Test new drugs that target many different aspects of the disease.
As the search for ways to help prevent, delay, detect, and treat Alzheimer’s disease continues, clinical trials still need more volunteer participants to represent all potential patients, including:
- People with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia
- Healthy people, with or without a family history of dementia
People of different ages, genders, races, ethnicities, and geographic locations (so that results can have an impact on the lives of patients around the world)
1. https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/trc2.12179