Dementia [1] is not a disease in itself, it is a term used to describe different conditions that have signs of memory loss. Dementia is a sign of many underlying conditions and reflective of other brain disorders. It is characterized by a persistent decrease in thought, behavioral and social skills that affects the ability of an individual to work independently
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is [2] the most common type of dementia, it is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that causes the brain to shrink (atrophy) and death of brain cells is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is common in the elderly population, mainly people in the 7th – 9th decade of life. In its early stage, Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by forgetfulness of recent events and conversations, with the progression of the disease, the memory loss becomes more significant and may impair the individual’s ability to go about their daily activities. Medications can delay the progression of Alzheimer’s and temporarily help affected individuals to maximize their ability to function independently. There are a number of support programs for people living with Alzheimer’s disease to enable them cope better with the condition. At the moment, there is no cure for the condition however it has generated a lot of research interest in the scientific community and there is the hope of a breakthrough therapy soon enough. In its advanced stages, Alzheimer’s disease leads to death because of its impairment of important neurologic function including: sense of hunger and thirst.