Alzheimers

What is Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia among older people and is characterised by memory loss, language problems, personality changes and unpredictable behaviour. It is progressive and irreversible and as symptoms worsen it leads to a gradual decline in cognitive function, which covers thinking, reasoning and learning abilities.
Changes in brain structure have been associated with the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. These changes involve the destruction of specific areas of the brain and degeneration of brain cells (neurones), particularly those that produce acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is continually released by brain cells in the regions of the inner temporal lobes which control cognitive function. Once released, acetylcholine is degraded by the enzyme cholinesterase to prevent its build up in the synapses, which are the gaps between neurones.
As the disease progresses, abnormal structures appear in the brain, starting in the inner temporal lobes and the cerebral cortex and then spreading to other regions. These plaques of neurons and tangles of nerve fibres are associated with the damaging and killing of nerve cells, followed by loss of connections between neurones in the brain and loss of communication by neurotransmitters, which is linked with the gradual loss of memory and ability to understand, communicate and reason.

Medication for Alzheimer's

Medications that increase the amount of acetylcholine by preventing its destruction in areas of the brain affected by Alzheimer's Disease are used to help slow down the loss of cognitive function. These medications include rivastigmin and they work by inhibiting the action of cholinesterase that breaks down acetylcholine. This action slows down the degradation of acetylcholine released by acetylcholine-producing neurones that are still functional and this increases levels of acetylcholine in the damaged areas of the brain. Cholinesterase inhibitors help slow down the progression of mild to moderate Alzheimer's Disease and can improve the cognitive processes of thinking, learning and memory; and also reduce the personality and behavioural changes associated with Alzheimer's, which improves daily functioning in people living with Alzheimer's.