What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
- A progressive disorder that slowly kills nerve cells in the brain, making it difficult for the brain’s signals to transmit properly
- Creates problems with memory, judgment, and thinking
- Symptoms progress slowly over a number of years
Common Symptoms
- Impaired memory and thinking
- Disorientation and confusion
- Misplacing things
- Impaired abstract thinking
- Trouble performing familiar tasks
- Changes in personality and behavior
- Poor or decreased judgment
- Inability to follow directions
- Problems with language and communication
- Impaired visual and spatial skills
- Loss of motivation or initiative
- Loss of normal sleep patterns
Other Possible Causes of Symptoms
- Depression
- Reaction to medication or drug interactions
- Chemical imbalance related to poor nutrition, anemia, diabetes, imbalance of calcium, sodium or increased thyroid levels
- Heart or lung problems depriving brain of oxygen
For more information on Alzheimer's, please visit these sites
www.alz.org/ The website of the national Alzheimers Association
www.mainealz.org/ The website of the Maine Alzheimers Association
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