It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. This is also known as Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease. In the earlier stages of Alzheimer's disease, the disease affects cognitive processes (e.g., thinking, memory, orientation, judgment) and behavior more than physical functioning.However, in late-stage Alzheimer's disease, the disease begins to considerably affect parts of the brain that control bodily systems, such as motor coordination, bowel, and bladder function, and even breathing.
Different programs and services can help support people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. Dementia means that there is a loss of memory, thinking, problem-solving, ability to plan and organize, language problems, lack of judgment, and personality changes – all of which interfere with a person’s ability to function. Not all changes will occur in each person and the decline that occurs may overlap stages. Stages of Alzheimer’s disease: 3-stage model Understanding the different stages of Alzheimer’s can help you to track the progression of symptoms and plan appropriate care. However, it is important to remember that everyone with Alzheimer’s disease progresses differently and there are steps you can take to slow the onset of symptoms at each stage. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that leads to personality changes, memory loss, intellectual slowing, and other symptoms. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in individuals over 65 years of age. During this preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease, people seem to be symptom-free, but toxic changes are taking place in the brain.
7 Stages of Alzheimer’s: Stage 1: Normal Stage 1 Figure 1. Current Alzheimer's disease medications may temporarily improve symptoms or slow the rate of decline. Stage 5: Moderate Dementia. It seems likely that damage to the brain starts a decade or more before memory and other cognitive problems appear. Just forgetful, or is it dementia? Each person with Alzheimer’s disease will progress through the stages of Alzheimer’s disease at different speeds. Stage One: No Impairment . The different stages of Alzheimer’s disease are summaries of the changes in abilities typically seen in persons with the disease. The main sign for stage 5 dementia is the inability to remember major details such as the name of a close family member or a home address.
At this stage, Alzheimer’s disease is undetectable. But it may also include problems with concentration. What are the stages of Alzheimer's disease? Stage 2: Normal aged forgetfulness. Patients may become disoriented about the time and place, have trouble making decisions, and forget basic information about themselves, such as a telephone … Symptoms at this stage include mild forgetfulness. This may seem like the mild forgetfulness that often comes with aging. They will also develop an inability to control movements like sitting, standing and walking. At any age, persons may potentially be free of objective or subjective symptoms of cognition and functional decline and also free of associated behavioral and mood changes. This stage is also sometimes called No Cognitive Decline.
In the first stage, a person with Alzheimer’s disease has no memory impairment with no evident symptoms of dementia. Treatment of these and other behavioral and psychological symptoms which occur at this stage, as well as at other stages of AD, involves counseling regarding appropriate activities and the psychological impact of the illness upon the patient, as well as pharmacological interventions.
The needs of the person with Alzheimer’s become much more demanding as the disease progresses. For many people, a period of two to four years will pass between the onset of symptoms and receiving an official diagnosis from the doctor. Alzheimer's disease is a generalized deterioration of brain function that progresses in individuals. In the late stages of Alzheimer’s, the person with the disease loses the ability to respond appropriately and is unable to converse with others. Scientists continue to unravel the complex brain changes involved in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.