ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE 2- PATHOLOGY AND SYMPTOMS

How does Alzheimer’s affect the Brain? 

PATHOLOGY OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

  Alzheimer’s disease starts in a brain region known as the Lateral Entorhinal Cortex. This region leads to the hippocampus area of the brain which is mostly concerned with establishing long-term memory. The Lateral Entorhinal Cortex is usually affected by Alzheimer’s because it contains large amount of tau proteins. The presence of numerous tau proteins causes the Lateral Entorhinal Cortex to accumulate Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP). Both APP and tau proteins work synergistically to destroy the neurons in the entorhinal cortex, making that region vulnerable to Alzheimer’s. If the Lateral Entorhinal Cortex is affected, the hippocampus will also be affected. As time goes on, the disease spreads from the entorhinal cortex to the cerebral cortex. 

The main damaging effect of Alzheimer’s is the destruction of nerve cells or neurons in the brain. As the brain cells die off, the brain continues to shrink and reduce. When the cells in the hippocampus start to shrink, short term memory begins to fade, and there is reduced ability to perform routine tasks. As the disease progresses, and spreads through the cerebral cortex and the two hemispheres, judgment declines, speech and language is affected, and abrupt mood changes sets in. The death of more nerve cells in the brain will lead to serious changes in behaviour as patients may start to wander or become restless.

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ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE 1 (AND MEMORY LOSS)- A FORM OF DEMENTIA

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

 What is Alzheimer’s disease?

 Alzheimer’s disease is a disease that affects the human brain, leading to memory loss, disorientation, behaviour changes, and difficulty in speaking, swallowing, and walking.

Alzheimer's is the most prevalent form of dementia. Alzheimer's disease responsible for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. The disease got its name from a German physician named Alois Alzheimer who diagnosed a 51-year-old woman of a rare brain disorder in the year 1906. The brain autopsy performed on the patient identified the plaques and tangles that are now known to occur in the brain of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

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ALTERNATIVE THERAPY FOR ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

Alternative therapies for Arterosclerosis/ Atheriosclerosis  that focus on diet and lifestyle can help prevent, retard, or reverse atherosclerosis. Herbal therapies (Homemade Cure) which include a number of supplements mainly derived from plants, that could help treat atherosclerosis include:

•  hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata),
•  notoginseng root (Panax notoginseng),
•  garlic (Allium sativum),
•  pineapple (Ananas comosus),
• ginger (Zingiber officinale),
• chili peppers,
• yarrow (Achillea millefolium),
• artichoke extract (this extract comes in capsules, tablets, and tinctures),
• Niacin (also known as vitamin B-3. It is found in foods like liver, chicken, tuna, and salmon, and is also sold as a supplement),
• policosanol (it is an extract that is made from plants such as sugar cane and yams),
• red rice yeast (it is a food product that is made by fermenting white rice with yeast),
• turmeric (Curcuma longa),
• green tea,
• parsley (Petroselinum crispum),
• beet juice,
• lemon(Citrus limon),
• capsicum (Capsicum annuum),
• onion (Allium cepa), and
• pawpaw(Carica papaya), and
• alfalfa (Medicago sativum).

 Most of these herbal remedies (alternative therapy) affect cholesterol levels. High levels of cholesterol are not necessarily the only risk factor in developing atherosclerosis, but they are important contributors. The major target in treating cholesterol and related problems is to keep LDL low, and raise HDL.

There are some points to consider when using herbs and supplements to treat atherosclerosis:

1.         There is no evidence that any supplement on its own will cure atherosclerosis.

2.         A doctor should be consulted before any supplement is taken, since some can interfere with medicines already in use by the patient.

3.         Pregnant women or nursing mothers need to speak with a doctor before taking supplements.

4.         Supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This implies that their quality varies dramatically.

 Relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques that are alternative remedies which can slow down or prevent the progress of the disease include:

•  yoga,
• guided imagery,
• meditation,
• biofeedback,
• counseling and other "talking" therapies.

NOTE:

It is advisable to eat foods that are low in fats (especially saturated fats), sugar, cholesterol, and animal proteins, and foods high in fiber and antioxidants (fresh fruits and vegetables). Abundant consumption of onions and garlic is recommended, as well as cold-water fish like salmon.

Arteriosclerosis is a significant cause of disability and death in Western Societies. Truly, arteriosclerosis is an unavoidable result of Western lifestyles with their dependence on a highly refined carbohydrate diet with poor micronutrient content, increasing environmental pollution, lack of sunshine which gives vitamin D, lack of exercise, and chronic lack of sleep.

This unhealthy lifestyles and habits have gradually being adopted by non-western nations, including Nigeria. The hustle and bustle of everyday life has made majority of people to neglect their health. Considering the severity of these two conditions, Arteriosclerosis and Atherosclerosis, it is advisable that we pay more attention to eating healthy diets, give more time for exercise and sleep, and avoid unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking. It is also recommended that a diagnostic test should be done by those who have predisposing factors to these diseases in order to nip it in the bud by commencing an early treatment plan. From the saying “health is wealth” it will be to our utmost benefit to give priority to our treasured possession which is our health.

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Treatment of Arteriosclerosis

Treatment of Arteriosclerosis

Prevention is the best treatment of Arteriosclerosis. The Treatment of arteriosclerosis is usually in the form of preventative measures of Prophylaxis. These includes:

Drug therapy

Drug therapy for underlying conditions, such as drugs for the treatment of high cholesterol, drugs to treat high blood pressure (ACE inhibitors),and anti-coagulant drugs, are often recommended in the prevention of arteriosclerosis (prophylaxis).

Lifestyle changes

Positive Lifestyle changes such as adequate exercise, quitting smoking, and reduction or abstinence from alcohol intake are also recommended.

Surgery

There are various types of surgeries that can be performed to treat both conditions (Atherosclerosis and Arteriosclerosis). They include angioplasty and stent placement, coronary artery bypass surgery, endarterectomy (this is the surgical removal of plaque from an artery that has become either narrowed or blocked), and thrombolytic therapy (which is a treatment used to break up masses of plaque inside the arteries through intravenous clot-dissolving medicine).

ATHEROSCLEROSIS CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY TREATED BUT IT CANNOT BE CURED. Recent clinical researches have revealed that atherosclerosis can be delayed, stopped, and even reversed by lowering LDL cholesterol drastically. New diagnostic techniques are helping physicians to identify and treat atherosclerosis in its earliest stages and new technologies and surgical procedures have helped to extend the lives of many patients who would otherwise have died.

In general, Atherosclerosis requires a lifelong care. Patients with less severe atherosclerosis may achieve adequate control of the condition through lifestyle changes and drug therapy. The major lifestyle changes that can prevent the progression of the disease include a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, losing weight (where necessary), exercise, controlling blood pressure, and abstinence from smoking.

ALSO SEE: ALTERNATIVE THERAPY/ HERBAL THERAPY/ HOMEMADE CURE FOR ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

Tags: prevention of atherosclerosis/ arteriosclerosis, treatment of atherosclerosis/ arteriosclerosis, arteriosclerosis surgery

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ARTERIOSCLEROSIS- SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS

SYMPTOMS OF ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

ALSO SEE: THE TREATMENT OF ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

There many symptoms of arteriosclerosis but the major symptoms that are associated with arteriosclerosis are:

•  pain and cramps in the legs,

•  coldness and numbness in the feet,

•  kidney disorders,

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PREVENT THE DEADLY DISEASE BEFORE IT KILLS YOU- ARTERIOSCLEROSIS (1)

ARTERIOSCLEROSIS

Arteriosclerosis which is a combination of two Greek words, arteria (meaning artery) and skleros (meaning hard) is a general term used for hardening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis on the other hand is a form of arteriosclerosis. It is also made up of two Greek words, athere (meaning soft, fatty, gruel-like) and skleros (meaning hard) and it refers to the buildup of a waxy plaque on the inside of blood vessels.  Atherosclerosis is often called arteriosclerosis but really, it is a form of arteriosclerosis. It is not uncommon to find people using both terms synonymously probably due to the slight difference in their spellings, but it is noteworthy to state here that they are two different words, with their different meanings, although they have similar risk factors and treatments.  Both conditions will be referred to in the course of this article because they are interwoven.

Arteriosclerosis is the stiffening or hardening of the artery walls. Arteriosclerosis as a phenomenon may have been in existence since ancient times but nothing about its diagnostics and clinical implications were acknowledged until the 20th century. Although many cases have been observed and recorded, the term ‘arteriosclerosis’ was not used until Jean Fréderic Martin Lobstein coined it in the course of analyzing the composition of calcified arterial lesions. An artery is a kind of blood vessel and it is composed of several layers: an internal lining called the endothelium, an elastic membrane that permits the artery to enlarge and contract, a layer of smooth muscle, and a layer of connective tissue. Arteriosclerosis is a broad term that means a hardening of the inner and middle layers of the artery. It is characterized by irregularly distributed lipid deposits in the intima of large and medium-sized arteries, leading to a narrowing of arterial lumens and resulting eventually to fibrosis and calcification. Restriction of blood flow gives rise to most clinical manifestations, which differ with the distribution and severity.

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