Any disease, targeting a particular body part, provokes its symptoms there and disrupts the normal functioning of that certain organ. At the same time, changes in the work of one system may consequently lead to the malfunctions and abnormalities in the functioning of the other parts of the organism. However, those health disorders that affect the brain of a person from the very beginning result in the problems with the activity of many organs and systems of the human body.

Alzheimer’s disease belongs to the latter group of health conditions. It is called a mental disorder, and its influence and the results of its wicked work can be seen in multiple changes of the body functioning, and first of all, in the changes of psyche and mental abilities of a sufferer.

Being one of the forms or causes of dementia in people, Alzheimer’s disease makes the brain to degenerate till it finally loses its ability to supervise or control the body. The initial changes take place in the area responsible for the memory, which results in the failure to remember things and names. Usually, the short-term memory is affected in the first place. Most often it manifests itself through the forgetfulness, when a person cannot remember where he or she left the glasses or some other things. Inability to learn and remember new information is observed.

Gradually and slowly progressing over quite a long period of time, the disorder gets worse and impairs one’s ability to speak normally, affecting the language center in the brain (cerebral cortex).

It is on this stage when the problems with thinking and reasoning, as well as judgment and understanding, start to become obvious. A sufferer not only forgets where he or she puts the things, but fails to remember or understand what they are for. The simplest skills of speaking, writing, or reading get lost. Moreover, the degradation of movement abilities may become pronounced in many sufferers, making them look clumsy while doing something.

In addition to these changes, a person starts to experience mood swings, becoming depressed or aggressive to people surrounding him/her. Apathy, frustration, and loss of interest in all activities are the usual things for the Alzheimer’s victims. Other behavioral changes characteristic to the patients with Alzheimer’s are wondering or sundowing and illusionary misidentifications. Finally, not remembering the closest relatives or the city a sufferer lives in are noticed, which is known as long-term memory impairment. A patient fails to get dressed or have meals without the assistance. Urinary inconsistency is observed as well.

In spite of the wide range of mood changes and swings in Alzheimer’s sufferers, apathy is the most noticeable and persistent neuropsychological symptom obvious through all the stages of the condition. Most pronounced, however, it becomes in the last stage of the Alzheimer’s disease. It is accompanied by exhaustion and loss of muscle mass, making the sufferers bedridden.

Alzheimer’s disease does not directly cause death of its sufferers; however, it assists in the creation of favorable circumstances for some simple external factor, as some infection, to kill a person.

The symptoms of this condition may initially develop very slowly for many years, being interpreted as the trivial and natural process of aging. However, when they turn out to be serious enough, the official diagnosis is made. And that becomes the point of final countdown for a sufferer, since usually at that time degradation increases its speed. Nonetheless, several modern medications are available to make these years more or less bearable for a sufferer and a caregiver. That is also the time to fully enjoy and value every second of the presence of a loved one beside you.