What does Alzheimer’s do to your body?

Alzheimer’s is a disease that is still widely being studied and holds a great deal of mystery as far as the reaches of its devastation on the mind and body.  As Alzheimer's disease progresses through the 7 states, people experience loss of memory and other cognitive difficulties. Problems can range from wandering and getting lost, trouble with finances, paying their own bills, repeating questions about things that they should know, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, and personality and behavior changes. 

In its initial stages, Alzheimer's disease mostly destroys neurons and their connections to the brain in areas that involve memory, including the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. It later affects areas in the cerebral cortex responsible for language, reasoning, and social behavior.  It is in these later stages where other parts of the body may become involved.  For instance, a person may have an infection that progresses to a stage where it is painful and causing confusion because they cannot accurately express or do not know exactly what they are feeling at the time. The body may lose muscle tone, making it more difficult to get around and be physically active.  Because of all of the other things that the person is experiencing, they may also experience a loss of appetite, whether from a change in taste, forgetting to eat, or symptoms of depression which can cause changes in appetite.  By the end stages of Alzheimer’s, a person may have lost speech and the ability to communicate verbally.  During this time, people often show personality changes because they do not understand what is happening to them or how to communicate those issues to someone who can get help for them. 

As Alzheimer's progresses to its last stages, brain changes affect physical functions, motor skills, and cognitive functions.  The areas that could be affected are swallowing, balance, and bowel and bladder control. When these issues come into play, this can increase vulnerability to additional health problems such as inhaling food or liquid into the lungs, which could cause them to choke or aspirate.  It is imperative that if you have family or a caregiver for a person who has Alzheimer’s, you watch their actions closely. If you see anything out of the ordinary, you contact their primary medical provider as soon as possible.