Alzheimer's! ! ! Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a persistent advanced neurological dysfunction, that is, unconscious disorders such as memory, thinking, analysis and judgment, visual space recognition, emotion and so on. Alzheimer's Harmo's disease is also called Alzheimer's Harmo's disease (AD). 1906, German neuropathologist Alzheimer Harmo first reported a case of 5 1 year-old female with progressive dementia. When the doctor showed her an object, she could say the correct name of the object at first and repeated it several times, but suddenly, she forgot everything. When reading a book, she may skip some sentences for no reason. She may spell each word letter by letter, or she may read it without cadence at all. In the writing test, she will write the same syllable over and over again, completely ignoring other syllables, thus becoming completely confused and distracted. She often uses confusing words and specious expressions when she speaks. Sometimes, when you are talking, you will suddenly stop and say nothing. I can't understand any questions put to her. I can't find my way home. Then his condition gradually deteriorated and he died four and a half years later. Pathological examination after death showed atrophy of cerebral cortex and neurofibrillary tangles. Since then, similar cases have been reported. Therefore, this disease is named as Alzheimer's disease 19 10. Former US President Ronald Reagan suffered from Alzheimer's disease at the age of 83. At that time, people gave the impression that they were quick-thinking and personable. However, in the past 10 years, he has completely changed-he has lost all his memories and even his relatives around him can't recognize him. It seems that God has no preference for this outstanding figure. In the United States, there are nearly 5 million Alzheimer's patients like Reagan. In recent years, with the aging of China's population, the number of Alzheimer's patients in China has increased rapidly, and Alzheimer's disease will also become a serious public health problem in China. 1. Nine disease signals of Alzheimer's disease 1. Memory impairment The characteristic of memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease is that the ability to remember new knowledge is impaired and it is difficult to recall long-term knowledge. Early memory disorder, especially near memory disorder-forgetting. The neuropsychological study of memory deficit shows that these patients have difficulty in inputting listening information, and the information disappears rapidly from short-term memory, and the information storage and long-distance memory are also damaged. Memory disorder is the first symptom of Alzheimer's disease, which has the defects of forgetting and remembering new knowledge (related to cerebral cortex function); There is also amnesia-far memory defect (that is, the ability to recall information that has been remembered in the past, which is related to subcortical dysfunction). The patient will also appear fictional phenomenon, which is related to his learning and memory ability disorder. Patients cannot monitor their answers or correct their mistakes. Similarly, memory loss is also the core symptom of cerebrovascular dementia in the early stage. The first one is the defect of near memory, and the disorder of far memory mostly appears in the later stage. 2. Visuospatial skill impairment is impaired in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease. Can't accurately judge the position of the article; Reach for something, grab it empty without reaching it, or reach too far and knock it over. When you put things, you can't correctly judge where you should put them. You will get lost in a familiar environment, or even get lost in your own home. You can't find your own room and don't know which bed is your own. In the simple picture test, it is impossible to accurately copy the three-dimensional picture, and it is difficult to draw even a simple plan after the middle period. There are obvious difficulties in dressing in daily life, and it is impossible to judge up and down or so when picking up clothes. 3. Language disorder Language disorder is a sensitive indicator of advanced brain dysfunction. In impromptu speech, the obvious difficulty in finding words is the first language barrier. With the development of dementia, the practical content of language gradually decreases, irrelevant words are inappropriately added and the theme is changed. Family members often call it "rambling", which makes the listener unable to understand his coherent thinking and even express any information from his conversation. This is the characteristic of spontaneous speech of Alzheimer's patients. At the same time, listening comprehension is seriously hindered, and people often answer irrelevant questions, so that they can't speak, and then imitate language and emphasize language. Finally, the patient can only make incomprehensible sounds and eventually become silent. 4. Dysgraphia Dysgraphia often appears in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease. The content words written because of writing difficulties are not satisfactory, which may be the first symptom (such as writing letters) that attracts family members' attention. It is believed that writing errors or agraphia are related to long-distance memory impairment. With the development of the disease, there are a lot of mistakes (strokes are like Chinese characters, but the written strokes are wrong, even new words that don't exist). In the middle and late stages of the disease, patients don't even know their own names, and they can't write their own names. 5. About 1/3 apraxia and agnosia patients have visual agnosia, they don't know their relatives, but are familiar with their friends. Self-cognitive impairment can lead to mirror disease. Patients sit in front of the mirror and talk to their own images in the mirror, and even ask their own images, "Who are you?" . There are two kinds of apraxia in patients with Alzheimer's disease: Conceptual apraxia refers to the inability to make continuous and complicated actions correctly with gestures, such as filling a pipe, striking a match and lighting a cigarette. Intentional apraxia is that you can't do what you can spontaneously do according to instructions. For example, patients brush their teeth with a toothbrush every morning, but they can't brush their teeth according to the instructions. Aphasia is common in the middle stage, that is, after the memory and language disorders have appeared obviously, but before the movement can not be obvious. The patient lost skills, such as riding a bike and swimming, but not after illness. In severe cases, he can't use any tools, or even eat with chopsticks or spoons. 6, dyscalculia Dyscalculia often appears in the middle stage of Alzheimer's disease, but it may be manifested in the early stage, such as shopping will not be settled or miscalculated. The calculation obstacle may be due to the visual space obstacle (unable to calculate the formula correctly); Or because of aphasia, I don't understand the requirements of arithmetic homework; Or primary computing cannot. Serious people can't even calculate simple addition and subtraction, don't even know numbers and arithmetic symbols, and can't answer how many fingers the examiner stretched out. 7. Poor judgment and distraction Alzheimer's patients may have poor judgment, loss of generalization ability, distraction and agnosia in the early stage. In the early stage of dementia, it is not uncommon for patients to continue to work despite obvious memory impairment, language cavity and impaired generalization and calculation ability. This situation is only repeated every day because of skilled work, but when new situations arise or new requirements are put forward for it, it is discovered that it is incompetent; Or memory decline, mistakes in work, but continue to work because of forgiveness from colleagues around you. 8. Mental functional mental disorder in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease, despite the hidden mental decline, personality and social behavior may still be obviously complete. Because of these behaviors, patients can still engage in social activities effectively, which often makes others underestimate or forgive patients' incompetence. Emotional apathy often appears early, and patients often look puzzled. In fact, mental functional symptoms can also be seen in the early stage. Patients show mania, hallucinations, depression, personality changes, delirium and so on. In the past, people paid more attention to the cognitive dysfunction of patients with Alzheimer's disease, but ignored the psychotic symptoms. These conditions suggest that elderly people with mental dysfunction and short course of disease should consider the possibility of Alzheimer's disease, so as to avoid making the mistake of sending senile dementia patients with depression, mania and behavioral disorders (seizures and running around) to mental hospitals for treatment. 9. Dyskinesia patients with Alzheimer's disease tend to behave normally in the early stage of exercise, but in the middle stage, they will fidget because of excessive activity. If you wander aimlessly around the room, or get up in the middle of the night, grope around, open the door, close the door, move things, etc. Then I lost my instinctive activities and became incontinent (it is difficult to control the urination and defecation, which may occur earlier), so I can't take care of myself. Finally, it showed stiff or flexion quadriplegia. The general decline in intelligence, unconscious response to external stimuli, manifested as motionless silence. Second, the cause of Alzheimer's Harmo's disease The exact cause of Alzheimer's Harmo's disease is still unknown. According to relevant data reports, it may be related to the following factors: 1. Genetic factors According to statistics, the incidence of close relatives of Alzheimer's patients is more than four times that of the general population. Alzheimer's disease has been passed down in a family for several generations, so it is called Alzheimer's Harmo's disease. Some of these patients can find chromosome defects, which are estimated to be related to heredity; At present, it is considered that there are genetic abnormalities on chromosomes 2 1, 19 and 14. In recent years, the genetic abnormality of Apo-E on chromosome 19 has been found, and there are clinical methods to determine Apo-E, which can be used for suspicious patients and families. There are a lot of insoluble protein in senile plaques and cerebral vascular deposits in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, that is, an amyloid β protein polypeptide, which is related to gene mutation on chromosomes, and can have toxic effects on mature nerve cells, causing degeneration, degeneration and necrosis of nerve cells, thus resulting in Alzheimer's Harmo disease. In addition, hyperphosphorylated T(tau) protein can be found in abnormal nerve fibers of Alzheimer's disease, and its relationship with Alzheimer's disease is not clear. 2. Changes in neurotransmitters Acetylcholine is a substance related to memory. The cholinergic system of the central nervous system needs enzymes to participate in the synthesis of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine invertase is an essential enzyme for acetylcholine synthesis. In patients with Alzheimer's disease, the level of acetylcholine converting enzyme decreases, and the synthesis and release of acetylcholine decrease, thus affecting normal memory and cognitive function. However, it has been found that the enzymes that decompose acetylcholine in patients with Alzheimer's disease are also reduced. In addition, there are somatostatin, 5- hydroxytryptamine, norepinephrine, glutamic acid, neuropeptide (vasopressin) and other neurotransmitters. ) in the hippocampus and cortex. The significance of these transmitter changes to the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease needs to be further clarified. 3, trace elements According to relevant reports, the high content of aluminum in the environment is related to the incidence and mortality of dementia. The content of aluminum in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's Harmo's disease (3.6 μ g/g dry weight) was significantly higher than that in the normal brain (1.80 μ g/g dry weight). Excessive aluminum will lead to nerve fiber degeneration, which may be related to the formation of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Aluminum can inhibit the function of cholinergic system related to memory and cognitive function and reduce the activity of acetylcholine converting enzyme, thus causing Alzheimer's disease in patients. However, there are still differences on whether aluminum is an important factor leading to Alzheimer's disease. Iron is an essential trace element for human body, which participates in oxidative metabolism in the body. Iron and ferritin have certain effects on lipid peroxidation and nerve cell injury. In addition, ferritin and transferrin can remove other metal elements such as iron and aluminum. Under normal circumstances, aluminum is completely combined with transferrin in plasma to avoid the production of free aluminum. If aluminum can not fully combine with transferrin and is in a free state, free aluminum can easily enter the brain through the blood-brain barrier, which greatly increases the aluminum content in brain tissue. In the brain tissue of Alzheimer's disease, transferrin is generally decreased, and the concentration of iron in the cerebral cortex is increased, which means that both of them are involved in the pathological process of Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, aluminum can promote the release of trivalent iron from transferrin and the production of free radicals. The toxic reaction of free radicals can denature protein and destroy the cell membrane, thus leading to degeneration and necrosis of nerve cells in patients. Zinc is also an essential trace element for human body. Zinc participates in the synthesis of various enzymes and neurotransmitters in brain tissue. In patients with Alzheimer's disease, the content of zinc in blood, cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue decreases, which affects the synthesis of neurotransmitters and the synthesis and activation of zinc-containing enzymes (especially free radical scavenging enzymes), resulting in the obstruction of free radical scavenging, nerve cell damage and brain dysfunction. However, it has been reported that the zinc content in brain tissue of patients with Alzheimer's disease has not decreased, and many diseases have changes in zinc content in the body. Therefore, it is uncertain whether the change of zinc content in Alzheimer's disease is an initial effect or a secondary change. Selenium has antioxidant activity and is widely distributed in human brain. Selenium content in brain tissue of Alzheimer's Harmo's disease is generally decreased, which leads to free radical scavenging disorder and toxic effect on nerve cells. However, when selenium decreases, it is often accompanied by changes in other trace elements, and the role of selenium is still unclear. Some people think it may be just a synergistic effect. In addition, it was also found that the content of manganese in the brain tissue of Alzheimer's patients also increased, and its significance needs further observation. 4, brain trauma Some people think that brain trauma can destroy the blood-brain barrier, so that white blood cells contact with brain antigens, leading to autoimmune reactions, causing nerve cell damage, or brain trauma can directly damage nerve cells, causing dementia, such as boxing dementia. 5, chronic virus infection some chronic neurodegenerative diseases caused by viruses (such as spongiform encephalopathy, etc.). There are many similarities between Alzheimer's disease and Harmo's disease in clinical symptoms and pathological changes, so we should consider whether Alzheimer's disease is related to infection. However, many attempts to directly infect animals with brain extracts from patients with Alzheimer's disease have failed. And so far, no virus has been found in the patient's brain tissue, so the infection factors need further verification. But some recent experimental results indirectly prove that Alzheimer's disease may be related to viral infection. 6. Other toxic gases such as poisoning (drugs, ethanol, carbon monoxide, etc. ), brain hypoxia, metabolism, endocrine diseases and vitamin deficiency will all affect the occurrence of dementia. In addition, the risk factors of vascular dementia can further aggravate the occurrence and development of senile dementia. In a word, the causes of Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's Harmo's disease are complicated, and there are many causes. So far, it is difficult to explain with one cause, which may be the result of the interaction of many factors. III. Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease 1 Drug Prevention For thousands of years, human beings have been exploring ways to preserve health, resist aging and prolong life. Traditional Chinese medicine theory holds that the essence of aging of the elderly is yang deficiency and blood stasis. In recent 10 years, China has carried out a large number of experimental studies on anti-aging traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions, of which 89.5% are mainly based on invigorating spleen and tonifying kidney. Therefore, the elderly with yang deficiency can often take Wuzi Yanzong pills and other products to prevent aging. 2. Moxibustion to prevent moxibustion can also help yang dissipate blood stasis and prolong life. In ancient times, moxibustion at Shenque, Qihai and Guanyuan of Ren meridian, Mingmen, Dazhui, Gaojia, Shenshu and Fructus Aurantii Immaturus of Du meridian, Zusanli point (double point) of stomach meridian, and once moxibustion with five strong elements all have the functions of tonifying kidney, benefiting essence, supporting yang, preventing aging and dementia. 3. Avoid diseases such as cerebral arteriosclerosis and cerebral thrombosis, and prevent Alzheimer's disease caused by insufficient blood supply to the brain. Atherosclerosis is the main enemy of dementia. Adjusting diet, eating less salt, and taking appropriate physical activities are helpful to prevent arteriosclerosis. 4. Pay attention to intellectual training, use the brain diligently, and delay brain aging. Research shows that people who often do interesting things with their brains can keep their brains sharp and exercise their brain cells to react quickly. People who do nothing all day have a high proportion of dementia. Old people should keep active and use their brains more, such as reading more books, learning new things and cultivating various hobbies, which can activate brain cells and prevent brain aging. Extensive contact with people from all walks of life is conducive to maintaining brain power. Chatting with friends, playing mahjong, playing chess, etc. Can stimulate the brain and stimulate the vitality of nerve cells. 5, mental conditioning People often say: "Smile, ten years old", which shows that mental conditioning focuses on conditioning the qi of seven emotions, paying attention to maintaining optimism, thinking, thinking and preventing it. We want to live a quiet life, fearless, cheerful, contented and happy, changing with the times, without self, calm in spirit, unable to regret, with one soul and five internal organs at peace. This is the first essence of mental conditioning. In other words, we should be quiet and fearless, indifferent to nothingness, not competing with the world, content with contentment and innocent. Only when we are not tempted by external material desires and disturbed by internal emotions can qi and blood be harmonious and healthy. Attention should be paid to maintaining interpersonal relationships and avoiding long-term depression and depression, because depression is also a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Avoid mental stimulation and prevent brain tissue function from being damaged. In addition, maintaining family harmony can maintain a happy mood and enhance disease resistance. 6, physical exercise Many people know that exercise can reduce the chance of stroke. In fact, exercise can also promote the production of neurotrophins and prevent brain degeneration. Practice has proved that proper physical exercise is beneficial to health, such as walking, playing Tai Ji Chuan, doing health exercises or practicing Qigong. It is beneficial to relieve the inhibitory function of the brain and improve the activity level of the central nervous system. However, it is still necessary to step by step, do what you can, and persevere in order to achieve the desired results. Try to move your fingers except your whole body. 7, daily diet, daily diet should be regular, not changeable. Generally, you should go to bed early and get up early, eat regularly and defecate regularly. It is also of positive significance to keep the stool unobstructed to prevent Alzheimer's disease. In diet, we should generally pay attention to the following points: emphasize "three fixes, three highs, three lows and two precepts", that is, timing, quantity, high protein, high unsaturated fatty acid, high vitamin, low fat, low calorie, low salt, and quitting smoking and drinking. Avoid using aluminum drinking utensils. As soon as salt enters the human body, it will first deposit in the brain, thus inducing Alzheimer's disease. Pay attention to supplement beneficial minerals and trace elements. Lack of essential trace elements (such as zinc) can lead to insufficient blood supply to the brain, vascular diseases and dementia. In addition, vitamin e can be supplemented appropriately. Vitamin E can improve memory, but as an antioxidant, it can prevent nerve cells from being damaged by free radicals. Studies have pointed out that patients with Alzheimer's disease take vitamin E for two years in a row, delaying the degeneration for eight months. Experts suggest that 400 units of vitamin E can be supplemented every day, which will help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Recent research shows that postmenopausal women who take female hormones can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by 30% to 40%. Besides, you should eat more fish. A large-scale study of 5000 people over the age of 55 in the Netherlands shows that the probability of getting Alzheimer's disease by eating more fish is only 0.4 times that of the general population.