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Alzheimer's disease affects more than 4.5 million Americans. A lot of attention has been focused on Alzheimer's due to the recent loss of former President Ronald Reagan. This is a devastating disease that not only affects the victims, but the families and caregivers as well.
Alzheimer's causes a slow loss of brain cells resulting in the loss of many cognitive abilities. Recognizing the symptoms is often difficult and easily missed because of the resemblance to natural signs of aging. People with Alzheimer's exhibit a number of different symptoms.
Symptoms of Alzheimer's progress over time. In the early stages, family members and friends may notice minor personality changes. If you suspect someone you know has the disease, here are some signs to look for:
* Loss of short-term memory. Forgetting newly learned information is one of the most common early indications of Alzheimer's. People with Alzheimer's often misplace everyday objects such as keys. In early stages, they may have slight changes in attention span and minor language difficulties.
* Trouble with common tasks. For people with Alzheimer's, routine tasks - such as cooking, shopping or paying bills - become increasingly difficult and frustrating.
* Confusion with times and dates. Some people with Alzheimer's disease forget where they are, even in their own home. They may also forget details of events or appointments. As the disease progresses, patients have trouble recognizing family members or friends.
* Disorientation. Alzheimer's patients may get lost or confused in familiar places and may wander off.
In the final stages of Alzheimer's disease, patients lose cognition and personality along with the ability to care for themselves and become more vulnerable to other illnesses.
While there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease yet, scientists are working on new ways to detect and diagnose the disease before these symptoms surface. One significant area of research in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases is proteomics.
Proteomics is the study and analysis of proteins, the fundamental building blocks of the human body. By studying proteins, scientists can understand more fully the functioning of a healthy body and identify the proteins associated with specific diseases.
Power3 Medical (OTC BB: PWRM), a leader in proteomics research, has developed a promising Neurodegenerative Screening Test, which involves monitoring the concentration of a panel of proteins in the blood. According to the company, they are able to identify unique biomarkers whose profiles appear to distinguish patients with Lou Gehrig's (ALS), Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases from each other as well as from the normal individuals and patients with other neurological disorders.
Power3 Medical believes this test will give doctors the ability to diagnose these diseases before irreversible brain damage occurs - potentially providing the opportunity to delay their progression and the clues to design new drugs to treat the disease earlier.
For more information about proteomics and the development of Power3 Medical's Neurodegenerative Screening Test, visit www.power3medical.com. - NU |
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