Question

What the prevalence and incidence rates of Alzheimer disease 2017 by state ? i need it as Excel.

Answer 1

Cause amd Characteristics of
Alzheimer’s
disease
Most common cause of dementia; accounts for an estimated 60 percent to 80 percent of cases. Autopsy studies show
that about half of these cases involve solely Alzheimer’s pathology; many of the remaining cases have evidence of
additional pathologic changes related to other dementias. This is called mixed pathology, and if recognized during life is
called mixed dementia.
Difficulty remembering recent conversations, names or events is often an early clinical symptom; apathy and depression
are also often early symptoms. Later symptoms include impaired communication, disorientation, confusion, poor judgment,
behavioral changes and, ultimately, difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking.
Revised guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer’s were proposed and published in 2011 (see page 15). They recommend that
Alzheimer’s be considered a slowly progressive brain disease that begins well before clinical symptoms emerge.
The hallmark pathologies of Alzheimer’s are the progressive accumulation of the protein fragment beta-amyloid (plaques)
outside neurons in the brain and twisted strands of the protein tau (tangles) inside neurons. These changes are eventually
accompanied by the damage and death of neurons.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Dementia

There is no single test for Alzheimer’s dementia.

Instead, physicians (often with the help of specialists

such as neurologists and geriatricians) use a variety of

approaches and tools to help make a diagnosis. They

include the following:

• Obtaining a medical and family history from the

individual, including psychiatric history and history

of cognitive and behavioral changes.

• Asking a family member to provide input about

changes in thinking skills and behavior.

• Conducting cognitive tests and physical and

neurologic examinations.

• Having the individual undergo blood tests and brain

imaging to rule out other potential causes of dementia

symptoms, such as a tumor or certain vitamin deficiencies.

• In some circumstances, using brain imaging to find

out if the individual has high levels of beta-amyloid, a

hallmark of Alzheimer's; normal levels would suggest

Alzheimer's is not the cause of dementia.

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s dementia requires a careful and

comprehensive medical evaluation. Although physicians

can almost always determine if a person has dementia, it

may be difficult to identify the exact cause. Several days

or weeks may be needed for an individual to complete the

required tests and examinations and for the physician to

interpret the results and make a diagnosis.

Brain Changes Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease

A healthy adult brain has about 100 billion neurons,

each with long, branching extensions. These extensions

enable individual neurons to form connections with

other neurons. At such connections, called synapses,

information flows in tiny bursts of chemicals that are

released by one neuron and detected by a receiving

neuron. The brain contains about 100 trillion synapses.

They allow signals to travel rapidly through the brain’s

neuronal circuits, creating the cellular basis of memories,

thoughts, sensations, emotions, movements and skills.

The accumulation of the protein fragment beta-amyloid

(called beta-amyloid plaques) outside neurons and the

accumulation of an abnormal form of the protein tau

(called tau tangles) inside neurons are two of several

brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s. Beta-amyloid

plaques are believed to contribute to cell death by

interfering with neuron-to-neuron communication

at synapses, while tau tangles block the transport of

nutrients and other essential molecules inside neurons.

As the amount of beta-amyloid increases, a tipping point

is reached at which abnormal tau spreads throughout

the brain.11

Other brain changes include inflammation and atrophy.

The presence of toxic beta-amyloid and tau proteins

activates immune system cells in the brain called

microglia. Microglia try to clear the toxic proteins as well

as widespread debris from dead and dying cells. Chronic

inflammation is believed to set in when the microglia can’t

keep up with all that needs to be cleared. Atrophy, or

shrinkage, of the brain occurs because of cell loss. Normal

brain function is further compromised by the decreased

ability of the brain to metabolize glucose, its main fuel.

Research suggests that the brain changes associated with

Alzheimer’s may begin 20 or more years before symptoms

appear.12-15 When the initial changes occur, the brain

compensates for them, enabling individuals to continue

to function normally. As neuronal damage increases, the

brain can no longer compensate for the changes and

individuals show subtle cognitive decline. Later, neuronal

damage is so significant that individuals show obvious

cognitive decline, including symptoms such as memory

loss or confusion as to time or place. Later still, basic

bodily functions such as swallowing are impaired.

While research settings have the tools and expertise to

identify some of the early brain changes of Alzheimer’s,

additional research is needed to fine-tune the tools’

accuracy before they become available for clinical use.

In addition, treatments to prevent, slow or stop these

changes are not yet available, although many are being done many clinical trails.