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Alzheimer's Disease Overview Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that occurs gradually and results in memory loss, behavior and personality changes, and a decline in thinking abilities. It is characterized by two principle changes in brain tissues: development of amyloid plaques from incorrect processing of amyloid beta protein and formation of neurofibrillary tangles—malformations within the nerve cells. These plaques and tangles develop only in the parts of the brain that control memory and retention of learned information. Other metabolic functions such as heartbeat, breathing, and digestion remain unaffected. As a consequence, patients severely affected by Alzheimer's may be otherwise healthy and live for many more years with the disease. There are two types of Alzheimer's disease: early onset and late onset. Early onset AD is rare (5-10% of AD cases), frequently occurs in families, and symptoms first appear before age 60. Late onset AD, the most common form of the disease, develops in people age 60 and over. Late onset AD lacks any familial association. Rather, modifications of the interactions of several distinct genes appear to significantly alter the formation of plaques and tangles in the brain. Alzheimer's disease progresses slowly—ranging from 3 to 18 years—with an average duration of 8 years. Ultimate death is not usually due to AD but results from some secondary illness such as pneumonia. One factor that might influence the severity and progression of Alzheimer's disease is cerebral blood flow (CBF). Two concurrent conditions suggest a possible association between CBF and cognitive decline in AD: the presence of beta-amyloid containing plaques, possibly impairing the microvascular circulation and the co-existence of atherosclerotic vascular disease. Furthermore, several imaging procedures document decreased CBF in patients with AD. Our underlying hypothesis is that treatment with EN-100 will improve vascular functioning in the brain. Increased cerebral blood flow may improve short-term cognitive functioning and reduce long-term cognitive decline in patients with mild to severe Alzheimer's disease. Additional information about Alzheimer's disease can be obtained from a number of sources. We have identified several excellent sources of information in the Web Links area of this website's Resources section. |
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