Alzheimer disease, otherwise known as Dementia or Amnesia is the inability of a person to remember events for a period of time often due to brain injury, illness or the effects of drugs and alcohol.
Dementia could be further described as the gradual decline in memory, thinking, behavior and social skills, changes which often affect a person’s ability to function properly and effectively.
Health experts have identified two major types of dementia. The first is retrograde dementia which evolves one’s inability to recall events that led to his or her condition just like in the case of accidents.
There is also the Transient global dementia, a condition where a person Is unable to create new memory, causing the memory of recent events to disappear. The person suffering from this type of dementia cannot remember any recent happening including where they are at any particular time.
The disease commonly known as memory loss is known to be linked to ageing, stress, lack of sleep, excessive use of psychoactive drugs, energetic drugs or alcohol that could lead to physical, social or emotional harm.
Other causes include, a disturbance in behavior or mental function during or after harmful consumption of substance which leads to vomiting and dehydration. In addition, a brain injury caused by a blow to the head or violent shaking of the head and body leading to fatigue, thyroid problems, and an unhealthy diet without enough fluids could also lead to memory loss.
Alzheimer which is one of the most common forms of sickness in people over sixty five years old causes the brain to shrink, a condition that consequently leads to the death of brain cells.
A survey however, shows that youths between ages of eighteen and thirty four are also prone to the disease as a result of unhealthy life style like lack of sleep, excess stress, pour diet and drug use.
According to the international research body, Neuroscience Premier Health, Some prescriptions and over-the-counter medications that can interfere with, or cause loss of memory include; anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications, muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, sleeping pills and pain medications given after surgery, alcohol, tobacco and abuse of drugs.
Sadly, at present, there is yet to be any cure for dementia as the disease is caused by different factors.
However, all hope is not lost as the American Food and Drug Agency (FDA) approves memantine Namenda for the management of moderate to severe Alzheimer or dementia disease because there is currently no known cure for this brain disease.
Also recommended for optimal brain function |s abstinence from self medications. Drug abuse and alcohol intake and their effects on the human body, brain and general health on individuals can neither be under estimated nor overemphasized.
Therefore parents, Religious Organizations, National and State Orientation Agencies, governments should unequivocally condemn all manner of Drug and alcohol abuse in society.
