Also known as Alzheimer’s or Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type (SDAT), Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, a condition that destroys brain cells and leads to a decline in mental function. It is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys almost all cognitive functions: memory, learning, reason, judgment making, communication and ability to carry out daily activities. As Alzheimer’s worsens, it can also affect an individual’s personality and behavior, causing agitation, paranoia, anxiety, delusions and hallucinations. At present, once an ability is lost, it is not known to return.

People over the age of 65 are most frequently affected by Alzheimer’s. It is the eight leading cause of death in the elderly population. Presently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, although there are ways of slowing down its advance and helping patients with some of the symptoms. Alzheimer’s is a terminal disease; it is incurable and causes death.  Drug companies, academic institutions and medical facilities are working to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. As people are living longer many more are suffering from the disease. It is in everyone’s interest that a cure is found as soon as possible.

Causes of Alzheimer’s

In spite of the advances in medical science, we do not know what causes the onset or progression of Alzheimer’s disease. All we know is that it is not a part of normal aging, it affects both men and women, and it is more common in people as they age since most people with the disease are over 65. It is not caused by hardening of the arteries or by stress.

People with Alzheimer’s disease have an atrophy; weakening or disintegration of the cortical tissue within the brain which causes buildup of tangles and plaques in the brain and leads to disruption to transmission of impulses amongst brain cells. It is this damage that is thought to produce the symptoms of the disease. We may not know the causes but there are certain risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease such as:

Age- As the brain and body age, its ability to ward off internal attacks weakens, making it exponentially more susceptible to diseases such as Alzheimer’s. As damaged nerve cells begin to die the brain loses its ability to function, and age only makes this process worse.

Family History- Genetics play a vital role in likelihood of development of Alzheimer’s. Those with a grandparent, parent, sibling or even child with Alzheimer’s are subject to heightened risk for the disease.

Lifestyle- Research has provided evidence that exercise and a healthy diet reduce Alzheimer’s risk. Avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol consumption, staying socially active, and engaging in intellectually stimulating activities have a protective effect against Alzheimer’s disease. Those who are free of heart or related conditions are at a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

• Memory loss
• Difficulty performing familiar tasks.
• Problems with language.
• Forgetting simple words or substituting unusual words
• Disorientation to time and place
• Forgetting the day of the week or where they were going
• Poor or decreased judgment.
• Problems with abstract thinking.
• Difficulty performing complex mental tasks
• Misplacing things.
• Rapid mood swings 
• Changes in personality
• Loss of initiative
• Increased anxiety and agitation
• Disturbed sleep patterns
• Wandering and pacing
• Increased difficulty with name and face recognition of family and friends.
  

Natural home remedies for Alzheimer’s

Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, there are ways of slowing down its advance and helping patients with some of the symptoms. These home remedies for Alzheimer’s may help with some symptoms.

• Raw carrots, taken as salad or in the form of juice, helps improve memory.
• Eating fish aids normal functioning of the brain.
• Almonds, avocado, hazelnuts, vegetable oils, whole grain products and egg yolk are some of the foods rich in Vitamin E which helps to slow down the progress of the disease.
• Extract of the herb called ginkgo biloba can improve the brain functioning. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which protects brain cells from damage. Other herbs such as horse balm, rosemary, dandelion, fava beans, fenugreek, sage, ginkgo, Brazil nut, stinging nettle, willow and gotu kola increase the production of Acetylcholine in the brain and in turn, help in treating or curing Alzheimer’s.
• Plants foods, such as dandelion greens, poppy seeds, soybeans and even commonly used mung beans, should be added to a person’s diet. They can help cure Alzheimer’s. Eating pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds improves brain functioning and helps in treating Alzheimer’s.
  

Diet for Alzheimer’s

Carrots, fish, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds and dark colored fruits and vegetables are good for slowing down brain aging.

Many people with Alzheimer’s disease experience a decrease in taste sensation. Spicing up their food may be a good idea for the taste and for the appetite. Chili powder, pepper, sage, oregano etc may be used.

Alzheimer’s patient should avoid high fat and high calorie diets. They must also abstain from salt, alcohol, cigarette smoking, processed foods, refined carbohydrates and environmental toxins.

Before trying out any home remedies for Alzheimer’s make sure that you consult your doctor.

Sea squirts are marine organisms that live on underwater structures for their entire lives and feed on small plants. They are characterized by an outer hard tunic and a soft body on the inside. They can be useful in studying Alzheimer’s disease and ultimately finding an effective cure for this disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a serious and progressive cognitive disorder that starts with basic forgetfulness and then progresses towards serious brain impairment in the form of changes in cognitive abilities and memory loss. Cognitive abilities refer to a number of important brain based behaviors like abstract reasoning, perception, learning etc.

The response to the question “Are Sea Squirts the Answer to Alzheimer’s disease?” lies in the fact that sea squirts, especially in their immature tadpole forms, share about 80% of their genes with humans. This fact can be favorable used to further the research work required for studying the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease.

This gene resemblance can prove to be highly beneficial in studying Alzheimer’s disease effectively. These marine organisms can serve as successful model organisms that can be used for understanding the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease and screening the drugs useful for curing this disease.

In addition to this, Sea squirts are relatively inexpensive to house as compared to the small animals that are currently being used for the studies.

The Mechanism behind the Use of Sea Squirts

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the formation and accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that cause degeneration of the nerve cells present on the brain. Amyloids are protein fragments that are normally produced by the brain but are eventually broken down and removed.

But, in case of hereditary Alzheimer’s disease these protein fragments tend to get accumulated leading to the formation of hard and insoluble plaques. So, for studying and conducting tests for Alzheimer’s disease, certain model organisms are required so that they can be given the mutant protein Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) or the development of plaques and tangles in the brain.

When these mutant proteins were introduced in sea squirts, it was observed that unlike other small animals that developed brain plaques after a long period of time, sea squirts developed these plaques very quickly, within a day.

Moreover, an experimental drug for curing Alzheimer’s disease showed positive results in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in sea squirts. Earlier, this drug had not been effective on other small animals like mice. However, in case of sea squirts, this anti plaque forming drug not only helped in healing the plaques but also in getting rid of the behavioral defects associated with Alzheimer’s disease.