Alzheimer's Disease-Biochemical and Psychological Background for Diagnosis and Treatment

Abstract

There is a paucity of empirical research on the use of non-pharmacological interventions to both treat and curb the spread of Alzheimer's disease (AD) across the globe. This paper examines the biochemical and clinical outlook and the social implications of the condition in relation to psychological aspects that may indicate a direction for further interventions. There is a scarcity of research on the effectiveness of using various psychological aspects of AD, a disease characterized by a process of transition from health and independence to a dependent state with a progressive loss of memory and functional skills. The paper investigates the biochemical and psychological aspects of AD and their significance for improving quality of life for patients with this disease. Psychological interventions based on, among other factors, biochemical studies, are conducted to improve the emotional wellbeing of AD patients and may assist in slowing down the progression of the disease. To date, however, no effective methods of AD treatment have been established.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; diagnosis; psychological intervention; treatment.

Figure 1

Early symptoms of AD.

Figure 2

Effects of damage to individual parts of the brain throughout the course of AD.

Figure 3

Human brain, in two halves: healthy and Alzheimer’s disease. Healthy neuron and neuron with amyloid plaques.