/Video/How Does Alzheimer’s Change Your Brain?

How Does Alzheimer’s Change Your Brain?

Alzheimer’s disease can profoundly alter your brain in a harmful way, leading to impaired communication, brain shrinkage, difficulty concentrating, and memory loss.

In a healthy body, all sensations, movements, thoughts, memories, and emotions result from signals transmitted through billions of neurons in the brain. These neurons constantly communicate via electrical signals traveling down axons, releasing chemicals across tiny gaps to connect with neighboring neurons.

Other cells in the brain, such as astrocytes and microglia, play crucial roles in clearing debris and maintaining neuronal health. However, in Alzheimer’s disease—the most common form of dementia—this balance is disrupted by toxic changes in the brain.

Toxic Changes in the Brain Related to Alzheimer’s

The changes in an Alzheimer’s-affected brain can begin years, even decades, before the first signs of dementia appear. Scientists believe two proteins, beta-amyloid and tau, play critical roles in this process:

  • Beta-amyloid: This protein forms plaques between neurons.
  • Tau: When abnormal, tau accumulates inside neurons, forming tangles.

When beta-amyloid levels reach a critical tipping point, tau spreads rapidly throughout the brain. However, factors beyond tau and beta-amyloid also contribute to Alzheimer’s progression:

  • Vascular system dysfunction: Reduced blood flow and nutrients to the brain.
  • Glucose deficiency: Insufficient energy supply for brain activity.
  • Chronic inflammation: Ineffective microglia fail to clear debris, while astrocytes overreact to the distress.

As neurons lose their ability to communicate and gradually die, the brain begins to shrink, especially in the hippocampus—a key area for learning and memory.

Symptoms and Impact of Alzheimer’s

In its early stages, Alzheimer’s may cause:

  • Memory problems: Forgetting recent events or activities.
  • Decision-making difficulties: Struggling to make choices.
  • Language issues: Trouble finding the right words.

As the disease progresses, increasing neuronal death leads to loss of cognitive abilities, memory, decision-making capacity, and eventually the inability to care for oneself.

Research and Promising Solutions for Alzheimer’s

Gaining a deeper understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in Alzheimer’s is crucial for developing effective therapies.

Recent advancements include:

  • Brain imaging: Tracking the formation and spread of plaques and tangles in living brains.
  • Biomarkers in blood and body fluids: Identifying the onset and progression of the disease.
  • Genetics: Uncovering how genes influence biological pathways linked to Alzheimer’s.

Promising solutions under investigation include:

  • Drugs: Targeting and reducing tau and amyloid protein buildup.
  • Therapies: Addressing vascular health, glucose metabolism, and inflammation.
  • Lifestyle interventions: Adopting healthy diets, regular exercise, and social engagement to enhance brain health.

Research on Alzheimer’s is progressing rapidly. With emerging insights and innovative approaches, we are getting closer to delaying, or even preventing, the devastating effects of this disease, offering hope to millions worldwide.

This content is adapted into Vietnamese from the video How Alzheimer’s Changes the Brain on the National Institute on Aging’s YouTube channel.

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