Final answer:
Alzheimer's type dementia is characterized by cognitive impairments due to brain changes such as amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Symptoms escalate from memory and judgment issues to severe cognitive decline and loss of basic functions, ultimately leading to death.
Step-by-step explanation:
In people with Alzheimer's type dementia, the brain undergoes significant changes that impair cognitive functions. Symptoms include disruptive memory loss, difficulty planning or executing tasks, confusion about time or place, poor judgment, and personality changes. Problems with smell can also indicate Alzheimer's and may appear before other symptoms. These symptoms are more severe and persistent compared to normal aging processes.
Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are classic signs of Alzheimer's, leading to loss of synapses and neuron death, especially in the hippocampus. This neuronal loss is evident when comparing a normal brain to an Alzheimer's patient's brain, showing notable neurodegeneration.
As Alzheimer's progresses, patients exhibit increasing memory, language, and cognitive deficits. In advanced stages, individuals may not recognize loved ones, lose basic functional control, and ultimately, the disease can lead to death.