Sally Enoh Anthony Lang Biology 1A Lab October 15, 2015 Alzheimer Disease Alzheimer Disease, the most common form of dementia (to a group of symptoms affecting the brain), is a neurological disorder affecting an individual’s memory, thinking skills, and ability to conduct simply everyday tasks. Alzheimer Disease is irreversible, and no cure has been established. Dr. Alois Alzheimer-the individual in which the disease is named after-detected Alzheimer in 1906 from a woman with abnormal clumps and tangled neurofibrillary (Castellani 2010). These characteristics of the brain are now directly associated with Alzheimer Disease. There are essentially two forms of the disease. Both experience the same symptoms, but one is early onset and the second is late onset. In early onset Alzheimer Disease, symptoms develop as early as 30 years of age. Late onset AD, the most common form, develops at sixty years of age and older. A family history of the disease does improve the individual’s probability of experiencing symptoms. The progression of this paper will consist of the medical changes caused by Alzheimer, how an individual can obtain it, and lastly prevention methods discovered throughout the years. Alzheimer primarily affects the brain and is essentially cause by brain cell death. Brain damage occurs years before symptoms appear as Alzheimer causes a disruption in metabolic processes that keeps neurons healthy. This disruption prevents nerve cells from communicating with one
More than 30 million people are affected worldwide, Alzheimer's is the number one cause of dementia. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that destroys memory and essential mental functions. The brain cells and the actual cells deteriorate and die; the main symptoms are confusion and loss of mind. Dementia follows Alzheimer's; you can’t have one without the other. Dementia, on the other hand, it is not its own disease, it is a group of thinking and social symptoms that hinder everyday tasks. Over 100 years ago a German physician by the name Alois Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease is a common problem in today’s society and within the older population this disease makes up the largest form of dementia. Although it is a problem in mainly older people, this disease can still occur in the younger population also. People in their 30s-50s can be diagnosed with this disease, even though it is not as common as people in their 60s-90s. The number of people with Alzheimer’s in the U.S. is close to five million and is expected to double within the next 30 years. With our modern medicine and advancements one would think a cure would be available, however, getting to the cause of the disease is a major factor. The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is one that is very debatable and questionable and most likely is a result of multiple factors rather than one. The main issue with finding the cause is because this disease affects the brain and can
Alzheimer’s Disease is a disease of the future. With the growing aged population, this disease, which affects primarily the elderly, will become of increasing relevance to the medical profession. Also, the high frequency of Alzheimer’s, and the high cost in labor, money, and material of caring for its victims shall put considerable burden on the society as a whole. Here, however, these issues are not going to be debated. Instead the pathology of Alzheimer’s will be reviewed to the extent it is known today.
Alzheimer 's disease (AD) is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain from which there is no recovery. There are three brain abnormalities that are the hallmarks of the Alzheimer’s disease is initially caused by plaques buildup in the brain’s neurons as illustrated in figure 1. The support structure that allows the flow of the nutrients through the neurons gets damaged and ultimately there is loss of connection among the neurons and they die off (National Institute of Health, 2015). This causes the brain tissue to shrinks, which is called atrophies. All this ultimately lead the victim of this disease to face difficulties in governing emotions, recognize errors and patterns, coordinate movement, and remember. Ultimately, a person with AD loses all memory and mental functioning.
Dementia, known as one of the world 's current pandemics, is estimated to be the fourth most common cause of death in the developed country, second only to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular diseases and cancer. With the aging population, dementia has gradually become a serious threat to the health of the elderly people in Australia.
“What is Alzheimer’s disease (AD)?” Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia that affects an individual’s memory, cognition, and behavior disturbances that ultimately diminishes their quality of life.1-2 Dementia is not a specific disease it is a general term for a variety of symptoms that affect memory and intellectual thinking that causes difficulty in our tasks of daily living.(5) The confusion between these two terms is extraordinary. It’s helpful to think of dementia as the symptom and to think of AD as the cause of that symptom. Although, there are many causes of dementia for the purpose of this paper, Alzheimer’s will be the only one discussed.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. “Dementia is a general term that describes a group of symptoms-such as loss of memory, judgment, language, complex motor skills, and other intellectual function-caused by the permanent damage or death of the brain 's nerve cells, or neurons.” Alzheimer’s is not a part of aging even though increasing age is a risk factor but Alzheimer’s occurs in people 65 and older. Alzheimer’s worsens over time. In the early stages memory is lost and then gradually goes to where they can’t hold a conversation or remember their surroundings.
First discovered, while Alois was preforming an autopsy on a woman who suffered from memory loss for years.
I think it is important for people to be aware of Alzheimer disease, especially adults who have a family member in late adulthood. If people were to have knowledge on how to help or treat someone who has Alzheimer disease it would be beneficial for both of them and it would make living together much easier. Many people don’t know what Alzheimer disease is “Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. The risk of AD increases with age” (Takashi 2015). As someone ages they are most likely to get Alzheimer disease, this due to generalized degeneration of the brain. Alzheimer’s is a complex disease with multiple risk factors. Age and genetics are outside ones control, but many others are within your sphere of influence. These factors can be quite powerful when it comes to your brain health. I personally feel like I am well educated about this topic because school has done a very good job at teaching me how to deal and understanding people who have Alzheimer. Psychology has done a great job at helping understand this disease even further. The reason why I picked this topic was to try and find different ways to prevent and learn about Alzheimer disease because I have a great grandmother who has Alzheimer’s disease. My parents and grandparents would always tell me how difficult it is for them to help her out and have to deal with all her necessities. They would have to take turns taking care of her until they decided to hire someone to come take care of her.
In this detailed thesis, it defines what the Alzheimer's disease is, it also discusses the possible outcomes if the disease progresses and the potential treatments to aid this issue. It also highlights the impacts that Alzheimer's has on the individual and others who are connected to said individual.
(Bethune, 2010). It affects millions of Americans and is one of the leading cause of death
Alzheimer’s Disease • Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia. • It occurs from changes in the nerve cells of the brain. • No one knows what causes Alzheimer’s. It cannot be cured and will not go away. • Signs include memory loss, confusion, poor judgment, and changes in language.
Alzheimer's affects the brain, more precisely this disease drives to the loss of neuronal functions and synaptic connections and in different areas of the brain neuronal cell die. Alzheimer's progression differs from patient to patient, and is divided in 3 stages: mild, moderate and severe. In the first stage memory loss is installing. The patient may forget words, names, or even get lost in a familiar place. In the moderate stage the people with Alzheimer's may loss his logical thinking and confusion can begin to install. They may not recognize a familiar face and their personality can begin to change. In the severe stage, the last one, because of the brain damages caused by the Alzheimer's, patient lose their normal physiological
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease, which is not reversible. Alzheimer’s is a slow, fatal disease of the brain. Dr. Alois Alzheimer was the first one who discovered Alzheimer's disease in 1906. Over many years' time, the plaques and tangles slowly destroy the hippocampus, and it becomes harder and harder to remember memories. Alzheimer's disease will attack the memory first which will make the person forgetful and not able to complete simple daily life tasks. The specialist German nerves Alois describe the Alzheimer disease for the first time as a diseases that affect the brain, and while infected by the disease there are some blocks develop in the brain and lead to the
“Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States”(“2015 Alzheimer’s…”). Today, more and more individuals are diagnosed with the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. This disease is not curable and the symptoms get worse over a period of time. After a closer investigation on the causes, symptoms, effects, diagnosis, and treatments, one discovers the severity of this dreaded disease and how it is managed.