Alzheimer 's Disease : A Degenerative Brain Disorder
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Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder that is found in older adults. One of the most famous American painters, Norman Rockwell, yielded to Alzheimer’s after a long and illustrious career. Interestingly enough, Rockwell’s (cited) paintings are now used sometimes in dementia therapy because of the memories and nostalgia they elicit. Can you imagine that one day the very thing you loved to do, would be helping others remember their lost memories and that you succumbed to that very same disease.
This disease is characterized by the destruction of nerve cells and neural connections in the cerebral cortex of the brain and by a large loss of brain mass. When an autopsy is performed on an Alzheimer 's patient, it is the neurotic…show more content… The affected person may not speak grammatically correct and talk in a child-like manner. They may substitute forgotten words for vague descriptions or make up new words.
There is no cure for Alzheimer 's disease. So far there are only a few drugs that can slow down the effects of it. Donepezil (Aricept) is the main drug for the treatment of the disease for all stages, which is a cholinesterase inhibitor. This drug is an Acetylcholine booster, helps the memory neurons. Unfortunately this drug does not reverse or cure the disease. Donepezil is a cholinesterase inhibitor and it affects the memory neurons in the brain, preventing them from breaking down. My father has been on this drug for almost ten years now and has done very well. With women being at a greater risk for contacting Alzheimer’s disease, the use of estrogen after menopause has lowered the risk. Estrogen boosts the production of acetylcholine, a key chemical neurotransmitter involved in the transmission of nerve impulses across the tiny gaps between nerve cells (synapses). In addition, estrogen improves blood flow through the brain and enhances verbal abilities of postmenopausal women who take hormone replacement therapy.
According to the Center for Disease Control, there are over five million Americans with Alzheimer’s disease. The life expectancy for each person is different. Some may live with the disease for more than ten years and some only last three. There