Alzheimer's Chapter 15

It occasionally happens to everyone.  You can’t find your glasses.  The grocery list is on the refrigerator, and you’re at the store.  You forget the new neighbour’s first name.

In this Chapter, we discussed the six pillars of Alzheimer’s prevention. Throughout the week, the great leader has built these “pillars” to help us understand and comprehend the greatness of preventing Alzheimer’s in the distant future.

Alzheimer’s is a degenerate disease of the brain. There are an estimated four million Americans that live with Alzheimer’s, it is believed that the disease accounts anywhere from 50 to 70 percent of all cases of dementia (UCSF medical center). The vast amount of cases leads me to believe that we would not need to look very far to find either a friend or family member distant or close that has had a personal or familial experience with this disease.

What is Alzheimer’s? It is characterized by plaques and tangles in the brain. According to Alzheimer's association Plaques are “microscopic clumps of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid” (Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia.) The tangles are another protein called tau that is twisted. When the proteins are twisted they are not able to receive proper nutrients. The cells start to decline and not work as well, and they eventually die. The tissue that the cells make up deteriorate and the person begins to lose memory and some brain activity. This is a fatal disease and no cure has been found yet.

I chose Alzheimer's disease for my disorder, commonly known as senile dementia. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia which is a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities enough to disrupt every day life. Alzheimer's causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse with time. I think I would choose to prescribe Aricept (donepezil) for treatment because it can be used at any stage of Alzheimer's. The common side effects are appetite loss, muscle cramps, drowsiness and nausea. Aricept is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to donepezil hydrochloride or to piperidine derivatives. If about to take Aricept somebody should notify their doctor if they have

Neurodegenerative disorders are conditions or diseases that affect neurons in the brain. There are no cures for neurodegenerative disorders, causing patients to suffer from symptoms that negatively affecting both their physical and cognitive abilities.

According to Alzheimer’s Association there are “more than five million Americans that are living with Alzheimer’s.” (e.g.) Over the years more people have been diagnosed with Alzheimer has increased which is very concerning. Especially, considering that there is still no known cure for it. Although, this is no cure that does stop researchers from looking for ways to prevent the aggressiveness of the disease. Alzheimer’s is a mysterious disease that we know little about, it is important to know what it is, what causes it, and possible treatments.

It is estimated that by the year 2050, around 160 million people will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease (Park, “How Exercise”). Alzheimer’s is a genetic disease, meaning it is passed down through one’s family. Daisy Duarte has had to care for her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, for four years. Seventy-five percent of Daisy’s family has had the disease, so she decided to get tested to see if she carries the gene. “Finding out your genetic destiny can be life altering” (Park, “How Exercise”). Alzheimer’s disease affects many people, but there are ways to slow the process, and maybe even prevent it.

Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that destroys the memory and other important mental functions. Its known to be the greatest risk factor of increasing age. Most people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older. Approximately 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 have younger-onset Alzheimer's disease basically known as early-onset Alzheimer's. It's a progressive disease. The symptoms can worsen over the years. Early stages memory loss becomes mild but in the later stage individuals lose the ability to carry a conversation. Alzheimer's is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. People with Alzheimer's live on an average of 8 years after symptoms become noticeable. The survival ranges from

Imagine this, you walk into your mother's room one day the smell of candles fills the air, you can hear her humidifier going off, and she blankly stares at you as you walk in. She looks you up and down with the most confused look on her face, she appears scared and frightened as you notice her muscles tense up, she looks at you and says “Are you the new nurse?” When most people hear the word Alzheimer's they instantly think memory loss, while yes memory loss is a key factor of Alzheimer's it is far from the only problem that arises from Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease, to put it bluntly is the most common form of dementia which is the general term for memory loss, but Alzheimer's affects a lot more than just memory. Dementia is strictly

Alzheimer’s Disease is a complex genetic disease that affects millions of people. This devastating disease comes in to forms that it’s important to understand. Early onset Alzheimer’s, also referred to as familial Alzheimer’s disease, occurs between the ages of thirty and sixty and affects significantly less people than late onset Alzheimer’s. Late onset refers to people that are not affected by the disease until after the age of sixty, a majority of those affected have late onset.

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic continuous loss of neurons that usually starts slowly and gets worse over time. It is the cause of 60% to 70% of cases of dementia. This is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most cases, the first symptom usually occurs in mid-60s.

Psychology is an applied as well as an academic field that studies both the human mind and behavior. The research in psychology attempts to explain and understand behavior, emotion and thought. The subject of psychology was created when Wilhelm Wundt opened up the very first psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany. Wilhelm Wundt believed that individuals who are appropriately trained would most likely be able to recognize the mental processes that are accompanied with feelings, thoughts and sensations (Wagner , 2009).

Receiving an Alzheimer's Disease diagnosis can be very scary. Fortunately, there are lifestyle changes you can make that will make it a lot easier for you to live with this condition. Below is a list of tips for living with Alzheimer's disease:

I think Alzheimer's Disease is a brain disease that causes a person to lose their memory. They lose their memory gradually over a period of years. They become at risk for getting lost due to losing memory of their surroundings. The family of a person that suffers from AD has a very difficult time. It is hard to see the one you love and that person no longer remembers who you are. A person with AD must have constant care to keep them safe and cared for.