Alzheimer's Disease: Progressive Loss Of Memory And Mental Function

Alzheimer's and dementia is one of the many diseases that affects the nervous system, particularly the brain. Acute memory loss is known as dementia. Thus, Alzheimer's is a severe form of dementia. The diagnosis is the brain lacking brain cells and connections due to degradation. Symptoms of Alzheimer's includes memory loss which can range from minor to severe as well as confusion which directly corresponds to memory loss. Groups of nerves work together to focus on specific jobs such as communication and memory. The brain cells work together and “receive supplies, generate energy, construct equipment and get rid of waste.” Alzheimer's is believed to prevent parts of the cell to not function properly. Scientists are not thoroughly sure where the cells malfunction begins. As the cell continues to divide and spread, the infected cells begin to die off leading to damaged brain connections. Scientists believe that plaques and tangles are the cause of the disease. Plaques are “deposits of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid that build up in the spaces between nerve cells.” Tangles are “twisted fibers of another protein called tau that build up inside cells.” Age results in developed plaques and tangles though, Alzheimer patients have an abnormal amount of these

Imagine living a wonderful life, yet once someone reaches their golden years, they cannot remember their past. That is the reality of living with Alzheimer’s disease. This disease is commonly found in the elderly. This explains why people assume older people have a bad memory. Alzheimer’s does not occur in a short period of time, it typically takes months to develop. It involves gradual memory loss due to two specific protein fragments that spread to different parts of the brain killing brain cells as they go. As mentioned in the article Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet (2015), Dr. Alois Alzheimer first discovered the disease by noticing something different in a woman’s brain after her death in 1906. Before her death, the woman was reported to have damaged thought processes, vocal trouble, and odd actions, so Dr. Alois decided to examine her brain where he discovered some unusual clusters of plaques and tangles (Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet, 2015). The plaques and tangles initiate in the brain where memories are first formed. Over the years these two protein fragments slowly sabotage the hippocampus making memories harder to remember and develop. People who do not have the disease usually take simple memories from a few days ago for granted. On the other hand, simple memories vanish with patients who have Alzheimer’s. Some of the main characteristics of Alzheimer’s are the plaques and tangles in the brain that not only kill brain cells, but are the reason for failure of

The disease stem cells could fix is called Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The reason I chose this topic is because I have seen first hand how badly someone who suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease is affected in their daily lives. This disease completely takes over their lives and they turn into a

Introduction 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

Amanda Kruse Mr. Brimhall CTEC-CNA PM November 10, 2015 Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s is a disease in the brain that affects a person’s memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common form of dementia and is common in adults older than 65. More than five million Americans are being affected by Alzheimer’s at this moment. Alzheimer’s comes in three stages; early, middle, and advanced. The disease is caused by the shrinking of the brain due to many risk factors and genetics.

INTRODUCTION Alzheimer’s Disease has been one of the top leading causes of death in our country. It is understood that this disease is identified as an excess of the protein amyloid-ß within an increase of plaque (Seneff, Wainwright, and Mascitelli, 2010). Additionally, as the brain ages, it gets used to the

1. Introduction Alzheimer’s disease is a prominent brain disease that effects a massive amount of individuals in the United States. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases, with no chance of being cured, prevented or decelerating over time (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014). AD is the most well-known form of dementia, causing complications in brain function in the areas of memory, thinking, and behavior (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014). In an effort to gain a deeper understanding of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers create new knowledge about the disease, which is then distributed to the public. The goal in this information disbursement is to find new and inventive ways to treat AD, prevent AD from progressing at such a rapid pace, and aid in the quality of life in those diagnosed with AD as well as caregivers and medical professionals providing treatment to individuals’ with AD.

Introduction A brain deteriorates, slowly being engulfed by a mysterious disease. The neurons being cut off and destroyed by two abnormal structures. First memory is affected gradually getting worse. Then one is unable to think properly, reason, and lacks of self control. Gaps are formed in the brain 's ventricles, due to the amount of dead tissue. In the end, it will lead to death. All of this may sound like something from a science fiction movie but infact its very real. These are all known possible symptoms of a common disease that affects about millions of Americans. It is known as Alzheimer 's disease (AD), and I plan on explaining it a bit more in this paper. First I will explain the disease and list some facts about it,then I will talk about some commonly asked questions about it.

“There is one thing Alzheimer 's cannot take away, and that is love. Love is not a memory - it 's a feeling that resides in your heart and soul.” (Fade to Blank). The human brain is a remarkably complex organ that processes, stores, and recalls information. “Alzheimer 's disease (AD) is a slowly progressive disease of the brain that is characterized by impairment of memory and eventually by disturbances in reasoning, planning, language, and perception. Many scientists believe that Alzheimer 's disease results from an increase in the production or accumulation of a specific protein (beta-amyloid protein) in the brain that leads to nerve cell death.” (Crystal). It is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases, and currently has no cure. (# 3) Research continues to be done to develop better ways to care for those affected with the disease, as well as to find support for family members, friends, and caregivers. Alzheimer’s is a devastating illness that is not a normal part of aging. In order to find a cure, awareness needs to increase to improve understanding, develop effective treatments, and to essentially prevent the disease.

This research paper will be about Alzheimer’s disease and how it affects the brain. It will also tell you many other things about Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease is named after the German physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who first discovered Alzheimer’s in 1906. It is the most common form of dementia, and it is found in around sixty to eighty percent of all cases of dementia. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disorder (physical ailment whose course in most cases is the worsening, growth, or spread of the disease), and it is characterized by large loss of nerve cells and the connection between them, along with change in personality and behavior. Its course is never ending, but pretty predictable. People who are on the upwards of sixty-five

“Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition that destroys the connections between cells in the brain.” (WebMD, 2014). As the cells die the cortex shrinks. The part of the brain that is impacted the most in dementia is the cortex. The cortex includes the hippocampus. This helps new memories form. If there is damage to this part of the brain, there will be problems with the person memory.

In 1906, German physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer noticed one of his patients had extreme memory loss, unpredictable behavior, and difficulty speaking. Her condition continued to worsen and ultimately lead to her death. After his patient died he examined her brain, where he discovered an excessive amount of unusual clumps. This

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative disease of the brain that causes gradual loss of memory, judgement and ability to function. This age-related, non-reversible brain disorder develops over a period of years. This disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. He had noticed changes in the brain tissue of a women

Last year my maternal Aunt Kate passed away. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) about eight years earlier. My maternal grandmother also had been diagnosed with AD before her death. Later this month I will accompany my 77-year-old mother to her neurologist appointment. While she has not been diagnosed with AD, she has been prescribed Donepezil (Aricept), one of the newer drugs that are thought to reduce the decline in memory in patients that have or might be developing dementia. I welcome opportunities to learn more about AD and the effects on the brain. The Alzheimer’s Association website, ALZ.org, is filled with a wealth of this information. Especially interesting was “Inside the Brain: An Interactive Tour.” (Alzheimer 's Association, 2015). I learned about changes the normal brain experiences from early, mild to moderate and severe stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is a very slowly progressive disease that occurs inside the brain in which is characterized by damage of memory. Also this type of disease can lead into interruption in language, problem solving, planning and perception. The chance of a person developing Alzheimer’s disease increases enormously after the age of 70 (Crystal, 2009). Also people who are over the age of 85 have over a 50 percent chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This type of disease is not at all normal in the aging process and is also not something that happens out of no where in a person’s life.