Alzheimer's Disease Study

Lawrence, J., (2015) Potential dementia treatment target identified using stem cell research. The Pharmaceutical Journal. 2/1/2015. Retrieved 13/5/2015 from

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 and fatal form of dementia, frequently seen in the elderly altering their cognition, thought process and behavior. AD is reported in about half of patients that have a dementia diagnosis; one study states that about 10.3% of the population over 65 years is affected by dementia with an increase to almost 50% over the age of 85. (Beattie, 2002) Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of the aging process in humans, but rather found in a group of diseases that affect the brain leading to a decline in mental and physical control. AD when diagnosed has a very slow and gradual course, initially affecting the individual’s short term memory. (Beattie, 2002)

Alzheimer’s disease is a complex illness that affects the brain tissue directly and undergoes gradual memory and behavioral changes which makes it difficult to diagnose. It is known to be the most common form of dementia and is irreversible. Over four million older Americans have Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to triple in the next twenty years as more people live into their eighties and nineties. (Johnson, 1989). There is still no cure for Alzheimer’s but throughout the past few years a lot of progress has been made.

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, or senile dementia, is a form of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Brain cells and their connections are killed, and this is what causes people 's brain functions to fail. Scientist have yet to know what causes Alzheimer 's, but have discovered that age, family history, and genes contribute to developing the disease. Symptoms experienced by people with Alzheimer 's are poor judgement, poor decision making, inability to manage a budget, losing track of the date or season, difficulty having a conversation, misplacing things, and being unable to retrace steps to find them. According to National Geographic, symptoms experienced in animals include, “acting disoriented, walking in circles, or staring into corners or at the wall.” So far, not a lot of research has been done on animal dementia. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer 's, but there are treatments to help with some brain functions such as cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine to help treat symptoms like loss of memory, confusion, and problems with thinking and reasoning. Certain genes passed down from your parents contribute to a higher or definite chance of developing the disease. Currently, neuroscientists--scientists that study diseases in the brain and nervous system--are committed to creating clinical trials to find a cure for Alzheimer’s. There are hundreds of various clinical trials that have been created to help combat or even cure Alzheimer 's disease.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia worldwide, accounting for approximately 60-70 % of all cases.1-3 AD is a highly debilitating disorder, progressing from minor memory problems to a complete loss of cognitive functions and eventually death. Prevalence increases exponentially with

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the degeneration of the nervous system, mainly the neurons in the brain leads to nerve cell death and the loss of tissue throughout the whole brain (MacGill, 2009). Over a period, the brain shrinks dramatically, affecting almost all of its normal functions throughout ones life (MacGill, 2009). The brain size shrinks with AD and the tissue tends to have fewer nerve cells and connections (MacGill, 2009. Abnormal protein groups and structures of plaques and tangles characterize the disease (MacGill, 2009). Plagues and tangles are not able to be viewed or tested in the living brain but are able to be observed in an autopsy of an infected deceased (MacGill, 2009).

There are 5.3 million people in America of all ages that suffer with Alzheimer’s and of those 5.3 million affected, two-thirds are women, and each year the number of people affected by the disease increases. Alzheimer’s disease is a deterioration of the brain cell connections, and the cells degenerate and then die. The disease slowly destroys the memory and thinking skills, and eventually makes it extremely difficult to carry out simple tasks. It affects the person, and the brain psychologically, cognitively, behaviorally, and their mood as well. There is no cure for the disease or methods to slow it down, there are only medications and management strategies that can temporary improve the symptoms. Although, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s

Envision living the great life, surrounded by the ones you love the most, continuing to be cheerful and ecstatic. Now imagine to slowly be forgetful of silly daily life objectives. For example, like forgetting where you left your phone or your car keys.Then eventually you forgot about your loved one’s birthday or to make that appointment. All of a sudden, you can’t seem to remember how your loved ones looked, or who you even are. As time quickly runs by, you’re now forgetting how to talk, and how to take care of yourself. This crazy forgetful concept is a disease called Alzheimer’s, and today there are over 5 million americans living with this disease.

Alzheimer's Disease is a condition that affects 50% of the population over the age of eighty five, which equals four million Americans each year. It is becoming an important and high-profile issue in today's society for everyone. There are rapid advancements being made in the fight against this disease now more than ever, and the purpose of this essay is to educate the public on the background as well as the new discoveries. There are many new drugs that are being tested and studied every day which slow down, and may even halt the progress of the disease.

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.

I choose this topic because Alzheimer is a disease, which affects the brain. It mainly occurs in seniors. There is no existing cure for Alzheimer 's, but treatments for symptoms are presented and research continues. However, recent Alzheimer 's treatments cannot discontinue Alzheimer’s from succeeding, but they can for the time being slow the deterioration of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer 's.

Alzheimer’s disease, first described in 1907, is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States (Ramachandran, 2016). This disease gets worse gradually over time. People, predominantly women, are expected to live approximately eight to ten years after diagnosed (Bird, 2015). According to the Alzheimer’s Disease Association, there are approximately three million cases in the United States each and every year alone (Association®, 2016). People with Alzheimer’s disease suffer from a wide range of difficult incurable problems. Alzheimer’s disease is believed to prevent correct workflow of the 100 billion nerve cells in the human brain. Oxygen sluggishly being supplied to the brain causes several Alzheimer indicators to occur; memory loss, behavior changes, slurred speech, poor judgment, and hallucinations. According to Bird, 95% of patients with Alzheimer’s are over the age of sixty-five (Bird, 2015). At the age of sixty-five individuals brain activity starts to slow causing build-ups.

Other notable areas of research include: Researchers are working to stop tau proteins in the brain from becoming impaired (3). Tau protein, which normally stabilizes the nerve cell, becomes damaged and tangled and ultimately destroys the neuron in Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, studies are underway regarding the use of intranasal insulin therapy as a possible treatment (3). Research has been limited by the fact that living brain tissue of Alzheimer’s patients cannot be removed for study. Within the past few years though, stem cell scientists have successfully converted living cells from AD patients into the types of neurons that are affected by Alzheimer’s disease (induced pluripotent stem cells). This is significant