Benedict Carey's Pacemaker For The Brain Can Help Memory

In times past many people thought that memory loss was a normal occurrence for elderly people. This thinking was major reason for why Alzheimer’s disease was not caught until very later in the stages. Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. After heart disease, cancer, and strokes, Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of death in adults in the Western world. “It is estimated that 4.5 million Americans over the age of 65 are affected with this condition. After the age of 65, the incidence of the disease doubles every five years and, by age 85, it will affect nearly half of the population” (Robinson).

Alzheimer's, the word strikes fear in some and an off-handed glance in others. The fact still remains that Alzheimer’s is an extremely shattering disease that removes the mind fraction by fraction over a period of time, this could even take decades. It begins as small memory lapses, slowly progressing to memory breaches but then progressively eroding your life to the point where around-the-clock care is the only option. With severe Alzheimer's, as we almost hear daily that patients have wandered off and gotten lost. In my own life, my grandfather was not even able to recognize his family members. Alzheimer's was a little known disease before 1960, but today it threatens to completely derail the health system in the United States.

In a recent discovery it was shown, stimulating the brain can slow the process of Alzheimer's. In a case study done by Wiley-Blackwell, it was discovered stimulating

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.

Throughout history there have been reports of decreased memory and mental deterioration that accompanied old age. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer who described the symptoms in a woman in Germany in the 1907 but it was not until the 1970’s that AD was considered to be a major disorder and AD continues to be a major health concern worldwide (Reger, 2002).

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.

The topic I am writing about is memory loss or more specifically: Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Modern medicine has improved significantly in the last decade and the average human lifespan has been extended. However, since humans are living longer, there is also an increased susceptibility for chronic diseases as opposed to infectious diseases. A chronic disease that is slowly on the rise is Alzheimer’s, as it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. This topic is important to me because I’ve had numerous encounters with patients with dementia and have seen the impact it has on many families and friends. Additionally, the brain is arguably

Dementia, defined by the Alzheimer’s Association, is the overall term for diseases and conditions characterized by a decline in memory or other thinking skills that affects a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. More than 250,000 Americans will develop dementia (including Alzheimer 's) when they are sixty-five or older and at eighty-five the risk of developing Alzheimer’s is fifty percent. Since this disease was found in 1907 by Alois Alzheimer, there have been thousands of dollars, research, and clinical trials put into finding a cure for this horrible disease. This literature review examines the effects of the type of Dementia known as

According to data available from the Alzheimer’s foundation every 67 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s disease and currently at least 5.3 million people are affected by the disease. The numbers are expected to grow as 75 million baby boomers transition into retirement by 2030. Alzheimer disease is a brain disorder that causes decay and dis- function of neurons resulting in memory loss, speech and language impairment. This can also extend to challenges in physical and social behavioural. The brain, consisting of the cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem is the primary target of Alzheimer’s disease. At three pounds the brain has a network of arteries and a folded cortex that is responsible for memory and movement. These functions are facilitated by a network of neurons. Alzheimer’s disease interferes with these neurons by disrupting electrical transfer; Death of brain cells is inevitable as the cortex shrinks becoming incapable of developing thoughts and memory. The Alzheimer’s patient experiences an altered personality with family members becoming strangers.

“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.

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.

Next, another group of researchers at MIT challenge that plaques in the brain do not necessarily relate to loss of memory and cognition. They find a way to pull a memory back in to place from Alzheimer’s. They took some mice that were just starting to lose their memory and put them in a box with a particular smell, lighting, and texture and feet. In a box of mice in an unfamiliar place, a light

This past year, I was given the opportunity to take part in the Brody School of Medicine’s Honors Medical Research Program under Dr. Qun Lu. Currently, we are studying novel mechanisms for the treatment Alzheimer’s disease in mouse models. I was greatly interested in Dr. Lu’s project as it related to my interest in neurodegenerative diseases. Over the past couple of years, I have seen the debilitating mental effects of old age on my grandmother at home and how severely Alzheimer’s disease and dementia affects the minds of patients at the hospice I volunteer at. Through my experiences, I decided that I wanted to further explore the enigma of neurodegenerative diseases, specifically Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Lu’s lab proved to be the gateway to achieving this goal. On every floor, there was a new mind hoping to solve health issues through new innovations. The passion for research was contagious and I found myself becoming consumed in the movement as well. Despite having different research specialties, each lab has the same central goal: to help others through discovery. The Harriet and John Wooten Laboratory is the think-tank where all medical

“Scientists think that as many as 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease” (Soliz, 2006, pg. 13).

Over the last twenty years, scientists have been developing brain implants to help people suffering from Alzheimer 's disease, dementia, stroke and/or brain injuries to restore their ability to create long-term memories. Current technology is becoming more invasive both in terms of interconnections within the physical body and our mental dependence. According to a researcher Ellen M. McGee, Long Island University, “The future development of brain implants will give us the ability to manipulate external reality, the physical world, and ourselves.” With today’s technologies, the line between living organisms and machines is getting very blurry. This issue could potentially affect