Cognitive Impairment Of Alzheimer 's Disease

Alzheimer 's disease (AD) was discovered by a German doctor Alois Alzheimer in 1906 when he found amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the autopsy of a woman who died of an unknown mental disease. The extracellular amyloid plaque deposits, composed of insoluble amyloid-Beta peptide were hypothesized to be the main etiological factor. “The most important abnormality is an excess of Amyloid-beta peptides brought about through either overproduction or failure in degradation.” (Uzun, Kozumplik, & Folnegović-Smalc, 2011) Later, it was discovered that intracellular neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyper-phosphorylated, helically-paired tau

When it comes to Alzheimer’s, I know firsthand how it affects individuals and their families. My great grandfather had Alzheimer’s for many years before his passing late last year, at age 92. Alzheimer’s is a disease that many individuals suffer with each year, but yet with all the advancements in modern medicine we still have no cure for it. There are different ways to conquer this disease, understanding the causes, knowing effects, and researching possible treatments.

c) Age-related cognitive impairment (or mild cognitive impairment MCI) – is when an elderly person’s memory starts to wane and they have problems recalling their short term memories, they have difficulty learning new things, their thinking process starts to become reduced and have difficulty concentrating. It is thought that MCI can develop due to alcohol abuse and cognitive decline (poor diet, chronic inflammation, vascular disease and

The loss of cognitive function is associated with fewer nerve cells and synapses than the normal brain. The neurons demise is thought to be from the formation of plaques and tangles. The formation of these plaques and tangles can begin many years before the person becomes symptomatic of AD. The formation of plagues comes from the breaking down of a protein in the cell membrane into protein fragments called beta-amyloid. The YouTube video, NIH: Unraveling the Mystery of Alzheimer's Disease, provides a clear animation how the beta-amyloid plaques are formed as these sticky fragments begin to clump together. (National Institutes of Health, 2011) The video shows another protein called tau, involved with formation of tangles. The tau protein is instrumental in the transport of food molecules, parts of cells, and key building materials and is compared to a railroad track system. The tracks become unraveled and form tangles. In the earliest stages of the disease, the plaques, and tangles form deep inside the brain in the medial areas where learning and memory are formed, then progresses toward areas where thinking and planning occur as the neurons begin to die. Because of the billions and billions of cells in the neuron forest, the damages caused by the plaques and tangles may go undetected and be asymptomatic for

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 completely different person who can hardly function. AD is very tough on the loved ones of the person suffering from it because that person, most of the time has no idea what is going on or who their loved ones are. The memories for people with AD is completely gone and even the simplest tasks such as remembering to use the bathroom becomes difficult. The way stem cells could be feasible is because stem cell-based therapies could potentially treat

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 allows the flow of the nutrients through the neurons gets damaged and ultimately there is loss of connection among the neurons and they die off (National Institute of Health, 2015). This causes the brain tissue to shrinks, which is called atrophies. All this ultimately lead the victim of this disease to face difficulties in governing emotions, recognize errors and patterns, coordinate movement, and remember. Ultimately, a person with AD loses all memory and mental functioning.

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 inflammation and oxidative stress, so it is important to take the right amount of antioxidant micronutrients like vitamin C and vitamin E as well as anti-inflammatory macronutrients such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to protect the brain from ageing (Whalley et. al, 2004). This is a devastating disease that affects most people over the age of fifty. Recently, there have been many studies done to figure out what causes this disease, if there is anything that can cure it, and how to prevent the disease. Seneff, Wainwright, and Mascitelli, believe Alzheimer’s develops with consuming too many carbohydrates, especially fructose and having a deficiency in cholesterol and dietary fats as well (2010). Whalley, Starr, and Deary have seen that poor diet, poverty, and failing health are links to developing Alzheimer’s Disease (2004). Furthermore, seeing increase in plasma homocysteine concentration increases risk of Dementia, which can result from an inadequate intake of vitamin B12/folate (Walley et. al, 2004). Additionally, Gray supports Walley’s findings and even believes having an adequate intake of vitamin B12/folate will have a positive effect on the overall health

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.

“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 the progressive loss of memory and mental functions. The disease affects memory, thought control, language, and other cognitive functions. The disease typically appears with old age and is often found age 60. Alzheimer’s causes the brain to develop clumps and tangles fibers in the brain tissue along with the loss of neuron connections. Throughout the brain, proteins are abnormally distributed and they form tangled bundles of fibers and amyloid plaques. Some neurons fail to function properly and lose their connections, which are necessary for the transmission of messages to the body. The hippocampus is the key brain structure in the formation of memories and often experiences the first signs of damage.

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.

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.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a form of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. AD typically involves the development of a progressive neuropsychiatric disorder that is characterized by gradual memory impairment, loss of acquired skills and emotional disturbances (Lee, Y. J., Han, S. B., Nam, S. Y., Oh, K. W., & Hong, J. T.). Every 67 seconds an individual in the United States develops AD. AD is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. There are 5.3 million Americans diagnosed with AD (Latest Alzheimer's Facts and Figures). AD is one of the few degenerative diseases that cannot be prevented, stopped, or cured (Latest Alzheimer's Facts and Figures). Post-mortem examination of the brain of AD patients usually

The diagnosis of Alzheimer 's is a very important step within the disease. Diagnosing Alzheimer’s could potentially alleviate the symptoms and slow down the disease if treated properly. Tests used in diagnosing the disease are: The MMSE test, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), CT and MRI scans.The Mini Mental State Exam is commonly used to diagnose different types of dementia. The Mini Mental State Exam is commonly used for complaints of memory problems with older individuals “The MMSE tests a number of different mental abilities, including a person 's memory, attention and language” (Richardson). This test is only the start to diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease; the MMSE test could also be used by general physician to evaluate the severity of

For people developing Alzheimer’s disease, there is no actual test to diagnose a person with it. Doctors will diagnose a person with Alzheimer’s disease when they have a severe cognitive decline that will meet the standards of dementia, dementia is very consistent that it will turn in to Alzheimer’s disease and that no other