How Does Alzheimer's Affect The Human Body

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.

Patients who suffer from AD also have their memory, ability to learn and to carry out activities affected. Since, AD is not just dementia related there is also another aspect to the disease that causes “progressive neurodegeneration” (Chen). The symptoms of AD are usually slow, but they get worse over time and start to affect your daily life. The majority of people affected by AD are aged 65 and older. If a family member has AD then future generations from that family member are more likely to have AD. This is a very important disease to try to find a cure because “by 2050 as many as 115 million people worldwide will have developed dementia“ (Chen). As of right now “AD affects more than 5 million people in the U.S. alone” (Chen). This creates a huge burden on the family because it leaves their loved ones unable to function alone or to be able to do anything alone. This puts the burden on the family because then they need to find the patient a home to live in to be taken care of or they have to bring the patient in to their home and take care of the patient 24/7. People suffering from AD need to be attended to at all times of the day and constantly reminded why and what they’re doing. This affects a family because then they’re not able to do their daily routines or continue to live their normal lives. The reason is because all of their energy needs to be focused on the family member suffering form the

By the numbers, Alzheimer’s disease looks even worse than it may be. The cost of Alzheimer’s overwhelms the caregiver and everyone involved with the patient. The price businesses pay for Alzheimer’s it detrimental to their industry, show by “A 2002 study showed that United States businesses lost $36.5 billion that year because employees missed work or quit and had to be replaced so that they could care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease” (Adams 24). The caregivers play vital roles in the lives of the sufferer, but the business take an even heavier loss. Heath care is necessary for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, however it can get expensive “The costs of

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.

Alzheimer’s is not a quick deterioration in health. “The patient gradually declines over a period of five to ten years” (Whitehouse 1). As the patient loses memory and other cognitive functions the family becomes greatly affected. “Legal and financial issues often become complicated when an individual is no longer competent to manage his or her own affairs.” (Whitehouse 1). Obviously, this neurological illness will affect the brain. “The disease involves shrinkage of the brain together with loss of nerve cells in several areas of the brain thought to be important for intellectual activity” (Whitehouse 1). Sadly, all of these effects will eventually lead to

The cost of caring for those patients is forecast to run more than $1.2 trillion a year, inflation not included. That dollar amount doesn’t begin to reflect the untold amount of human suffering of victims and their families. Simply put, if it isn’t already, Alzheimer’s disease will soon become the public health crisis of our times.

“Dementia is characterized by chronic, global, non-reversible deterioration in memory, executive function, and personality. Speech and motor functions may also be impaired” (Butler and Radhakrishnan, 2011). As defined by Butler and Radharkrishnan, dementia is a disease that affects a person for their whole life. In the next part of this paper, I’m going to talk about the dementia and the effects it has on a person live whether it is with the symptoms, overall experience with it, and what exactly it does to the body. Dementia isn’t a fun disease to have or deal with. According to the World of Health Organization, over 35 million people have dementia (Robitaille, Garcia, & McIntosh, 2015). I’m mainly going to talk about the specific type of dementia Alzheimer’s. “Alzheimer’s disease is defined as a type of dementia characterized by an onset and slow deterioration, and involves impairments in memory, speech, personality, and executive function”(Butler and Radharkrishnan, 2011). Memory loss isn’t just the only thing that happens with dementia. They also experience impairments in language, communication, focus, and reasoning (Ellis, 2013).

Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects your cognitive and behavior abilities. Millions of people are diagnose worldwide. It is very common to know someone that has a love one or friend diagnosed with this disease. However, everything changes when you happen to know that someone very close to you will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, my grandmother.

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 dementia 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 or dementia, 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.” I learned about changes the normal brain experiences from early, mild to moderate and severe stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is a disease where neurotransmitters, acetylcholine, or the brain’s chemicals break connections with other nerve cells causing the cells to die off, the effects of this are irreversible. The loss of these cells result in loss of thinking and language skills, unpredictable behavioral changes and eventually the inability to carry out the simplest tasks. Although there is no known cause for Alzheimer’s, researchers have found a genetic link. Alzheimer’s first symptoms usually appear when a person is between forty and fifty years of age. Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that initiates in the brain, drastically decreasing the quality of life as well as life expectancy in millions of people around the world.

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.

Every single person longs for carrying on with a customary, ordinary life, viewing their youngsters grow up and have groups of their own. Be that as it may, for a few individuals this fantasy can be eradicated alongside their memory. Alzheimer 's sickness is a dynamic infection that differs from individual to individual, burglarizing its casualty of their past and future.

Many people have heard of Alzheimer’s Disease, but very few of them would know that more than 5 million Americans h ave the disease. This number will keep increasing if the current population trends continue. That number also constitutes people who are unaware that they even have the disease, because the symptoms of Alzheimer’s are not easily recognized. This is due to the fact that Alzheimer’s disease affects brain cells and cannot be seen visually. In addition, Alzheimer's symptoms vary from person to person because each person with the disease is unique, and can be at different stages of disease development. More importantly, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, which brings to my attention the question of why there is no cure or prevention

The brain has a large network that’s controlled by the senses to the muscular throughout the body it goes through. When the brain is harmed, it can damage the memory personality and sensation. The damage can lead to illness genetics or traumatic injuries. For instance brain tumors are very dangerous, it can spread cancer tumor in your brain. Your brain is your body control center, without your brain you wouldn’t have a body, all the brains develop the same way. The most common brain disorders are childhood, degenerative and psychiatric disorders.

Your brain is the command center to your existential being. Seriously sensitive, and very important. Functioning as to coordinating sensation, intellectual thought, and nervous activity. It is one of the most complex and fascinating structures in this entire universe. It determines everything about you. The slightest mishap can have a dramatic effect on your body and mind. Depending on the situation it can change the little perfect angel you know and love into a merciless, raging, psychopath.