How Does Alzheimer's Disease Affect Memory?

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 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.

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 (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 was first mentioned by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1906 after having studied the case of Auguste D. who was experiencing, “...memory loss, unfounded suspicions about her family, and other worsening psychological changes…” (“Milestones in Alzheimer's”). After this patient had died, the doctor performed an autopsy to find that the brain had “dramatic shrinkage and abnormal deposits in and around nerve cells” (“Milestones in Alzheimer's”). This disease is a type of dementia that is defined as a progressive deteriorating mental condition that affects the patient’s day to day life. One with this disease may experience memory loss, slow cognitive processing, language problems, poor coordination, and what can be described as “odd” social

One cognitive defect affecting elderly patients is Alzheimer's disease. This cognitive disease affects many populations around the world, but mainly aging individuals3. Though the quantity of life is extending with modern medical practices4,

Dementia is considered to be discovered by a German psychiatrist by the name of Alois Alzheimer. This discovery was made during the process of his examination of a patient with unusual behavior. In that discovery he found similarities that are linked to having Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is known as being a slow, yet steady decline of one’s mental ability. The disease eventually becomes so severe that it will interfere with one’s daily living ability. This is not one specific disease, but a term used overall describing a wide range of symptoms associated with the declination in thinking skills, and memory. There are two major types of Dementia that are most commonly seen. These types are Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular

As an individual grows older there are many signs of aging, which occur. There are common areas of decline in cognition such as some loss of hearing, vision, and working memory that are considered part of the normal aging process. When these symptoms start to worsen and vastly impair everyday tasks, the consideration of a form of dementia is brought forward. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a brain disease, is the most common type of dementia, and affects majority of people 60 years or older (1,14). It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, which only continues to worsen over time. Each individual is affected differently with symptoms and the progression. As of right now there is no cure for it (14).

Dementia is a progressive brain dysfunction. In Latin, 'dementia ' means irrationality, which results in a restriction of daily activities. Alzheimer’s disease was first identified more than 100 years ago, but research into its symptoms, causes, risk factors and treatment has only progressed in the last several years. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in 1906, German physician Alois Alzheimer was “one of the first to link

Unfortunately the most accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is by postmortem examination of the brain. The disease itself is not well defined, and its varied yet subtle manifestations lend difficulty in distinguishing it from other nervous system diseases or dementia-causing diseases. The danger exists that appropriate therapy that might bring relief or even cure, might be withheld from some patients if their conditions are misdiagnosed. Because, even though no effective treatment for AD is available, there are useful therapies for various diseases that produce symptoms of dementia (4).

Alzheimer’s is a disease which effects the brain, memory and behavioral aspects of everyday life. It is the most common form of dementia which accounts for over two thirds of cases which are recorded. The disease was first recorded by German Doctor Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was first named by Emil Kraepelin when he mentioned It in his book “Psychiatrie” which was released in 1910. Alois first discovered Alzheimer’s disease when he noticed shrinking in the cortex of the brain and abnormal deposits of nerve cells through an autopsy on Auguste Deter.

According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, Alzheimer’s disease is a disorder that results in memory loss, failed cognitive and language skills, and behavioral changes from progressive and degenerative damage on the brain’s neurons (Alzheimer’s Association of America, n.d.). The disease was first identified in the early nineteen hundreds by a German physician, Alois Alzheimer (Alzheimer’s Association, n.d.). Dr. Alzheimer’s began his research on the condition after a patient whom suffered from severe memory loss and psychological changes (Alzheimer’s Association, n.d.). The autopsy performed after the patient’s death led to the discovery of the disease (Alzheimer’s Association, n.d.). The causes, symptoms, and treatment methods for Alzheimer’s disease will be discussed in this paper.

Alzheimer's disease is a chronic, neurodegenerative disorder that attacks the brain’s neurons, resulting in loss in memory, destruction of thinking and verbal skills, and changes in behavior (Kerr & Small, 2005). It is known as the most common factor of promoting dementia after the age of 65. Besides, the estimation of dementia sufferers is 24 million people in the beginning of 21st century, and it is assumed that the figure may rise threefold by 2040 (Kawas, 2003; “The three stages of Alzheimer's disease”, 2011). This essay will discuss biological features of Alzheimer's disease in neurological, cortical and physiological perspectives. It will then evaluate how the progressive damage that may lead to cognitive impairment. Finally, some

Alzheimer's is a progressive, degenerative and fatal disease in which cell to cell connections in the brain are lost. It is the most common type of dementia, and its also most common in patients that are 65 or older. Alois Alzheimer was the founder of this disease. Up until the 1960’s it was known as senile dementia, and It was also considered a normal part of aging. In the early 1970’s, scientists began to go more in depth with their research. Any type of dementia is characterized by the loss of neurons and synapses in certain subcortical regions of the brain. Soon, the hippocampus, temporal lobe, and parietal lobe start to degenerate, as well as parts of the frontal cortex and cingulate gyrus.

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder. Those with Alzheimer’s disease exhibit a gradual loss in neurons throughout the brain, which results in an atrophy of brain regions responsible for various bodily functions. One aspect of diagnosing the disease involves assessing the progression of key symptoms. As the disease progresses, patients display certain cognitive defects and behavioral changes. The first stage of symptoms relate to mild- cognitive impairment, namely changes in memory and overall thinking sharpness and