The Dangers Of Alzheimer 's Disease

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.

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 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

A major devastating and debilitating disease, Alzheimer 's is a public health issue that affects not only the United States but also countries all around the world. In 2010, there were 35.6 million people living with Alzheimer’s. Researchers and medical personnel expect this number to triple by the year 2050. The disease is costing America an exorbitant amount of money and has become a burden on families, caregivers, medical personnel, the healthcare system, and the nation’s economy. If attention is not focused on this major problem, “nursing homes will be overloaded, caregivers will be burned out, healthcare system will be overwhelmed, and federal and state budgets will be overtaxed” (Alzheimer’s Association, 2011).

We’ve all heard of it. We’ve read articles about it and seen it on movies such as “The Notebook.” Most of us have family members or friends who suffer from it. So why is it that most individuals still don’t know what it is? According to the Alzheimer’s association, over five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. It is also noted that Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the US, causing more fatalities than breast and prostate cancer patients combined. With that being said, how many commercials have you seen about Alzheimer’s awareness? How many 5k’s and walk-a-thons have you seen advertised opposed to cancer awareness? My purpose with this paper is to shed light on Alzheimer’s and dementia disease and

In 1906, Dr. Alois Alzheimer had a patient named Auguste D. He described this patient by saying she had “profound memory loss and unfounded suspicions about family” (Alzheimer, 1906). After his patient had died, he performed an autopsy to rule the cause of death. Alzheimer claims he found “dramatic shrinkage and abnormal deposits in and around the nerve cells”. His findings set new standards for understanding neuro-degenerative disorders around the world. In 1910, this newly discovered abnormality was coined as “Alzheimer’s Disease” (healthline.com). Researching soon ensued and scientists now had more information than ever. In 1976, Alzheimer’s was recognized as the most common cause of dementia. By 1984 Beta-amyloid was found present in brain

Alzheimer’s Disease is one of the most common causes of death in the United States, and one of the most detrimental to families around the nation. This disease affects millions of people and brings a large financial burden upon the people who give support to the affected. The expenses of Alzheimer’s are so high that the disease has caused a financial epidemic through out the nation. Through research, it has been concluded that Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease to be effected by, beating cardiac diseases and many others that are currently plaguing the nation.

Why is the disease of Alzheimer’s so relative to the chosen real world event topic and this course? Much of what will be covered in this class and the textbook, Health Care USA: Understanding its Organization and Delivery will correlate to the complex topic of Alzheimer’s Care. Upon review of the syllabus and Table of Contents, the three most interesting and relative chapters and topics include: Aging of America, long-term care, and research (Sultz & Young, 2011).

Alzheimer’s disease is a serious progressive disease. There is no cure for it. There have been an estimated 5.3 million people that had this disease in 2015. 5.1 million of those people were 65 years old or older. 200,000 of those people where under 65 and had the detection of the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s Association (2015) Early detection of this disease is important and imperative in the treatment. Many patients that are suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease don’t find out from their doctor till it is in their progressive stage. Alzheimer’s is classified as one of the costliest diseases in society. Total estimated cost of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease is 226 billion dollars. 153 billion is the cost to Medicaid

Alzheimer’s disease is named after German physician, Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes that happened in the brain tissue of Auguste D., who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. So, what exactly is Alzheimer’s? It is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. Alzheimer’s has been detected in nearly 15% of people 71 years of age or older because it is caused by a genetic mutation, the disease gets worse over time, and there is currently no cure for it.

Alzheimer’s disease is a mental disorder that catches up to many while in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain. It is the most common cause of premature senility.

With the baby boom generation growing old, dementia is expected to spike to an all time high. It is a disease that has no cure. Individuals immediately begin to feel helpless. Dementia is the loss of intellectual and social abilities severe enough to interfere with daily functioning (What is Dementia pg. 46). The Topic of dementia possesses a multitude of causes, which negatively impact the victim, his or her family, and the society in which the victim lives in; therefore, no treatments or solutions are provided for the victim to lessen that impact on the future of his or her life.

“According to doctors in the early 20th century anyone over the age of 65 who marked a sign of confusion was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (Bair, 5).” AD is form of dementia. “It is also a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with a mean duration of around 8.5 years between onset of clinical symptoms and death (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).” The medicine and science related to dementia and AD specifically has evolved a long way to develop strategies to encourage the healthy altitude of the brain. Growing old does not come with a guarantee to have memory loss. Using preventative measure and knowing the causes of this deadly disease will aid in a safe path that strays away from forgetfulness. Healthy lifestyles inhibits the formation of amyloid beta protein strands, the main cause of Alzheimer’s. Although living healthy can be more expensive, the money saved from the cost of therapy, prescriptions, and time-consumption from care giving is an advantage. The cost of healthcare and service for it is rising rapidly. “In 1991 the average cost for Alzheimer’s was $31,000” (Hodgson 60).

Alzheimer’s disease is the biggest cause of senile dementia in Europe and the United States affecting nearly 36 million people worldwide (Prince, Albanese, Guerchet & Prina, 2014). It is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder of the brain, severely affecting the temporal and frontal lobes, and in particular the limbic structures contained within these regions (Hooper & Vogel, 1976). Such structures include the hippocampus (contributing particularly to spatial memory (Schmajuk, 1984) and the amygdalae, both of which are primarily affected (Chan et al, 2001). As such, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterised by a progressive cognitive impairment, usually beginning with memory loss and progressing further to involve multiple cognitive and

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have been working on a potential new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. They are honing in on the genetics involved, hoping to hijack enzymes to do the job.