The Population Keeps Aging, Alzheimer 's Disease ( Ad )

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly, accounting for 65–70% of all cases (Jellinger, Janetzky, Attems, & Kienzl, 2008). The other dementias are of the Parkinson 's group, the fronto-temporal group and the vascular group. The total worldwide yearly costs for the treatment and care of patients suffering from dementia are estimated to be around 250 billion US dollars. The lifetime risk for AD between the ages of 65 and 100 is 33% for men and 45% for women with an annual increase of 1–2% in the seventh decade to almost 60% in the 10th decade with doubling every 5 years (Jellinger et al., 2008). AD is incurable, and thus represents a major public health problem. AD represents a challenge to humanity due to its relatively recent discovery, progressive nature of the illness, and complex diagnosis.

The disease called Alzheimer’s is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States (Weiner, 1987). It is estimated that the elderly population will double between now and 2030. During this period, the number of elderly will grow by an average of 2.8% annually (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001). By 2050, the number of people with Alzheimer’s is estimated to range from 11.3 million to 16 million (Alzheimer’s Association, 2005). These startling numbers should prompt an examination into one of the leading causes of death among this group of people. Understanding what Alzheimer’s is and the known causes of the disease are a good starting point. For those who have aging family members, knowing the risk factors and warning

Subsequently, the full evaluation process that takes place also varies among individuals of different ages and their symptoms experienced (Shimada 47). In the cases of younger onset cognitive impairment with quick progression, an MRI scan and bloodwork are done (Lee et al. 155). From clear MRI scans and blood tests, potential reasonings for Alice’s symptoms, for example brain tumours, can be ruled out. As Alice’s cognitive decline continues, the next step is a PET scan to observe the brain at a molecular level in determining the amyloid levels in the

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 8 (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 is the 6th leading cause of death, affecting more than five million people in the United States and is also one of the most common forms of dementia. Dementia can be defined as a disorder of progressive cognitive impairment severe enough to affect daily functions of an individual’s life (Fillit, et al., 2002).

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 (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

Over the last 15 years, many promising clinical studies for Alzheimer’s have failed because many of the participants that were tested did not have Alzheimer’s, but another form of dementia. Because of that, in order for someone to be admitted into current drug trials, he/she must test positive for Alzheimer’s biomarkers. Another reason some clinical studies were inconclusive were because of the fact that the disease was so advanced in some patients that it had already caused brain damage (Nierenberg,

Alzheimer’s disease, other wise known as AD, is an age-related, non-reversible brain disorder that develops over a period of years . “Initially, people experience memory loss and confusion, which may be mistaken for the kinds of memory changes that are sometimes associated with normal aging.” However, what differentiates Alzheimer’s from normal aging is that cognitive function is impaired at such a high intensity over such a small time period that it induces issues such as: personality changes, decline in cerebral function, impairments when reasoning and making decisions, distortion and interference with speech, inability

Alzheimer’s disease, considered the most common form of dementia, is a degenerative brain disorder which leads to loss of memory and decline of cognitive thinking. Alzheimer’s disease effects over 5 million Americans, a number which is expected to triple in the projected future, and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States (Dougherty, R.J., et al). Majority of these affected people are sixty-five years of age or older and have what is called late-onset Alzheimer’s, whilst a smaller margin of individuals is younger than sixty-five years of age and are said to have early-onset Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease presents itself in three main stages, is caused by the degeneration of neurons and by the changes in protein composition in the brain, and despite the lack of definitive, early diagnosis or preventative treatment the disease can to a certain degree be detected and managed.

Due to this, medical professionals have termed the disease “early onset Alzheimer’s” and make a suspected diagnosis due to symptoms characteristic of the disease. A diagnosis is only confirmed by brain biopsy after death. Unfortunately, due to this many answers aren’t found until it is too late. Similarly, as researchers are struggling to find a solution and a cure to Alzheimer’s, the epidemic of people struggling with the disease is rapidly growing.

“Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, a neurologic disease characterized by loss of mental ability severe enough to interfere with normal activities of daily living, lasting at least six months, and not present from birth.’ AD usually occurs in old age, and is marked by a decline in cerebral functions,

This discussion will aim to focus on analyzing an extensive array of different aspects related to the disease. The main focal points of this investigation will delve into the risk factors, including demographics and heritability, and environmental causes associated with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as briefly explaining the biological process of neurodegeneration, improvement in finding new treatments, and innovations to methods of detection. Additionally, examined will be explorations into advancement of further understanding the disease, including recent studies and the implications of such to the future of the field of

Recognizing the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease could help decrease the chances of major cognitive impairment, once potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease becomes more defined, which enables doctors to treat the start of the disease before the severe cognitive impairment (Sperling et al.,

Pre-clinical: The pre-clinical stage of Alzheimer’s is a relatively new description for the initial biological changes that are underway before any clinical symptoms are experienced. This stage may begin years, or even decades before symptoms such as memory loss and confusion occur. With the help of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET), and proteins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), researchers are able to identify the accumulation of amyloid beta proteins. This occurrence is thought to be connected to structural and functional brain changes similar to those in patients with Alzheimer’s.

The mean onset age of AD is 84.3 years, compared to 75.5 years for subjects with one APOE-4 allele, and 68.4 years for subjects with two APOE alleles. (Corder 1993) While this study was relatively small with just shy of 250 participants, all relevant assertions are backed by statistically significant analysis. It is important to note, however, that a large portion of participants in the study did not have an APOE-4 allele, which suggests other genetic sources of risk exist. Nonetheless, the study depicts strong evidence of the direct link the APOE-4 allele has on AD. Although APP mutations and APOE-4 alleles don’t account for all genetic AD cases, they have led to the discovery of 21 genetic loci that also impact AD. (Guerreiro, 2013) This has narrowed the focus of scientists and allowed them to make advances in continuing to study the link between genetics and AD.