Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, meaning it attacks the neurons within the brain. Neurons are the areas of the brain that allow for chemical messages, or neurotransmitters, to be transmitted. These neurons are necessary for connections with other nerve cells, and without them, the neuronS ultimately die. Alzheimer’s is a form of, and the most common cause of, dementia, or loss of intellectual capacity and personality. ("Dementia.") Alzheimer’s disease, or AD, is not a normal part of aging, although risk of developing the illness increases with age. The onset behavior of the disease normally doesn’t appear until age sixty and older. Though symptoms that appear before age sixty have occurred, it is less common and tends to run in families; these early onset also tend to progress more rapidly. (“Alzheimer’s Disease”) AD is one of the top ten most leading causes of death in America. In fact, estimates say that as many as 5.1 million people in the U.S. may have Alzheimer’s; that number steadily increasing with the growing elderly population. (“About Alzheimer’s”) In the last forty years, AD has become a prevalent topic amongst the medical and non-medical communities affecting lives and families; giving us motive for further our understanding of the brain. Alzheimer’s disease has been known since the turn of the century but was not a prevalent concern until the 1970s. In 1907, Alois Alzheimer, a German physician, documented a case of a fifty-one-year-old woman who was suffering from severe cognitive disabilities. She exhibited difficulties in areas such as memory, language, and social interactions. (Reger 1) After death, Alzheimer performed a brain autopsy using silver staining techniques. This allowed him to ... ... middle of paper ... ...int. “Dementia.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 02 May. 2015. Reger, Beth. "Alzheimer's Disease: A Brief History and Avenues for Current Research." Journal of Young Investigators: Undergraduate, Peer-Reviewed Science Journal 6.2 (2002): 1-3. Web. 29 Apr. 2015. Robinson, Lawrence, Joanna Saisan, and Jeanne Segal. "Alzheimer’s Disease: Signs, Symptoms, and Stages of Alzheimer’s." Helpguide.org: Expert, Ad-free Articles Help Empower You with Knowledge, Support & Hope. HelpGuide, Mar. 2011. Web. 29 Apr. 2015. "Studies Demonstrate Link Among Alzheimer's Disease, Down Syndrome and Atherosclerosis." ScienceDaily, 15 Jan. 2010. Web. 3 May 2015. Wattamwar, Pandurang, and P. Mathuranath. “An Overview of Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease.” Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology 13.6 (2010): 116. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 12 April 2015.
Alzheimer’s disease was first defined in 1906 by a German psychiatrist, Alois Alzheimer. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. It is a progressive brain disorder in which the nerve cells in the brain gradually die off. It is estimated that 26 million people world-wide are afflicted by Alzheimer’s and of those, approximately 4.5 million live in the United States. It is said to be the seventh leading cause of death in the USA and the fifth leading cause of death for those over age 65. Seventeen percent of women and ten percent of men age 55 and older can expect to develop Alzheimer’s (apa.org, 2009). Researchers report that this disease is more prevalent in African Americans and Hispanics than in whites (Crandell, Crandell, and Zanden, 2009, p. 578).
Webster had displayed patterns of distressing behavior before his death from a heart attack at age 50, and Omalu was curious as to what the former player 's brain would reveal. Omalu sent the brain to be cut into paper thin slices to be examined later under a microscope. Under further investigation Omalu found clumps of tau proteins (Tau proteins are proteins that perform the function of stabilizing microtubules. These proteins are abundant in nerve cells and are present to a much lesser degree in oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. When Tau proteins become defective and fail to adequately stabilize microtubules, pathologies of the nervous system can develop such as Alzheimer’s disease.)
Memory plays a significant role in the everyday lives of people of all ages. It allows them to recall information and remember skills that were learned in the past. Memory also organizes past information to help people make current and future decisions. However, imagine forgetting the names of close family members or not having the ability to find your keys every time you want to leave the house. These are some of the struggles that people with Alzheimer’s disease face daily. Alzheimer’s disease was first identified by German neurologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906, and was discovered to have an overpowering effect on explicit memory loss (Gruetzner, 1988). There are two types of Alzheimer’s disease – early onset and late onset. Early onset occurs in patients who are diagnosed before the age of 65 whereas late onset occurs in patients who are diagnosed after the age of 65. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, short-term memory is often lost. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, problems with long-term memory begin to develop, in addition to short-term memory impairments. Although a lot is known about the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, the cause has not been conclusively identified. However, as research continues, new theories about the cause of Alzheimer’s disease are being proposed. This has led to a controversy over whether Alzheimer’s disease is caused by genetics or environmental influences (Gruetzner, 1988).
performance that involves, but is not limited to, a loss in at least 2 of the
of diagnosis is about 80 years old (Johnson, 1989). The incidence is about the same for all races, but women are more likely than men to develop the disease, because they live longer. The second factor is heredity. Family history plays a role in about forty percent of people with early onset of Alzheimer’s (Johnson, 1989). If your parents or a sibling developed the disease, you are more likely to, as well. But there are cases of families with several people who have had this disease and other members are not affected. These two factors are the only proven factors, but environmental research is being done to help with a possible protective effect for the disease. As of now, more research is needed to confirm any be...
Glass, J. (2012, March 13). Diagnosing Alzheimer's disease: Patient History, Exams, and More. WebMD. Retrieved May 3, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/making-diagnosis
Alzheimer’s disease got its name from the German doctor, Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, he noticed that there were abnormal clumps and bundles of fibers i...
how it is born. Initially when we study the brain of a Alzheimer's victim, we
There are three stages towards Alzheimer’s and one should be aware of the important signs and symptoms. For instance, one should be aware of co...
Alzheimer’s can be diagnosed before age 65, although rare, and is caused by a mutation in 3 known genes. About 5 percent of those who are under 65 and possess the ailment have AD in their family history. Given that the symptoms of AD are caused by plaque in the brain, causing loss of nerve cells that help the body communicate with the brain, mutations to these genes; amyloid precursor protein, presenilin 1, and presenilin 2 cause a excessive production of certain proteins (primarily a B-42 form of amyloid protein), and therefore spark an excessive growth of plaque cells which are toxic to the neurons of the brain. For those cases of Alzheimer’s that occur after age 65, a genetic mutation has yet to be proven, although some may be linked, to the fact that a difference may cause an increased chance of developing the ailment. Whatever the case may be for patients over 65 years old, the disease and its symptoms are caused by neurofibrillary tangles of almyloid plaques. It is impossible for someone to test positive for Alzheimer’s Disease, because the only way to determine an affirmative case i...
It is said that memory declines as people age, and this can be just a natural part of life. However, in many cases as people grow older, they develop a mental disorder known as Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a disease that causes problems with memory, thinking, and overall behavior, and progressively becomes a bigger problem. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and is a very common disease in people over the age of 65. This terminal disease puts tremendous stress on the victim and the victim’s family. A cure for Alzheimer’s has yet to be discovered; however, through healthy and constant use of the brain and the aid of certain drug treatments, Alzheimer’s disease can be both naturally and medically prevented.
There is no quick and easy way to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. In fact a diagnosis can only be conclusively arrived at following autopsy of the ...
Twenty-eight individuals agreed to participate in this longitudinal clinical pathological study of gaining in Alzheimer’s disease. They agreed to annual clinical evaluations as well as to donate their brain to the research once they had died. The average age of the participants was 85 and the range was from 66 to 103. The annual clinical evaluation was to assess what group the participant belonged to. Obviously there was a specific criterion to check for if a person fell under the early Alzheimer’s category. There was no official criterion for those with mild cognitive impairment so those who fell under that category w...
Smith, Melinda, and Jeanne Segal. "Anorexia Nervosa." Signs, Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment. Help Guide, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2014.
Grohol, J. M. (2013, May 26). » Mental Retardation Symptoms - Psych Central. Psych Central.com. Retrieved , from http://psychcentral.com/disorders/mental-retardation-symptoms/