This essay will discuss the form of Alzheimer’s dementia Posterior Cortical Atrophy, from the aspects of the journey by Sir Terry Pratchett. In addition the essay will discuss symptoms of the disease, pathology, and anatomical structures and locations.
Sir Terry Pratchett (Pratchett, 2013) has opened a discussion about dementia due to his diagnosis of Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA). PCA is a type of condition associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that affects the parietal and occipital lobes damaging how the brain is able to process and understand visual information. This deterioration of visual processing can impact the person with PCA, in how the person can perform daily tasks such as reading, driving or even walking in certain situations such as poorly lit stairwells (Shakespeare, 2013). Sir Pratchett discusses that he is still able to write and with help he is still producing novels. He also states “There’s no clearly plotted pathway to the course of these diseases. Dementia attacks those facets which make us who we are, and it’s a deeply personal attack that defies prediction” (Pratchett, 2013).
Sir Pratchett discusses how PCA affects the visual acuity and ability to topographically map a situation, however he goes on the say that PCA does not completely rob you of your ability to communicate at a level of logical conversation that allows the person with PCA to hide their symptoms of dementia reasonably well (Terry Pratchett - Living with dementia (Part 2/4) , 2008). In a case study, persons with PCA experienced progressive visual cognitive issues where they had problems with object identification, visual matching and visual construction. In addition there were findings that people were experiencing issues processing la...
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The story Miss Julianne is an excellent example of patients suffering from dementia. Although one of my family members, my Nana was also a dementia patient, but after reading this textI can relate more to his situation. Miss Julianne is also a dementia patient as she keep-forgetting things and blames others, her aggressive behavior. This story relates to my personal experience, the challenges and the change in my views and opinions and resulted in my emotional response to it.
Dementia is a disease which causes mental debility and affects one’s way of intelligent, attentiveness, recollection and problem-solving (NHS, 2013). As a result of dysfunction of brain cells in some parts of the brain it affects the thinking process then dementia occurs and it usually comes with age (Ibid). It is estimated that 560 000 people suffer from dementia in England and as a result the NHS and Social Care spend about 3.3billion (National Audit Offices)
care to the residents suffering from dementia. Banner et al (2009 as cited in Lee J.et al.2012)
Lisa Genova, the author of Still Alice, a heartbreaking book about a 50-year-old woman's sudden diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, graduated valedictorian from Bates College with a degree in Biopsychology and holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University. She is a member of the Dementia Advocacy, Support Network International and Dementia USA and is an online columnist for the National Alzheimer's Association. Genova's work with Alzheimer's patients has given her an understanding of the disorder and its affect not only on the patient, but on their friends and family as well (Simon and Schuster, n.d.).
Sarah Polley’s Away from Her (2006) tells the story about a couple that has been married for over 40 years, Grant and Fiona. Both retired, they live in a cottage in Ontario. Both enjoy cross country skiing. It is focused around how this couple handles the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. (Polley, 2006)
performance that involves, but is not limited to, a loss in at least 2 of the
Nerney, C. (2014, April). Dementia. Lecture conducted from Massachusetts’s College of Liberal Arts, North Adams, MA.
In this day and age, it seems as though almost everyone has experience a loved one taken away form a very serious disease known as Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is unbelievably devastating for everyone affected by it. This disease is causing major economical problems such as less occupancy in the nursing homes, and hospitals due to the rising population of elderly men and women being diagnosed with it everyday. Because there is not yet a cure for this disease and the percent of the population being diagnosed keeps rapidly rising, more time and money needs to go towards Alzheimer’s research.
Alzheimer's Disease Introduction to Alzheimer's Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain. It was first described by the German neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer (1864-1915). in 1905. This disease worsens with advancing age, although there is no evidence. that it is caused by the aging process.
Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder which kills the brain cells, causing memory loss and cognitive decline. This leads to severe psychological impairments which changes how people think, behave and other complications such as paranoia, disorientation and unprovoked aggression. These psychological impairments reduce people’s functional ability and therefore reduce their quality of life.
This paper is on dementia, a late-life disorder, as it pertains to the geriatric population. “It is estimated that 24.3 million people around the world have dementia and that, with an estimated 4.6 million new cases every year, we can expect about 43 million people and their families to have to handle the challenge of dementia by 2020.” (McNamera, 2011) I will cover three relevant points concerning this disorder that cause changes in the brain.
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 disease, named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, is a disease that is on the rise in America and the rest of the world. People should learn as much as they want about this disease, because as you age, your chances of becoming an Alzheimer’s Disease, or AD, patient increases. It is estimated that approximately 3 percent of Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have the illness, and more than half of all people over age 85 have the ailment.
According to (Miller, 2009), dementia is the most accurate expression which illustrates the development of cognitive impairment. ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬It exemplifies the diverse brain anarchies which ultimately lead to severe brain dysfunction (Alzheimer Australia, 2011). Dementia is the leading cause of disability in older adults in Australia accounting for 17 percent of the cases (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2004). Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Vascular Dementia (VD), Frontotemporal Dementia (FD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) are the well known forms of this disease. This usually occurs in older adults aged above 65; however it is a disability and not a normal symptom of aging. Chances of inheritability are present but it depends on the individual and the type of dementia (Alzheimer Australia, 2011). The Global Deterioration Scale provides a detailed explanation regarding the seven stages of cognitive decline in Dementia (Alzheimer’s Association of Canada, 2005).