A brief overview of the disease
Alzheimer’s is a disease that was first discovered by a man named Dr. Alois Alzheimer who reported a case of a middle-aged woman who experienced dementia and changes in her brain. Alzheimer’s is a disease that damages the brain and affects memory, behaviour and thinking. It is the most common form of dementia. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms start occurring around the age of 60 - it is a progressive brain disease that comes with age and it is irreversible.
What was believed about the disease in the past
In the 1960s, scientists discovered that there was a link between the number of plaques which block signals between cells and tangles in the proteins in the brain which allow messages to be transferred between nerves in the brain and your ability to think and understand. By the 1970’s Alzheimer’s became an important area of research interest and was recognised as a disease and not a normal part of ageing. Important discoveries were made which improved the understanding of the behaviour of nerve cells in Alzheimer’s patients’ brains. Further research into the relationship between the disease and genes was done. This resulted in medications being approved which could treat the symptoms of the disease.
What causes Alzheimer’s
The causes of Alzheimer’s aren’t fully understood yet, but research shows that it is related to plaque and threads of the tau protein twisting. Brain cells depend on these as a transport system to carry nutrients around and through the brain. Scientists also believe that the brain gets affected by a combination of lifestyle, genetic and environmental factors over time. These factors can kill brain cells and in time brain shrinkage occurs.
What are the symptoms of A...
... middle of paper ...
...ation between nerve cells in the brain. This temporarily stabilises the disease’s symptoms.
Memantine on the other hand blocks a messenger chemical called glutamate from being produced. This is a chemical which is released in excessive amounts when brain cells get damage, and this damages them further. Memantine protects the brain cells by blocking the excess amounts of the chemical.
These drugs can be obtained from a consultant, which your Doctor can refer you to for special assessment first.
What is the prevalence of the disease
About 13% of people older than 65 suffer from dementia. 16% of women older than 70 have dementia and 11% of men older than 70 suffer from it. There were an estimated 44.4 million people with dementia globally in 2013, and the number is increasing at a risky rate. 62% of people suffering from the disease live in developing countries.
According to WHO – World Health Organisation “there are 47.5 million people affected by Dementia worldwide and there are 7.7 million new cases every year”
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).
Alzheimer is a dementia type of disease named after Dr. Alois alzheimer that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills,and eventually , the ability to do simple things, or recognize their family. The first case occurred in the 1906 when a woman died on a unusual mental illness. After she died Dr.Alois examined her brain , amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary. Alzheimer’s is in older people the most common cause of dementia. Dementia is a loss of remembering ,thinking and reasoning skills, that intervenes with your daily life and activities. It is very common in people over sixty years of age. People younger than sixty years can also
Nerve cell death and tissue throughout the brain is the most significant affect over time. Naturally by age twenty-five the brain starts to decrease in size. With Alzheimer’s, the amount decrease is extremely significant. The cortex begins to shrivel up which is the part of the brain required for planning, remembering, and thinking. The most noticeable shrinkage occurs in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is responsible for the formation of new memories, it is also located inside the cortex. Upon further inspection under microscope, tissue samples are observed and synapses and nerve cell count is severely decreased. Tangles, are also found which our twisted strands of another protein due to nerve cells dying and bunching together. Plaques and tangles are prime suspects in the death and tissue loss in the Alzheimer’s brain. Beta-amyloid is a chemical and is sticky which causes it to gradually build up into plaques. This chemical derives from a larger protein found in the nerve cells with fatty membranes. These tangles destroy a vital cell transport system made of proteins.
While the average life expectancy of the world’s population has increased, the number of detected dementia cases has commensurately risen to astonishing levels. Along with improved discovery of this disorder, new causes and treatments have been found, from which many innovative techniques have been developed towards the prevention of future incidences and reduction of the effects of this condition; however, the quest for these solutions have raised more questions than it has answered. Why do some develop this disorder, while others do not? Can early detection be achieved to reverse the processes or limit its effects? Further specifics on these topics have been categorized into three main sections, which include:
A study in 1997 points out that in the UK between 38-57% of people, in long-term care, have a moderate to severe form of dementia (Elliot et al 1999). Most recent information shows that in the UK almost 800,000 people are affected by dementia, which translates into a financial burden costing £23 billion a year to the economy. It is also predicted that by 2040, the number of people affected by the disease is expected to double (Alzheimer's Society Dementia Report 2012)
Alzheimer’s is a result from a combination of factors that cause progressive brain deterioration that affects the memory and behavior of an individual. There are two known risk factors. The first risk factor is age. Alzheimer’s usually affects people older than 60, and rarely affects those younger than 40. The average age
Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia which is a brain disorder that impairs mental functioning. Dementia attacks the part of the brain which controls memory, language, and thought. It makes everyday tasks like remembering to brushing your teeth, or to pay your bills next to impossible to do, which is why so many people who are diagnosed with this disease are in complete care. This disease has different phases, the first being slight forgetfulness and then the persons emotions may heighten as well as language impairment, violent outbursts, loss of bladder control and from there it keeps getting worse until complete dysfunction of the brain occurs and eventually death, which most of the time is the result of infection.
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, 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.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. Dementia is the lost of thinking, remembering and reasoning so bad it screws up ability to do daily functions and eventually resolves in death. Dr. Alois Alzheimer’s first discovered the disease in 1906. Since then research has developed a deeper understanding of the changes in the brain. Warning sign’s of Alzheimer's are memory loss that affects home and job skills, problem in speaking, poor judgment, and difficulty in learning. The last stage of Alzheimer's disease is when you’re unable to take care of yourself. The disease can last from 3 to 20 years from the time of onset of symptoms. Alzheimer’s disease affects as many as 4 million Americans. It can affect almost any age but still is more common in the ederly. As ageing population continues to increase, so does the disease. Today, 3% of the people ages 65 to 75 have alzheimer’s, 10% of those aged 75 to 85 have alzheimer’s and half the age 85 may have it to. Without a new cure it is estimated that alzheimers will affect over 14 million people by 2050. The elderly are the most infected with the disease and its still spreading. Other disease in common with Alzheimer’s is multi-infract dementia, Huntington’s disease, Pick’s disease, and Parkinson disease. People wonder if Alzheimer is genetic “meaning runs in families” the answer is the evidence isn't clear. Doctors and Physicians say if you have a by blood family member with Alzheimer's there's a slightly greater chance of getting or having the Alzheimer's disease. Many wonder if memory loss is a natural part of aging. The answer is yes and no, everyone has forgotten where he or she parked their car or the name of an acquaintance a one time or another. And many healthy individuals are less able to remember certain kinds of information as they get older. The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are much more severe than simple memory lapses. This chart will kinda help you understand the difference.
Scientists know that Alzheimer disease is characterized by a gradual spread of sticky plaques and clumps of tangled fibers that disrupt the organization of nerve cells in the brain. However , a definite cause, prevention, or cause has not been found.
Thesis/Preview Statement – Alzheimer’s disease (AD) causes a decline in brain function, it destroys healthy nerve cells. Today, we have discussed Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis of AD.
WIMO, A., WINBLAD, B., AGUERO-TORRES, H. & VON STRAUSS, E. 2003. The magnitude of dementia occurrence in the world. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord, 17, 63-7.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to enter. Tau protein ensures the tubes in your brain stay straight, allowing molecules to pass through freely. In Alzheimer’s Disease, the protein collapses into strands or tangles, making the tubes disintegrate. There are visible differences in brain tissue in the form of misfolded proteins called plaques and tangles. Beta-Amyloid clumps block signals and communication between cells in the brain.