Alzheimer's Disease
On the first day of class, it was proposed that "Brain=Behavior," implying that not only all actions and emotions can be explained by neuronal activity, but also the very sense of self which is so important to many of us. This latter implication was met with considerable resistance. Surely there must be more to an individual's personality and Self than a bunch of patterns of activity across neurons. Through the research I have done for this paper, I have discovered that disorders such as Alzheimer's disease add a new twist to the debate surrounding the origin of the Self. My purpose here is to provide an overview of Alzheimer's disease, including its neurobiological basis, the differences between early and late onset, and some of the possible causes, and then to readdress the question of whether the Self can be traced to the Brain in light of this information.
Over the last few decades, Alzheimer's disease has come to be recognized as the most common form of dementia among the world's older population, affecting an estimated 4 million people in the United States alone (1, 2). It is characterized by progressive loss of memory, language and reasoning skills, and other cognitive functions, as well as changes in personality, such as increased aggressiveness (1, 2). No definite cause has been discovered, and it is as yet without a cure; however, much progress has been and continues to be made, and many scientists believe that a cure will eventually be developed.
Although the causes are unknown, research has shown that the disease begins in the entorhinal cortex and spreads first to the hippocampus and then proceeds to other parts of the brain, particularly the cerebral cortex. Since these two regions are ...
... middle of paper ...
...comprehensive summary of current research regarding the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer's, including care. In addition to this wealth of information, the site has excellent graphical representations accessible by links throughout the text, as well as a glossary of technical terms at the end.
2. http://hcs.harvard.edu:80/~husn/BRAIN/vol3/b96txt.html#EarlyandLate:
Early and Late Onset as Subdivisions of Alzheimer's Disease, an article by Elizabeth Kensinger published in the online journal, The Harvard BRAIN. Explores and explains research to date regarding these two different forms of Alzheimer's disease, covering the "symptomatic, biological, genetic, neurophysiological and neurological characteristics" of both early and late onset subtypes. Then proceeds to draw conclusions from this data, regarding future approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
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 signs of Alzheimer’s can be beneficial to both the patient and his family. Finally, once the patient has been diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s, a plan for treatment as well as providing the family and caregivers with a support system can help ease those involved through a very challenging, heartbreaking time.
Chimpanzees make tools and use them to procure foods and for social exhibitions; they have refined hunting tactics requiring collaboration, influence and rank; they are status cognizant, calculating and capable of trickery; they can learn to use symbols and understand facets of human language including some interpersonal composition, concepts of number and numerical sequence and they are proficient in spontaneous preparation for a future state or event.
The 1990s were a period of extreme ethnic conflict in the former nation of Yugoslavia. In 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina passed a referendum for independence, which was not met with an equal enthusiasm amongst the republic's population. The group most against this independence was the Serbian minority, who were convinced by leaders such as Slobodan Milosovic and psychiatrist Jovan Raskovic in the idea of a "greater Serbia." Serbs were told they needed to dominate the surrounding Croats and Muslims based on their psychological superiority. Serb fighters carried out vicious campaigns of ethnic cleansing, killing over 100,000 people with another 1.5 million being forced from their homes to created predominantly Serbian areas. In 1995 Bosnia Croatia and Serbia signed the Dayton peace accords and focus shifted towards Kosovo, where discord had been emerging between the Albanians and the Serbs.
The last two decades of the twentieth century gave rise to turbulent times for constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, eventually leading them to split apart. There were a number of damaging aspects of past history and of the political and economic circumstances that contributed to the breakup and eventually caused the situation to snowball into a deadly series of inter-ethnic conflicts. Yugoslavia was reunified at the end of the war when the communist forces of Josip Broz Tito liberated the country. Under Tito, Yugoslavia adopted a relatively liberal form of government in comparison to other East European communist states at the time and experienced a period of relative economic and political stability until Tito’s death in 1980. In addition to internal power struggles following the loss of their longtime leader, Yugoslavia faced an unprecedented economic crisis in the 1980’s. As other communist states began to fall in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, some former Communist leaders abandoned communism and founded or supported ethno-national parties, blaming the economic suffering on the flaws of communism and other ethnic groups. The ethnic violence that followed would not have been possible without the willingness of politicians from every side to promote ethno-nationalist symbols and myths through media blitzes, which were especially effective due to low levels of education in the former Yugoslavia. Shadows of the events of World War II gave these politicians, especially the Serbs, an opportunity to encourage the discussion and exaggeration of past atrocities later in the century. The ethnic violence in the former Yugoslavia can be traced back to a series of linked damaging factors such as the de...
Firstly we look at the advert which was placed on 3rd March in “every newspaper” in order to promote their new product. It is an established principle that advertisements are invitation to treat rather than offer, Partridge v Crittenden (1988) . However, in the same case Parker L J expanded on the point that if the ‘seller is the manufacturer’, then the rule does not apply. This is because, the manufacturer could potentially make an unlimited amount of chocolate, therefore, the advert the defendant placed, is an offer rather than an invitation to treat.
Nurses play many vital roles when it comes to working with patients. Among the many different healthcare professionals, nurses experience the most interpersonal contact with patients; therefore, it is sensible for a nurse to be an advocate for their patients. For the patients and families of patients receiving end-of-life care, the process may be very stressful and may often be considered a burden. As a nurse, it is important to advocate for the patient by communicating effectively, educating the patient and families, delivering information with honesty, and making sure patients understand and are fully aware of their options regarding their healthcare. Increasing awareness about the benefits of advance care planning helps guide healthcare professionals as they deliver the best care for the patient nearing the end of their life.
Apes have over and over again surpassed other primates in comprehension tests carried out in the laboratory. They are capable of reacting to stimuli in an appropriate manner. Researchers have measured intelligence in primates in a number of situations in an effort to determine the level of cognition these primates possess. Russon and Begun, researchers who have explored ape intelligence state, “In the physical domain, great apes do use tools in ways that require their grade of cognition but they devise equally complex manual techniques and solve equally complex spatial problems” (Russon and Begun 2004). Apes have the abilit...
In the modern age scientists and researchers are constantly discovering new diseases and disorders that affect the human body. With technology improving and new equipment being introduced it enables scientists to gain more knowledge about the disorders than ever before. During the last century a German physician by the name of Alois Alzheimer linked a patient’s memory loss to her brain autopsy which displayed signs of brain shrinkage. His discovery is now known today as Alzheimer’s disease; which is a form of dementia and is a psychological disease that causes the brain to deteriorate. In today’s day and age, there are still many unanswered questions about Alzheimer’s disease (Crider, A., Goethals, G., Kavanough, R., & Solomon, P. 1989). A few known facts are that Alzheimer’s disease is it is most commonly found in elderly humans, with majority of carriers being age 60 or older. It is important to note that Alzheimer’s disease is not an old person’s disease and that it can also be found in adults of younger ages. Furthermore, there are two forms of Alzheimer’s disease. The two forms are called Early-onset which is found in adults ages 30-59 and Late-Onset which is more common and occurs in adults ages 60 and up. Alzheimer’s disease may not be curable, however with the right information it can be easy to conquer (Alzheimer and Dementia Resources).
Cummings, Jeffrey L., Cole, Greg. “Alzheimer Disease.” Journal of the American Medical Association. May 2002: 287-18. Health Source. EBSCOhost. Utica College Lib. 15 Apr 2005. .
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.
The intelligence of gorillas has been overlooked for many decades, and is still overlooked today. Gorillas and other apes are close cousins to humans, and until recently, have been believed to only be able to achieve a level of intelligence that humans possess (Patterson). It is clear these assumptions are wrong, and gorillas do have the potential to have the same level of intelligence as humans. Even simple memory tests suggest gorilla’s intelligence is comparable to humans. “That challenges the belief of many people, including a number of scientists, that "humans are superior to chimpanzees in all cognitive functions," researcher Tetsuro Matsuzawa of Kyoto University told the Associated Press in 2007 on the subject ("How Smart Are Planet
/. (/).Transferable Skills: What You Must Have When Finding A New Career.Available: http://www.career-change-confidence.com/transferable-skills.html. Last accessed 9th Nov 2013.
Wilford, John N. "Evidence of Chimps' Intelligence Grows." The New York Times. N.p., 18 Apr. 2007. Web. 31 Oct. 2011. .
Globalisation refers to the process of the integration of economic, political, social and cultural relations among people, companies and governments of different nations and countries. It is a process aimed improving international movement of goods, services, labour and capital. This process also has a direct impact on the environment, culture, political systems, economic development and prosperity, and a human physical wellbeing of societies in the world.
Joel R Campbell, Leena Thacker Kumar, and Steve Slagle. "Bargaining Sovereignty: State Power and Networked Governance in a Globalizing World." International Social Science Review 85.3/4 (2010): 107. Print.