Alzheimer's Disease
explanatory Essay
1474 words
Alzheimer's Disease 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. The Alzheimer’s Association (2005) defines the disease as “a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate, and carry out daily activities”. Contrary to popular belief, Alzheimer’s is not the result of normal aging, although it normally occurs more frequently in people who are over the age of 65 (Gruetzner, 1988). Studies performed on the brains of deceased Alzheimer’s patients show several irregularities. The most obvious abnormality is in the signal-transmitting chemicals, where a 40-90% decrease in the enzyme CAT is found. This enzyme lies in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus regions of the brain. When CAT is decreased, it causes cholinergic or acetylcholine-releasing nerve terminals to diminish. These chemicals are important for communication between nerves. Also found during these autopsies were double strands of neurofibullary tangles, senile plaque (decayed neural material), and granulovacular degeneration-all which are associated with mental impairment. Neurofibullary tangles normally do increase with age, but Alzheimer’s patients show a very high density of the tangles. The brain has also been found to contain abnormally high concentrations of aluminum (Weiner, 1987). While much is known about the end results of Alzheimer’... ... middle of paper ... ...illick, 1998). While at the present time little is known about the causes of Alzheimer’s and there is no existence of a cure, current research combined with the latest in technology is hopeful for a breakthrough. Not only are new drugs being developed, but also the possibility of vaccines are on the horizon. Keeping up with the latest clinical trials, findings and treatment options can be a challenge, but doing so can arm patients and caregivers with a powerful tool. Only through education and progress in research can this deadly disease become extinct. Works Cited: Alzheimer’s Association. (2005). What is Alzheimer’s disease? Retrieved March 30, 2005, from http://www.alz.org/AboutAD/WhatIsAD.asp Gillick, Muriel R. (1998). Tangled minds: understanding Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. New York: Penguin Group. Gruetzner, Howard. (1988). Alzheimer’s: a caregiver’s guide and source book. New York: Stephen Kipper. U.S. Census Bureau. (2001). Sixty-five plus in the United States. Retrieved March 30, 2005, from http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/statbriefs/agebrief.html Weiner, Michael A. (1987). Reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s. New York: Stein & Day.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that alzheimer's disease is the fourth leading cause of death in the united states.
- Explains that alzheimer's is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate, and carry out daily activities.
- Explains that there are many theories as to the causes of alzheimer's, but none of these theories have been proven. scientists know that whatever triggers alzheimer’s disease begins to damage the brain years before symptoms appear.
- Explains alzheimer's is incurable, but there are many stages, warning signs, and risk factors that can serve as detection devices for those who have older adults in their lives.
- Explains that there are seven stages of alzheimer's disease that can be expected through the ordeal of this illness. the first two stages are early onset and show little or no impairment.
- Explains that there are many known risk factors associated with alzheimer's, but there is no one factor that is known for certain to indicate acquiring the illness.
- Explains that there is no current drug that can altar the loss of cells for alzheimer's patients. the fda warns that alternative treatments should not be used in place of physician-prescribed therapy.
- Explains that alzheimer's is devastating to the caregivers and family members. they stress the importance of getting outside help to give them a break.
- Opines that current research combined with the latest in technology is hopeful for a breakthrough. only through education and progress in research can this deadly disease become extinct.
- Explains that the alzheimer's association (alz.org) defines alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
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- Alzheimer’s Diseaseexplanatory essayAlzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition where the neurons degenerate in the brain, while the brain substance shrinks in volume. Alzheimer’s is also the number one cause of dementia. When it was first noticed, Alzheimer’s was thought to be a pre-senile disease, but now it is known to be responsible for seventy-five percent of the dementia cases in people over sixty-five years of age. Alzheimer’s disease usually causes several years of personal and intellectual decline until death. Because there is an increasing number of elderly citizens in the United States, research into the causes and possible cures for the disease is on the rise (1).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that neurofibrillary tangles are not exclusive to alzheimer's patients, but plaques in the brain are unique to down’s syndrome, and to a lesser degree, normal aging.
- Explains that alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition where the neurons degenerate in the brain, while brain substance shrinks in volume.
- Explains that the beta-amyloid protein has been studied extensively and is a transmembrane protein and receptor, but its actual function is unknown. alzheimer's disease cannot be diagnosed without examination of brain tissue.
- Explains that functional abnormalities in the amyloid precursor protein biochemical pathway may be causal in alzheimer's disease.
- Summarizes clayman, c. b., and sadock, h. i. on alzheimer's disease. the american medical association: encyclopedia of medicine, 1989.
- Explains that amyloid beta protein is involved in the causation of alzheimer's disease.
- Cites cohen, c. d., rosenberg, r. n. and cohen.
1671 wordsRead More - Alzheimer's Diseaseargumentative essayAlzheimer’s disease or AD is an incurable disorder of the brain that results in loss of normal brain structure and function. In an AD brain, normal brain tissue is slowly replaced by structures called plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The plaques represent a naturally occurring sticky protein called beta amyloid and in an Alzheimer’s brain, sufferer’s tend to accumulate too much of this protein. Neurofibrillary tangles represent collapsed tau proteins which, in a normal brain along with microtubules, form a skeleton that maintains the shape of the nerve cells. In Alzheimer’s disease, the tau proteins break loose from their normal location and form tangles. Without the support of these molecules, nerve cells collapse and die. As normal brain structure is lost with progression of the disease, brain function also degenerates. Patients afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease display a gradual mental decline. Initially, and most apparently, there is a loss of short-term memory. Eventually, as a patient progresses to later stages of the disease, the brain becomes so damaged that patients can no longer communicate or recognize immediate family or even themselves. They have difficulty walking and standing and frequently fall. In the final stages, they lose bladder and bowel control and have difficulty with swallowing, frequently leaving them malnourished and dehydrated. Eventually, they are forced to remain bedridden and, without the help of life-prolonging measures provided in a hospital, die. However, this level of deterioration is severe and may take as long as twenty years. Because of the disease’s slow progress and its usual later start in a person’s life, a victim of AD will usually die first of natural causes. Under the objectives ...
In this essay, the author
- Describes alzheimer's disease as an incurable disorder of the brain that results in loss of normal brain structure and function.
- Argues that primary prevention is the most effective and cost-efficient of all programs against the disease.
- Explains that secondary preventions or early diagnosis measures of ad are important to future public health programs.
- Explains that there are currently drug therapies available for slowing the progression of alzheimer's disease and other pharmaceuticals in testing stages to cure it.
- Opines that there is never a shortage of volunteers for clinical trials when it comes to testing potentially new therapies for ad.
- Concludes that alzheimer's disease is an issue that demands serious attention from the public health community.
- Explains that the number of people with alzheimer's disease doubles every five years among older people. public health programs are mandatory to decrease the onset of the disease.
- Explains that neuroimaging, along with testing by specialists, may provide a way to detect the disease in its early stages. genetic testing for alzherimer's, another secondary prevention tool, could go.
2171 wordsRead More - Alzheimer 's Disease As A Diseaseexplanatory essayAlzheimer’s has been one of our most known diseases in America and could rapidly double by 2050. Alzheimer’s disease as of 2014 are showing signs dropping, “An American over age 60 today has a 44 percent lower chance of developing dementia than… people roughly 30 years ago (Marchione, 2015).” Alzheimer’s is a disease known as the loss of memory and important metal functions that have been learned over a lifetime. In 2010, Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S. (Ault, 2015)” Alzheimer’s is know to last for years and could also become a lifetime disease. Alzheimer’s is associated with dementia disease meaning that it affecting thinking, memory and social parts of our brains, interfering with daily life. Alzheimer is a disease that is predicted to substantially increase over the upcoming years, with an increase in funding, scientist and researchers will be able to prevent or even cure Alzheimer disease. Alzheimer’s disease is known for becoming progressively worse over a large period of time without any treatment.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that alzheimer's is one of the most known diseases in america and could rapidly double by 2050.
- Explains that depression is a factor in alzheimer's disease, but it has not yet been proven to be true. alzheimer changes the brain through loss of newly learned information.
- Explains that pharmaceutical companies are in development of more drugs for treatment of alzheimer’s disease and clinical trails are being made with goals to prevent the disease in populations with the genetic disease.
- Explains that alzheimer's has shown signs of declining in industrialized countries, such as the united states, denmark, and germany.
- Explains that alzheimer's disease causes the mind to forget important aspects of life and prevents individuals from functioning property.
1236 wordsRead More - Early Onset of Ahzheimer's in Adulthoodexplanatory essayAlzheimer’s disease affects the lives of over 5 million Americans today. The cost that it has placed on the U.S is a staggering $203 million dollars. Researchers have reported that those numbers are expected to triple by 2050. However draining that this disease may seem, the real question is whether there is a solution. To this day there is still no cure to stop or even slow down th progression of the brain disease but there are treatments that help cover the symptoms. While the majority of the people who suffer from Alzheimer is generally over the age of 65, about 200,000, of the estimated 5 million, are in the age range of 30-40.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that alzheimer's disease affects over 5 million americans, and the cost is estimated to triple by 2050. there is no cure to stop or even slow down the progression of the brain disease but there are treatments that help cover the symptoms.
- Explains that alzheimer's is a degenerative, terminal brain disease that has no known way of prevention, or detection in the early stages.
- Explains that while there has been a lot of research done to find causes of alzheimer's none have been proven to be the cause of the disease.
- Explains that alzheimer's disease is difficult to diagnose at its early stages. the most promising way of knowing for sure that one has alzheimer is with a brain dissection.
715 wordsRead More - Alzheimer's Disease Essayanalytical essayAlzheimer's disease is the source of the destruction or decline of brain cells or nerve cells. As a result of damaged nerve cells, the brain may have fewer bonds as compared to healthy brain cells. Amyloid plaques are outside the cell and are clusters of protein, Neurofibrillary tangles are proteins too, but they are inside the cell. It has not been confirmed on whether or not these protein clumps have any effect on Alzheimer’s or not, but they are ...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that alois alzheimer discovered alzheimer's disease after a patient with an abnormal mental illness passed.
- Explains that there is no cure for alzheimer's, but scientists are developing treatments that may help with the symptoms.
- Explains that alzheimer's disease is the source of the destruction or decline of brain cells or nerve cells.
- Opines that there are potential treatments for alzheimer's that scientists have contemplated such as zinc and the prevention of a c1q protein.
- Explains that their interest in alzheimer's stems from the effects it has on an individual and how it gradually intensifies over time.
- Analyzes how the woman seemed stuck in time. she only remembered her husband, who passed away about 14 years ago, and waited for him to come back.
- Explains that alzheimer's affects the minds ability to function, and only worsens over time, to the point where you have to be cared for hourly.
685 wordsRead More - Understanding Alzheimer's Diseaseexplanatory essayAlzheimer’s is present in over 40 million individuals worldwide, with over 5 million being in the United States. Various organizations and institutions, such as the G8, have begun referring to Alzheimer’s as an epidemic, and one who experts fear could affect over 100 million people by the 2020’s. As of today, Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States and will only continue killing as the lifespan of U.S. citizens continues to rise. While many hopeful researchers are aiming to have a sound cure and or treatment for Alzheimer’s soon, the grim truth of the matter is that as of today millions are being plagued by this disease with no true curative treatments available.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that alzheimer's is the 6th leading cause of death in the united states and will continue killing as the lifespan of u.s. citizens continues to rise.
- Explains that alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia, accounting for a large portion of the dementia-related cases.
- Explains that the best way to diagnose alzheimer's is to know how health professionals diagnose the disease.
- Explains that alzheimer's causes a large build-up of proteins called amyloid and tau within brain cells. scientists do not yet know why these proteins occur in large amounts.
- Explains that alzheimer's disease displays a clear genetic connection, with apoe4 being the key genetic marker for the disease.
- Explains that there is no cure for alzheimer's, but there are several treatments available to ease its symptoms.
- Explains that the community of alzheimer's based researchers are hard at work to find superior treatment methods.
- Concludes that alzheimer's is a serious disease that is plaguing the world. while there is no cure for the disease, there are medicines available to address alzheimer’s related symptoms, and an assortment of treatments that are currently being tested in the lab.
1599 wordsRead More - Alzheimers Diseaseexplanatory essayIn 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.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that alzheimer's disease is devastating for everyone affected by it, and that more time and money needs to go towards alzheimer’s research.
- Explains alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that impairs mental functioning. it attacks the part of the brain that controls memory, language, and thought.
- Explains that alzheimer's disease was named after dr. alois alzheimer, who noticed abnormal clumps and bundles of fibers in the brain tissue of a woman who had this strange illness.
- Explains that alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging. it usually starts in the mid sixties and lasts approximately seven to fourteen years, but can rarely last for close to twenty years.
- Explains that alzheimer's disease is caused by several factors, including family history and age. people with down syndrome are also at high risk.
- Explains that before finding a cure for alzheimer's disease, scientists must research all aspects of the disease such as the cause, the damage to the brain, and genetics.
- Explains that researchers are mainly concerned with improving the quality of life for those with alzheimer's. social workers and care givers try to teach the patient how to communicate and interact in ways that improve functioning and reduce behavioral problems.
942 wordsRead More - Alois Alzheimer's Diseasecomparative essayAlzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia that gradually causes problems with thinking skills, behavior ,and memory. The disease is irreversible and inevitably becomes severe enough to interfere with the victim’s ability to carry out simple daily tasks. In the early 1900’s, Dr. Alois Alzheimer recognized and stated changes in a deceased woman’s brain tissue as the result of “A peculiar severe disease process of the cerebral cortex”[1]. Symptoms of the mental illness included language problems, unpredictable behavior ,and memory loss. After, the examination of her brain Alzheimer discovered key features of the disease. His findings abnormal clumps and tangled fiber bundles are now known as amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary, or
In this essay, the author
- Explains alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia that causes problems with thinking skills, behavior, and memory. it is irreversible and inevitably becomes severe enough to interfere with the victim’s ability to perform simple daily tasks.
- Explains that the first symptoms of alzheimer's differ and solely depend upon the individual diagnosed. other common symptoms include difficulties in responding effectively to everyday problems, planning and performing different tasks, repeating statements and questions, forgetting conversations, misplacing possessions, and getting lost in familiar places.
- Estimates that of the estimated 5.5 million americans living with alzheimer's dementia in 2017, 5.3 million are age 65 and older, and approximately 200,000 individuals are under 65.
240 wordsRead More - Alzheimer's Diseasecomparative essay“Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that gets worse over time. It leads to nerve cell death, and tissue loss throughout the brain. Over time, the brain shrinks dramatically, affecting nearly all its functions. It gradually destroys a person's memory and ability to learn and carry out daily activities such as talking, eating, and going to the bathroom” (What Is Alzheimer’s). Early symptoms include personality changes, memory impairment, problems with language, decision-making ability, judgment, and personality.
In this essay, the author
- Explains alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia that gets worse over time. it leads to nerve cell death and tissue loss throughout the brain.
- Explains that alzheimer's was named after dr. alois alzheimer, who noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who died of an unusual mental illness.
- Explains that patients with alzheimer's often die earlier than normal, although a patient may live anywhere from 3-20 years after diagnosis.
- Explains that there is no specific test today that confirms you have alzheimer's disease. doctors typically rely on physical and neurological exams to check your reflexes and sense of touch and sight, lab tests, and mental status testing to assess your memory and other skills.
- Explains that brain imaging is a huge factor in helping to diagnose alzheimer's. computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission
- Explains that alzheimer's sufferers go through 7 stages, including memory impairment, cognitive decline, memory lapses, forgetfulness, confusion, and bladder control. stage 7 patients need help with everyday living.
- Explains that alzheimer's risks increase after age 65 by 79%. obesity in midlife makes you 3.5 times more likely to experience it and chronic stress may quadruple your risk.
- Explains that there is no cure for alzheimer's, though there are goals in treating it.
- Advises people to be patient and not argue with them, even if they believe the request is irrational. they are not behaving like this on purpose.
- Recommends getting alzheimer's sufferers involved in a variety of activities to stimulate the brain.
- Explains that home care for a patient is very important to insure they're as safe as possible. the late stages of alzheimer's require twenty-four hour care.
- Advises caregivers to take time to relax before caring for a memory-impaired person with alzheimer's disease.
- Explains that some facilities claim to specialize in treating alzheimer's patients, but not all of them excel in this kind of care.
- Explains that aricept, exelon, and namenda help prevent alzheimer's, but there are side effects, such as indigestion, diarrhea, loss of appetite and vomiting. alternative medicine may support cognitive health or prevent or delay alzheimer’s.
- Explains that "alzheimer's disease" is available at www.ncbi, nlm, and helpguide.org.
1497 wordsRead More - Alzheimer's diseaseexplanatory essayWhat is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that attacks and destroys brain nerve cells or neurons eventually killing the cells. It is the most common form of dementia (around 50-60% of all cases of dementia). it affects 1 in 20 people over the age of 65 and 1 in 1000 people under the age of 65.
In this essay, the author
- Explains alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that attacks and destroys brain nerve cells or neurons eventually killing the cells.
- Explains that plaques and tangles slowly destroy the hippocampus, causing people to not be able to form new memories.
- Explains that it destroys the region of the brain where logical thoughts take place. gradually, the person cannot solve day to day problems.
- Explains that emoticons invade the part of the brain where they are regulated, causing loss of feeling and emoticon.
- Explains that after that, they move to place in the brain where it makes sense of what they see, hear, and smell, causing someone to hallucinate.
- Explains that they eventually destroy the person's most precious memories which are stored at the back of the brain.
- Explains that the disease compromises the ability to balance and coordinate movements, and in the last stage it destroys a part of the brain which regulates breathing and the heart.
- Explains that age, genetic inheritance, down's syndrome, whiplash, severe head injuries, and vascular disease can increase the development of alzheimer’s.
- Explains that it is difficult to make a diagnosis of alzheimer's disease. gps are the first to carry out an assessment.
- Explains that there is no cure for alzheimer's disease, and the medication prescribed to patients can only delay the development of alzheimer’s. donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine and memantine can be prescribed.
- Explains that alzheimer's is a complex disorder, and it cannot be prevented yet.
- Explains that alzheimer's is characterized by memory loss, personality changes, and loss of control over bodily functions over a long period of time.
- Explains that alzheimer's disease is caused by the gradual destruction of brain cells, which causes the total brain size to shrink. plagues and tangles are found between the dying cells in the brain due to a build up of beta amyloid.
845 wordsRead More