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impacts of dementia on an individual
alzheimer's disease essay cause and effects
alzheimer's disease essay cause and effects
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In the world certain diseases can initiate many difficulties in person’s daily life. Forms of dementia, or gradual mental decline in an individual, comprise a core amount of these diseases. Around a century ago, a man named Alois Alzheimer first classified a distinct form of dementia that occurred in an individual near old age (“Alzheimer’s disease”). This individual was a fifty-one year old female named Auguste, and an autopsy of her brain approximately four years after her diagnosis revealed a degeneration of her brain, an accumulation of amyloid plaques, and an appearance of neurofibrillary tangles, the characteristics connected with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (Fraller, Deidre Brett). Occurring in brain cells, Alzheimer’s disease impacts areas of the brain centered on interpreting and storing information ("Alzheimer's disease"). Studying the scientific nature of Alzheimer’s disease and possible methods of discovery and treatment are necessary to identify potential methods for treating the disease on a greater scale. Alzheimer’s disease causes unstoppable mental regression and produces irrational behaviors in its victims ("Alzheimer's disease"). Memory failures appear commonly among all people with normal mental development. People suffering from Alzheimer’s disease also frequently iterate their behaviors and struggle in remembering matters important to them such as their friends, family, and themselves. People with Alzheimer’s disease might lose interest in activities they appreciated previously, and may experience a personality shift. For persons with AD, memory failures start off small while gradually becoming more severe (Odenheimer, Germaine, et. al.). Amyloid plagues, a trait associated with AD, may become too dif... ... middle of paper ... ...ved collectively by researchers, scientists can establish connections between their colleagues’ studies and their own studies. The origins of Alzheimer’s disease are currently unexplained, but further studies might bear more results on its specific origins. Pathological characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease can also be further explored to possibly determine these specific roots. Improving forms of early diagnosis in Alzheimer’s disease will greatly influence the possible prevention of the disease, since constant brain degeneration in an individual seems unlikely to cure with current scientific technology. These specific methods for preventing the disease if diagnosed early enough could be forms of drug treatment and behavioral rehabilitations helping to stimulate the mind, and thus decreasing the odds that a person would develop this dreadful style of dementia.
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.
Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that affects cognitive function in the elderly population. The exact cause of the disease is unknown but may include genetic as well as environmental factors. A progression of specific neurological changes allows the progression of the disease. Short-term memory losses along with dementia are typical symptoms of the disease. A definite diagnosis of the disease currently can only be confirmed by an autopsy. The disease progresses in five stages that will vary with every patient. There is no current acceptable treatment to reverse or stop the progression of the disease.
Alzheimer’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 ...
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).
Alzheimer’s disease is a complex illness that affects the brain tissue directly and undergoes gradual memory and behavioral changes which makes it difficult to diagnose. It is known to be the most common form of dementia and is irreversible. Over four million older Americans have Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to triple in the next twenty years as more people live into their eighties and nineties. (Johnson, 1989). There is still no cure for Alzheimer’s but throughout the past few years a lot of progress has been made.
Alzheimer’s disease was first postulated by the Bavarian psychiatrist by the name of Alois Alzheimer in 1906, however very little was known about the illness (Selkoe). Today, it is well documented that Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of the mental disorder known as dementia. Furthermore, dementia affects an estimated 25 million people in the world (Dalvi). The National Institute of Aging, under the purview of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines Alzheimer’s disease as “an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.” Alzheimer’s disease, like most diseases, has levels of severity and get worse of the course of time. In early or “mild” stage of Alzheimer’s disease, the person might start exhibiting issues that could include “wandering and getting lost, trouble handling money and paying bills, repeating questions, taking...
Understanding how the brain processes and stores memories has important implication. Dementia is a liberal term that refers to the decline and impairment of speech communication, abstract thought, memory and other cognitive functions. This cognitive disruption occurs to such an extent that they interfere with daily activities Dementia is not a disease itself. Instead, it depicts it describes a group of symptoms that frequently accompanies a disease or a condition. Although, it might initially seem disturbing to consider that half of the adult population will experience the symptoms of a mental disorder. Psychological symptoms without becoming completely debilitated and needing professional intervention most people clearly seem to manage
Alzheimer’s disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that becomes more prevalent with age. Discovered by German psychologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906, it is associated with a memory loss, speech impediment, and dementia. In Canada alone, 500,000 people suffer from this terrible disease and the number of cases is predicted to double by 2031[7]. Worldwide, nearly 44 million people are believed to be experiencing Alzheimer’s disease and every 68 seconds, someone in the United States of America develops Alzheimer’s [8]. Alzheimer’s disease is also the sixth leading cause of death in North America. Furthermore, it is the only leading cause of death that is still increasing in prevalence. Not only fatal, Alzheimer’s is also severely crippling for all the friends and family that are affected by the patient. The memory loss and dementia that is directly linked to Alzheimer’s disease can cause the patient to forget the identity of their loved ones. For the people that have known the patient for many years, this can be very devastating. The long and terrible journey from an able-bodied and functioning member of society to a barely self-sufficient person is not a pleasant one. Undoubtedly, Alzheimer’s disease needs to be cured not only for those suffering from the affliction, but for their loved ones who have to endure the fateful journey as well.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, and this terminal, progressive brain disorder has no known cause or cure. Its greatest known risk factor is increasing age which is why is it is infamous for developing in the elderly, typically in ages 65 or over, however for the 5%(1) that develop Alzheimer’s in their 40s or 50s it is known as early Alzheimer’s. Because Alzheimer’s worsens over time, those with it tend to struggle with completing daily tasks especially elderly people. Given that there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, the treatments available slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. It is not known what causes Alzheimer's, however, those with Alzheimer's have been found to have abnormal amounts of protein (amyloid plaques) and fibres.(The amyloid plaques and fibres are found in regions of the brain where problem solving and thinking take place e.g The cerebrum.) Due to the unusual amounts of amyloid plaques and fibres, it reduces the effectiveness of healthy neurons and eventually, destroying them.
Alzheimer’s disease comes from the last name of a neuro-psychiatrist from Germany, Alois Alzheimer. The disease was first diagnosed when a woman in her early fifties began experience memory problems. “Alzheimer recounted the now famous case of ‘Auguste D.’ a 51-year-old housewife who had been failing mentally for several years. As a result she had been admitted to his care in the Asylum for the Insane and Epileptic…” (Maurer and Maurer 1). After her death, he continued to examine her brain to find causes and explanations for her behavior. He discovered “…classic neuro-pathological signs of plaques and tangles” (Maurer and Maurer 1). “Plaques are chains of amino acids that are pieces of the amyloid precursor protein…tangles are aggregates of the protein tau” (Secko 1). As plaques develop they produce tangles and “these two abnormalities ultimately lead to loss of cognitive function” (Secko 1) Alois Alzheimer’s research has allowed many specialist to conclude that the apolipoproetein E gene may contribute to the disease.
Alzheimer's disorder is a mental disorder that affects your brain, and in particular the disorder affects the memory part of your brain. The disorder slows down the memory section of your brain, and as a result the number one symptom of Alzheimer's is memory loss. The disorder usually doesn't affect younger people, but instead affects people that are older than the age of sixty. The disorder can get so serious that the patient could loss there of about everything that has ever happened in their life. Patients usually loss their memory of their childhood during the most severe, intense, and last stage of the disorder. Alzheimer's disorder can also have a drastic effect on the patient's family, because during the disorder the patient can forget about their entire family.
Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain cells which are called neurons. Neurons send messages from one to another, which allows us to think, remember and speak. In each of the neurons there is a branch like structure. Some carry impulses away from neurons (afferent), and some bring impulses to the neurons (efferent). The relaying of impulses from neuron to neuron in the brain makes it possible for one to carry out physical and mental tasks. When plaques and tangles form in the brain, they disrupt the flow of messages to the neurons. This happens when people age, but with an Alzheimer’s patient there are many more that disrupt, which allows them to forget simple tasks. Plaques are abnormally sticky clusters of protein. They disrupt pathways that carry signals from neuron to neuron. Plaque is a deposit of protein mixed with fragments of dead or dying neurons found in the brains of patient who have Alzheimer’s. A tangle is a set of twisted nerve cell fibers found in the cell bodies of neurons in the brains of the patients who ha...
Alzheimer’s disease was discovered in 1906 by German physician Alois Alzheimer. While studying the biopsy of the brain of a fifty-five year old woman who had suffered some type of severe dementia, he noticed some aberrations in her brain structure. The brain appeared shrunken, with enlarged crevasses in the gray matter. Over a century later, we now know that Alzheimer’s is caused by a mixture of chemical and cellular brain abnormalities and the breaking down of cells in the mind. Most of the defects occur in the cerebral cortex, which is the outer gray matter of the brain and the center of most human-like brain functions like memory, language, and thought.
We often see or have heard of people who know someone with Alzheimer’s disease or may even be affected with the disease themselves. Alzheimer’s disease is not a peculiar case because it is growing substantially in our population due to the large population of old age individuals. Although it is not a disease that is part of the normal aging process for our human kind, it is often occurring in elderlies. It is a tragic disease that highly affects the wellbeing of an affected individual as well as their family and peers. An affected individual will suffer from memory lost as well as behavioral changes. These behavioral changes can range from mild to severe depending on the severity of the disease.
Alzheimer’s Disease is named after a German doctor, who specializes in the brain and nervous system, named Alois Alzheimer. This Disease forms in the brain. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of Dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to enter. The 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 is visible differences of brain tissue in the from misfolded proteins called plaques and tangles. Beta-Amyloid clumps block signals and communication between cells in the brain. Researchers agree that Alzheimer’s Disease is m...