Alzheimer’s disease long known for the toxin clumps and tangles that build up in the brain may also be caused by the failure of a natural system that protects brain cells (Johnson, 2014). Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth overall primary cause of death in the world, troubling more than five million people in United States and also one of the most frequent forms of disorder found in our generation today, affecting daily functions of an individual’s life.
The Boston Globe recently published an article called Protein may guard against Alzheimer’s disease, by Carolyn Y. Johnson (2014). A new study indicates that a protein called REST can help the brain from neurodegeneration. REST increases in older adults but is lower in victims infected by Alzheimer’s. “Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative brain disorder that involves a decline in memory, have an acetylcholine deficiency” (King, Griguoli & Cherubini, 2012). According to Bruce yankner, a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, “it’s an amazing idea that neurons that you’re born with will function for 100 years or more, in a very high-stress situation . . .” Cells made from Acetylcholine are often stored in the spinal cord and the brain, help Alzheimer’s disease by decreasing the effects of memory loss and short attention span.
“The brain is a pretty tough organ and we should strive to find out what makes it so tough and capitalize on this” said Yankner (2014) The brain consists of two types, healthy brain and unhealthy brain; in each brain there is a set of REST protein included within which often deals with Neurodegeneration. In the healthy brain, REST production and cause neuroprotective. In the unhealthy brain, low REST production causes neurodegenerati...
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...4). Johnson also states that REST mechanism for protecting brain cells is very basic to survival, because it had been conserved … during evolution”. Johnson tells us “Perhaps if researchers could understand patient’s natural levels of REST, they could target treatments to people based on whether they have high or low levels of the protein” said Li-Huei (2014). The REST protein follows a pattern; in the healthy brain it reaches neuroprotevtive. The REST production is normal; in the Unhealthy brain it reaches neurodegenration, the REST production is less. In Alzheimer’s disease, neurodegenerative is a leading cause because it lacks REST production... Most of the neurodegenerative diseases have no cure.
Alzheimer’s disease could be passed down in family history, allowing the symptoms to be activated in the early 30s. But the causes of Alzheimer’s disease are not known.
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.
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.
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.
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.
As with any disease there are factors that may put one at more risk for developing the disease. The most common risk factor is age. After 65, the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease doubles every 5 years - this means as you age you are more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Although, in early onset, people can be diagnosed as early as in their thirties - there are 500,000 people in America living with early onset Alzheimer’s. Being female is another risk factor. Women are more likely than men to be living with Alzheimer’s. Two-thirds of people living with Alzheimer’s in America are women. Another risk factor is genetic predisposition or family history. Some avoidable risk factors involve head injury and heart health...
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).
Alzheimer's Disease is the result of what occurs when nerve cells in the brain begin to deteriorate and die. A neuron's primary role in the brain is to communicate with other neurons, transmitting information to different regions of the brain and body. Neuron cells are also responsible for creating memories, both short-term and long-term memories. The hippocampus, which is a small area in the brain that holds a key role in the formation of memories (Mandal). As provided by Dr. Ananya Mandal, the association between the hippocampus and Alzheimer's Disease is that the neurons located in the hippocampus are suggested to be the first cells to be damaged in the way of the disease (Mandal). It is unknown at what point in time that neuron cells begin to degenerate. Nevertheless, when neurons do deteriorate within the brain, the occurrence of plaque and tangles - abnormal proteins - begin to appear as a result of a weakening in the connection between neurons. According to information gathered by Richard Mayeux, a Professor of Neurology at Columbia University ...
Alzheimer'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 ...
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.
This disease causes memory loss, difficulty in thinking processes, mood swings, depression, hallucinations, personality changes, and the inability to create new memories. Alzheimer’s disease is most common in people who are at the age of sixty years or older, but it can start as early as the age of nineteen. It can be categorized as a type of dementia. “Scientists believe Alzheimer’s disease prevents parts of a cell’s factory from running well” (Alzheimer’s Disease: The basics). Scientist believe that one cause of Alzheimer’s could be caused by plaques and tangles. Plaques are the build up of a protein called beta-amyloid in the nerve cells. Tangles are twisted fibers of the tau protein that build up inside of a cell. The exact cause of Alzheimer’s has not yet been determined, but scientists have reason to believe that it is because these plaques and tangles are blocking the communication of cells in the nervous system. Another probable cause is a mutation on the chromosomal genes 21, 14, and 1. This is why it is believed to be a genetically inherited
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.
Alzheimer disease generally occurs in people over seventy five years of age; however it does strike people in their forties, fifties, and sixties, but this is rare. When Alzheimer’s disease occurs prior to the age of sixty five, it is referred to as early onset Alzheimer’s.
As age increases, we can expect some loss of heart, lung, joint, and sexual functioning. Some loss of brain cells and mental efficiency is a normal part of healthy aging (Bendheim, P.E. (2009). Our human brain consist of living cells, which are constantly learning, as we referrer a small child’s brain as a sponge because it is constantly thinking and storing memories. When that child gets older, the brain will get older too, and it will be strong but response will slow down (Perlmutter, David. (2004). Alzheimer’s seems to always make the news, but it is not the only disease connected with the aging brain.
Less than five percent of the time, Alzheimer’s is caused by specific genetic changes that virtually guarantee a person will develop the disease (Mayo Clinic Staff). Although we do not know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s, we do know that it affects the brain. In the Alzheimer’s process, brain cells are damaged and killed, which causes brain shrinkage. Two prime suspects that damage and kill brain cells are plaques and tangles. Plaques are clumps of protein called beta-amyloid that build up in between nerve cells ("Alzheimer Basics: Plaques and Tangles”). These proteins can affect cell-to-cell communication. The other prime suspect is tangles which are twisted fibers of a protein called tau ("Alzheimer Basics: Plaques and Tangles”). These proteins are needed to help keep the transport system on track, but in areas where tangles are forming, the twisted strands of tau essentially disintegrate the transport system ("Alzheimer Basics: Plaques and Tangles”). This causes nutrients and other essential supplies to not be able to move through the cells like they are supposed to ("Alzheimer Basics: Plaques and
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...