Alzheimer s Disease A Progressive Deterioration Of Neurons

Almost everyone has experienced the situation where he sees someone familiar, but cannot think of that person’s name, or he has shopped in a mall and cannot remember where the car is parked. Anyone over the age of sixty-five would probably panic, fearing that he has Alzheimer’s disease, since age is a huge risk factor related to memory loss. He may ask himself, â€Å"Is something wrong with me, or am I just getting old?† Much of our population is terrified of developing Alzheimer’s disease or of watching a loved one slowly and gradually fade away. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is when the brain loses the ability to function mostly in keeping short-term memories, progressing to lack of cognitive function, and eventually causing death (Atkins, 2008, pp. 3). Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive deterioration of neurons in multiple different areas of the brain that appears in about eleven percent of men and women over the age of sixty-five and only about five percent of total cases include people under the age of sixty-five. Over a period of an average of eight years after diagnosis, Alzheimer’s disease takes over the brain completely and the victim has short-term memory loss, cannot recognize familiar faces, has trouble performing activities of daily life, can no longer reason, cannot comprehend or think of words, and eventually may not be able to eat or swallow. As the disease takes over the brain stem, basic bodily functions, such as respiration,Show MoreRelatedThe Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease1421 Words   |  6 Pagesengulfed by a mysterious disease. The neurons being cut off and destroyed by two abnormal structures. First memory is affected gradually getting worse. Then one is unable to think properly, reason, and la cks of self control. Gaps are formed in the brain s ventricles, due to the amount of dead tissue. In the end, it will lead to death. All of this may sound like something from a science fiction movie but infact its very real. These are all known possible symptoms of a common disease that affects aboutRead MoreIs Alzheimer s Disease And What Is The Best Way For Avoid It1092 Words   |  5 PagesWhat Is Alzheimer s Disease and What Is the Best Way to Avoid It By Barry R Parker | Submitted On June 17, 2014 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest Expert Author Barry R Parker What is Alzheimer s DiseaseRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Other Memory Disorders1101 Words   |  5 PagesKennedy Cooper Biotechnology 5th period What are scientists using to diagnose Alzheimer s Disease and other memory disorders early and why should they do so when there is still no cure for it?more Alzheimer s disease is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. It is also the disease that took my grandfather. Since there is no cure and because of how late he was diagnosed, there was little the doctors could do for him. I personally noticed changes in my grandfatherRead MoreAlzheimer s A Progressive Disease865 Words   |  4 Pagesin their place: gradually losing your freedom, your memory, and your very own identity. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that slowly destroys the brain’s function of memory and cognition. Eventually, it terminates the person’s ability to do everyday tasks and requires the person to be under around-the-clock care. Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unknown mental illness (â€Å"Alzheimer’sRead More Alzheimers Disease Essay1733 Words   |  7 Pages Alzheimers Disease Alzheimer ¡Ã‚ ¦s disease is a slow, progressive, and degenerative disease of the brain. This disease is marked by a gradual loss of memory and other cognitive functions. quot;Alzheimers Disease is also known as the most common cause of dementia--a general term referring to the loss of memory and the ability to think, reason, function, and behave properlyquot; (Medina,1999). It primarily affects adults in their 60s or older and eventually destroys a persons ability to performRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : The Most Common Form Of Dementia1427 Words   |  6 PagesDementia, known as one of the world s current pandemics, is estimated to be the fourth most common cause of death in the developed country, second only to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular diseases and cancer. With the aging population, dementia has gradually become a serious threat to the health of the elderly people in Australia. Alzheimer s disease is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer s disease usually occurs in a primary degenerative encephalopathy in senile and pre senior periodRead MoreThe Social Construction Of Illness1399 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstanding of health and illness is variable. The way that a society views and interprets an illness deviates from the raw, natural interpretation made by biologists and physicians. It is believed that illness, a social phenomenon, is created out of disease, a biological phenomenon, through social construction. Social construction of illness emphasizes that the meaning of illness develops through interaction in a social context. While the medical model assumes that illness is invariant in time andRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Progressive Decline1240 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimer’s disease is a progressive decline in cognitive function. It affects the brain by damaging brain cells resulting in a decreased in cognitive function, physica l mobility, swallowing and fine motor skills. This disease approximately 5.1 million Americans aged sixty-five or older (Alzheimer s Association, 2015) of which approximately 700,000 will likely die this year (Alzheimer s Association, 2015) of related symptoms such as aspiration pneumonia due to decreased swallowing ability. TheRead MoreMemories Are Valuable Precious Artifacts Of The Mind Essay1332 Words   |  6 Pagesway we remember things and if we remember things. Perhaps a traumatic brain injury, an untreated infection that has spread to the brain, or a brain tumor, even though these rarely take the blame this is still a possibility. Treatments for incurable diseases may cause memory problems with memory due to the adverse effects they have on the body and mind. Remembering what we are, what kind of person we used to be, and how we lived is vital to our identity. Alzheimer’s and Amnesia are equally similar asRead MoreAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis1478 Words   |  6 PagesALS or Lou Gehrigs disease, is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. Jean-Marie Charcot was the first to recognize ALS as a distinct neurological disease with its own unique pathology. In ALS, nerve cells degenerate and deteriorate, and are unable to transmit messages to muscles. In around 90% of the cases of ALS, the cause remains unknown. Studies have concentrated on the responsibility of glutamate in motor neuron degeneration. Glutamate