Alzheimer's Disease Essay

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 is a disease of the future. With the growing aged population, this disease, which affects primarily the elderly, will become of increasing relevance to the medical profession. Also, the high frequency of Alzheimer’s, and the high cost in labor, money, and material of caring for its victims shall put considerable burden on the society as a whole. Here, however, these issues are not going to be debated. Instead the pathology of Alzheimer’s will be reviewed to the extent it is known today.

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

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is characterized by gradual cognitive decline that beings with the inability to create recent memories or thoughts which then proceeds to influencing all intellectual functions (Mayeux & Stern, 2012) . Alzheimer’s disease leads to premature death and the dependence of someone for daily life functions. (Mayeux & Stern, 2012) If effects an estimated 5.5 million people in the United States and 24 million people worldwide (Mayeux & Stern, 2012). The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is rising in line with the aging population therefore; Alzheimer’s is most common in older patients around the ages of 60-85 (Mayeux & Stern, 2012).

With the growing number of people becoming diagnosed, and experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, we must begin to take precautions and somehow attempt to gain knowledge of how the disease can be better treated, and ultimately prevented.

These relate to the age at which the disease first manifests itself. The occasion of early-onset is much lower than that of late-onset. There is a 10% occurrence rate for persons over the age of sixty-five, and a 50% occurrence rate for those over age eighty five. Late-onset Alzheimer's is often confused with senility due to old-age. This also makes diagnosis difficult for older patients. However Alzheimer's is not an inevitable part of the aging process, unlike a certain amount of senility. It can be helped and with new research may be prevented.

Alzheimer’s is a disease with many stages. It is a terrible, slow-progressing disease and few people know how it progresses, how it affects the family members, and the medical research being done to find a cure. It is very difficult to watch a loved one suffer with Alzheimer’s, however finding a cure could be in the near future.

Alzheimer’s disease slowly steals a person’s dignity and erases precious memories. The “Alzheimer’s Disease Guide”, found on WebMD explains that tasks become more difficult to do often leading to confusion and behavior changes. The article further explains the progression of the disease also brings hardship to family and friends (1). To best cope with Alzheimer’s we must better understand the disease.

Alzheimer’s is a disease where neurotransmitters, acetylcholine, or the brain’s chemicals break connections with other nerve cells causing the cells to die off, the effects of this are irreversible. The loss of these cells result in loss of thinking and language skills, unpredictable behavioral changes and eventually the inability to carry out the simplest tasks. Although there is no known cause for Alzheimer’s, researchers have found a genetic link. Alzheimer’s first symptoms usually appear when a person is between forty and fifty years of age. Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that initiates in the brain, drastically decreasing the quality of life as well as life expectancy in millions of people around the world.

Alzheimer’s Disease affects millions of men and women each day. Those affected face many struggles and live a hard life as their memory slowly deteriorates. Some situations they face we would never wish upon someone else and at times can be very sad to see. Alzheimer’s Disease affects those surrounded by it just as much as it affects the person struggling with the illness. To be able to understand Alzheimer’s it is key to know the symptoms and complications, what it is like to live with the disease and the treatment.

Alzheimer’s Disease involves several undetermined causes that deeply affect the lives of many elderly patients. With each passing day, patients continue to lose control over their body both physically and mentally. This cruel disease includes four main stages including: Mild Cognitive Impairment, mild stage, moderate stage, and finally, the severe stage.

Alzheimer is a disease that affects the elderly most. The disease was discovered by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in the year 1906 when he was examining a female’s brain. He found out that the woman displayed memory loss, language problems and some inexplicable changes in behavior. The disease was named after the doctor who was a German psychiatrist and a neuropathologist. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder that leads to memory loss, personality changes, and language problems (Gilbert & Julie 2). The disease is mostly diagnosed in people over the age of 65 years, though there is a small minority of people under the age of 50 who get the disease. Studies show that 1% of a whole population aged between the ages 65-75 have severe

Alzheimer’s affects over 40 million people around the world and four million in the US. It affects mostly the brain, but eventually affects the entire function

The past of Alzheimer’s disease had to do with the major progress that had taken place since the 1906 of which included the “discovery era”, “the awareness era”, “the progress and hope era” as well as the “the inception

In the year 2015 5.3 million people in the US will have Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s Disease, also known as Presenile and Senile Dementia can have a genetic or environmental basis. Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of a more general group of memory disorders known as dementia. What differentiates Alzheimer’s from Dementia is how quick the progression of symptoms is. Characterized by debilitating memory loss, confusion, comprehension and changes in personality, that is not normal age related cognitive problems. Although Alzheimer’s disease is normally in elderly patients, it can be expressed in younger patients, known as early onset Alzheimer’s Disease, developing symptoms as