The Underlying Cause Of Alzheimer's Disease

There are many different forms of dementia and each has its own cause. Some of the main type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia affecting 50%-70% of dementia patients (Alzheimer's australia, 2005). This is a degenerative illness which attacks the brain, this is achieved buy tangles which are in the middle of shrunken brain cells and plaques which eventually cause the brain cells to die meaning information can no longer be recalled or assimilated. There are also other types of dementia which include vascular dementia which is caused by circulation of the blood to the brain, Parkinson’s disease which is a disorder of the

Dementia is a term used to describe a collection of signs and symptoms that happen to the brain when it is affected by the progression of certain diseases such as vascular dementia (when brain cells die due to lack of oxygen) and Alzheimer’s disease (a specific brain disease). Some of the affects these diseases have are on a person’s memory, language and communication abilities, behaviour and ability to make rational judgements.

Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body disease, a series of strokes or even a group of symptoms which may result from brain injury, vitamin/hormonal imbalance, drugs and alcohol. These diseases have factors in common and can cause a person to have their mental

Dementia is not considered a specific disease because it is such a broad disease there are many different types.

There are many different types of dementia. "Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet," gives the definition of Alzheimer’s as “an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.” Can you imagine waking up one morning and forgetting where and who you are, how to get dressed, and even how to leave your room. It would be like being in a maze, in a constant state of confusion.

Dementia is a continual or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or damage marked by memory disorders, character changes, and impaired reasoning. Dementia is not its own specific disease; it is a term in general that is used to describe various symptoms. There are two more common forms of dementia in the elderly which are vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. “An analysis of the most recent census estimates that 4.7 million people aged 65 years or older in the US were living with Alzheimer's disease in 2010”. (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/142214.php) Although dementia is a disease usually among the elderly, it may occur at any age.

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 is a neurological disease, which causes memory loss, and other cognitive impairment due to the degeneration of the brain. It’s also a progressive disease, since its symptoms develops slowly, and gradually gets worse over time. It usually occurs in three stages, which include early (mild), middle (moderate), and late (severe). In the early stages of this disease, memory loss is most common, whereas in the late stages, it becomes sever enough to affect daily tasks, such as communicating with friends and family. Moreover, Alzheimer’s symptoms include memory loss, delusions, mood swings, etc., thus it causes issues with the individual’s memory, thinking and behavior. Furthermore, an individual diagnosed with Alzheimer’s can live up

Alzheimer’s disease is among the sixth top leading causes of death in the United States and even with an estimated 4.5 to 5.4 million suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) not much is known about the causes. Only the symptoms are addressed. The main characteristics of AD are degeneration of the ability to remember, reason, communicate and with loss of motor skills and function (Piazza-Gardner, 2013). Cognitive function that is lost and is accompanied by other physiological conditions such as depression, anxiety, irritability, aggression and inappropriate behavior for a setting or location that occur in most AD suffers (Senie, 2014). AD was noted as abnormal clumps and a bundle of proteins in the brain which was discover in patients with

Alzheimer disease is a type of dementia that causes several problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. It’s also a progressive, and irreversible disease, and the most common form of dementia. It’s a term for memory loss that includes other abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. This disease accounts for 60 to 80% of dementia cases. Symptoms are developed slowly and get worse over time becoming severe enough to deal with daily tasks. It’s the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

The cause of Alzheimer’s is not yet fully understood, yet it is believed to be influenced by a mixture of genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.

Even though scientists are unsure about the causes of Alzheimer’s disease, there have been numerous tests and studies that have gleaned some insights. Francesca Fernandez-Enright, PhD and professor of neuroscience at University of Wollongong, and Jessica Andrews, professor of neuropsychology at the University of Wollongong, characterize Alzheimer’s as the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques in the brain” (Fernandez-Enright). Amyloid plaque is the “sticky buildup” of proteins normally found in the body that divide and create “beta amyloid which is toxic to neurons in the brain” (Myers). Amyloid plaques have “different rates of growth throughout neocortical and hippocampal regions” and are formed from the “oligomers of amyloid in the intracellular and extracellular space,” and when the oligomers accumulate they become “toxic and trigger the start of neurodegenerative processes,” which becomes Alzheimer’s disease (Fernandez-Enright). Amyloid plaque production itself is not the problem, because it is needed for healthy brain function. However, when there is too much production of the amyloids it damages the “synapses, resulting in neurodegenerative processes” (Fernandez-Enright). In addition to amyloids, a type of

Dementia is a "clinical syndrome, or condition that presents several different symptoms of which memory problems and impaired intellectual functioning are the hallmark" (Lillrank). Dementia is actually a term used to describe a wide range of symptoms. Two of the most common types of dementia are: Vascular dementia and Alzheimer's. Some symptoms of dementia include loss of short-term memory. Other initial manifestations can include confusion,

Socially it has a lot of impact not only on the mother but also to the victim with the disease. The disease was not passed down from the parents, but rather developed from a random mutation in the gene. Few people struggle with this disease and it’s quite rare, making it hard for others to understand it. People may not be fully aware of the symptoms or causes, creating an indifference in people’s thoughts. People may humiliate or isolate these people due to the lack of awareness of the disease, and culturally people judge one another based on appearance.

Alzheimers patients are of a chronic neurodegenerative disease. Over the time it get worse. In 60% to 70% of cases it is due to dementia. The cause of Alzheimers disease is not understood well. About 70% of the risk is believed to be genetic with many genes usually involved.