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Running Head: ALZHEIMERS DISEASE 1
ALZHEIMERS DISEASE 4
Alzheimer disease
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Alzheimers disease
Alzheimer’s disorder is known to be a step by step continuing degenerative disease of the human brain that with time leads to abnormal brain working and can finally lead to death (Soukup1996). It was first elaborated in 1907 by a German Physician, Dr.Alois. Furthermore, it is a disease marked by a slow decline in brain working that gets worse with time. Some individuals develop this condition when they are just at the age of 40.Hence, it most commonly affects persons who are beyond 65 years. It is approximated that roughly 10% of persons over 65 years old have Alzheimer’s disease and in of age 85% to 50% may know how it can be prevented (Turkington& Mitchell2010).
(Turkington& Mitchell2010) The brain undergoes physical changes that resemble amongst different individuals. Therefore, the behavioral and psychological symptoms that arise are complex and differs from person to person. Hence, these symptoms result to form dementia progress, and these losses lead to total dependency for even the simplest activities. This is comprised of (3) stages. The first stage is the onset stage. However, Symptoms of the emergence stage usually appear gradually. Minimum loss of memory particularly of recent events might be there (Soukup1996).
Next to being the successive stage that contains the similar symptoms noted in the first stage but are more evident at this juncture. Different problems exist with language abilities that are typically the most common sign of moving towards this time. The terminal stage is termed to the third one where persons affected now experience substantial dysfunction. Furthermore, core competencies such as eating and drinking are forgotten (Turkington& Mitchell2010).
Causes of Alzheimers disease
This disorder is believed to be brought about a combination of genetic lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain with time. However, Alzheimer’s is caused by brain cell death is a neurodegenerative disease which means here exists progressive brain cell death that happens over the course of time (Soukup1996).The overall size of the brain shrinks with Alzheimer’s. Moreover, the tissue has progressive fewer nerve cells and connections. Because they cannot be tested or seen in the living brain affected by Alzheimer’s disease postmortem will often show tiny inclusions in the nerve tissue called plaques and tangles (Turkington & Mitchell2010).
Plaques are located in brain dying cells from the built up of a protein referred to as beta-amyloid. However, tangles are found in the brain neurons, which is a disintegration of another protein called tau.Threads of tau protein always twist into abnormal tangles inside brain cells, leading to failure of the transport system. This failure is furthermore strongly implicated in the decline and demise of brain cells.
The treatments for Alzheimers Disease
Many drugs have been having been developed for Alzheimer’s disease that can temporarily slow down the progression in some people and alleviate the symptoms. Drug treatment for Alzheimer disease is termed to important, but its benefits are small (Soukup1996). Moreover, there are none –drug therapies activities and support which are necessary for helping a person live well with the disease because the treatment for Alzheimer’s disease is not yet discovered (Warner, Furnish., Longley, & Lawlor2002). Moreover, when administering treatment for Alzheimer’s disease patients, Physicians always divide the symptoms into “cognitive” and “behavioral and psychiatric” categories. Hence, this enables treatment that is unique to the symptoms being experienced. Behavioral symptoms affect a patient’s actions and emotions. Cognitive symptoms alter memory, language, judgment and thought processes (Turkington& Mitchell2010).
Apart from cholinesterase inhibitors, a medication called memantine has also been approved for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. However, memantine regulates the activity of glutamate in the brain. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory (Turkington& Mitchell2010).
(Turkington& Mitchell2010) Increasing safety and doing away with obstacles in homes can allow the sick to live there for longer period. Therefore, early diagnosis can allow patients to enter the above clinical trials and have a greater chance of benefiting from the treatment (Soukup1996). The patient and family can only make an educated decision regarding treatment if they experience a longer symptom–free pod.
Reference
Soukup, J. (1996). Alzheimer’s disease: a guide to diagnosis, treatment, and management. Westport, Conn: Praeger.
Turkington, C. & Mitchell, D. (2010). The Encyclopedia of Alzheimer’s disease. New York: Facts On File.
Warner, M., Furnish., Longley, M. & Lawlor, B. (2002). Alzheimer’s disease: policy and practice across Europe. Oxford: Radcliffe Medical Press.
