Taking a Closer Look at Alzheimers Disease Essay - 784 Words

What is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia known today. The term â€Å"dementia† refers to a variety of conditions that arise from the loss of nerve cell function and/or nerve cell death in the brain, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and other types of mixed dementia. Although all types of dementia arise from neuronal damage and/or death, each form of dementia is associated with distinct brain abnormalities and symptom patterns. Once a patient has been diagnosed with dementia, a physician must conduct further tests in order to determine the exact form of dementia that is present. Recent research indicates that many individuals,†¦show more content†¦Thus, the preclinical stage of AD currently cannot be diagnosed (cite). Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease This stage of AD is characterized by measurable changes in the thinking abilities of the affected individual that are noticeable to the individual and those around them. These changes are mild and do not affect the individual’s ability to perform everyday tasks; however, approximately 50% of individuals who seek medical attention for their MCI symptoms will develop AD dementia in the next three to four years (cite). Dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease This stage of AD is characterized by memory, thinking and behavioral symptoms that dramatically impair an individual ability to function normally. These symptoms are caused by AD related brain changes and affect an individual’s ability to perform everyday tasks (cite). Alzheimer’s disease Symptoms As with most diseases, the symptoms caused by AD vary for person to person. A symptom seen in nearly every patient, however, is the gradually worsening ability to remember new information (cite). Other common symptoms of AD include the following: †¢ Challenges in planning and solving problems †¢ Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure †¢ Confusion with time or place †¢ Trouble understanding visual images and spatialShow MoreRelatedAlzheimer s Disease And Its Relationship With Personality1235 Words   |  5 Pages Alzheimer’s Disease and its Relationship with Personality By: Kristen Hughes The point of this literature review is to explore the relationship that Alzheimer’s disease has with one’s personality. There are many changes that happen to a person as they age, a lot of which are considered a normal part of aging. Being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease is not one of those changes that is considered normal (Hoyer Roodin, 2009). Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a form of dementia that is characterized byRead MoreImagine One Day You Wake Up And Suddenly You Don’T Know1420 Words   |  6 Pagesall. You look around and your brain is making no connections for you, everyone is a stranger. This is what happens to Alzheimer’s patients: they slowly begin to lose their memory. In the beginning, it’s little things with memory, but they don’t seem to have a huge effect on everyday life. Then, it moves on to greater memory loss, beginning to affect daily tasks, causing them to ask multiple questions and take longer to complete daily tasks. As they continue to progress through the disease, they loseRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects1257 Words   |  6 Pages Alzheimer’s in its Full Effect Alzheimer’s disease is named after German physician, Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes that happened in the brain tissue of Auguste D., who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. So, what exactly is Alzheimer’s? It is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the simplestRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Common Form Of Dementia1311 Words   |  6 PagesAlzheimer’s disease is a common form of dementia that affects the brain (Bethune, 2010). It affects millions of Americans and is one of the leading cause of death in the United States (Bethune, 2010). There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, however there is ongoing research on reducing the risk and how to cure the disease (Bethune, 2010, Baumgart, M., Snyder, H. M., Carrillo, M. C., Fazio, S., Kim, H., Johns, H. (2015). Understanding the best way to manage the disease and how to care forRead MoreHow Alzheimer Is Like Mental Cancer Essay1227 Words   |  5 Pagesis hard to tell where personal aberrations end, and Alzheimer’s begins, but in the end one looks for anything untouched by the illness. One of the frightening things about Alzheimer’s is how the first signs of the disease make their appearance in the most benign and normal events. Things we might laugh at as silly mistakes are really signs of something much worse than we imagine. When Alzheimer’s occurs where there is no family history, people look back at events that were warning signs, and shakeRead MoreStem Cell Essay1310 Words   |  6 Pagesthought of the political history of undifferentiated organism look into. There has been a relentless pattern of researchers progressively taking in the privileged insights of stem cells and having the capacity to apply their new learning to either look into potential med ications or really convey powerful medicines to people. In 2001, Bush issued an official request that put huge limitations on government financing for undeveloped cell look into; and in 2009, Obama canceled this request with his veryRead 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 MoreThe Importance Of Stem Cells1338 Words   |  6 Pagesbacteria and disease, and have the component of being unspecialized. This component of being unspecialized gives way for scientists and researchers to give stem cells a specific function to target and help repair tissues and systems. Such bacteria and disease stem cells may eradicate and prevent from plaguing people are Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s Disease, spinal cord injuries, cancer, and much more. It has been studied that with the discovery of stem cells, there is almost no disease or bacteria thatRead MoreSymptoms Of Alzheimer s Disease2043 Words   |  9 Pagesfather had Alzheimer’s disease. It took an emotional toll on me and my family members. I believe Alzheimer is much harder on me and my loved ones than on my grandfather; because he was unaware of what was going on. It’s painful watching my grandfather degrade and get worse each and every day. The worst thing is that he doesn’t even know who I am anymore. In this paper I will discuss certain risk factors, background of Alzheimer’s, Background of Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s disease was firstRead MoreAlzheimers Disease3170 Words   |  13 PagesThe Role of Caregiving to Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease Megan Zann April 27, 2012 Health Psychology Dr. Ackerman Introduction It is normal to periodically forget your keys or a homework assignment, because you generally remember these things later. However, individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease may forget things more often, but they do not remember them again. The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease has dramatically increased because people are living longer. This is a result of