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Alzheimer's Disease Research Paper

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In our world today, it is impossible to not hear about all the diseases that take over people. The list of diseases are endless and it’s very saddening to hear as every day more and more people are affected. One of the many diseases that are detrimental to a person is Alzheimer’s Disease (AD for short), which relates to the nervous system. This disease is permanent and progressive and the most common type of dementia as it accounts for more than 60% in elderly people. This disease is also terminal and it is said to end a person’s life within the five to ten years after being diagnosed with it. Anyone who lives with Alzheimer’s disease is forced to have someone look after them as they are unable to take care of themselves on a …show more content…
Cognitive functions is most affected in a person with AD and this is because of the reduction the person has of acetylcholine (ACh) in the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex also has a significant amount of neuritic plaques that are present in this part of the brain. This relates to the low amounts of acetylcholine because in the middle of the plaques is beta amyloid which is a protein that destroys the neurons that create the acetylcholine. ACh is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for the memory and learning processes. Another protein that targets the brain is tau which comes in the form of neurofibrillary tangles. This protein is also associated with the cells in the brain but instead it is responsible for preserving cell structure and function (Swierzewski, 2000). The amygdala is also affected. This part of the brain is responsible for controlling emotions and because AD attacks this part of the brain, it is normal for the affected person to show signs of depression, have outbreaks of anxiety, fear, paranoia, and anger (Pritchard, 2011). In the early stages of the disease the hippocampus is targeted as short term memory is affected and the person’s capacity to retain information is smaller than the average person. Three of the four lobes are also obstructed as well. The frontal lobe is responsible for logic, controlling behavior, and learning. A person with …show more content…
As each stage progresses, so does the person, the symptoms becoming worse as time passes. In mild AD it is common for the affected person to have memory loss, poor judgment, not being able to do daily tasks like handling money, and taking longer time than normal to do daily tasks. Emotions are also altered as people with the disease begin to have more anxiety and aggression. As the affected person now has moderate AD, the individual becomes confused a lot more and has more memory loss. They begin to pay attention for shorter time, have more outbreaks of anger, have problems with speaking, writing, reading, and working with mathematics. More emotions like anxiety, agitation, restlessness, and tearfulness are triggered. The individual may also experience difficulty organizing their thoughts and ideas which may bring about frustration and anger. Hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia are common, as is the inability to carry out daily tasks involving multiple steps like getting dressed and making food. The last stage the individual faces is severe AD. In this stage it is where the brain has shrunk the most and individuals with this disease are completely dependent on their care givers for help and care. Symptoms include weight loss, difficulty swallowing, groaning and moaning, lack of bladder and bowel control, and increased sleeping. Towards the end, people affected by Alzheimer’s

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