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Causes Of Alzheimer's Disease

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Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia that causes problems with memory in the brain that causes people to not function properly. Doctors don’t know exactly what causes the disease but they think it might be age or family history, certain genes, or abnormal protein deposits in the brain. Scientists think that viruses or bacteria could possibly be causing Alzheimer's and studies have shown that people with Alzheimer's tend to be more likely to be infected with certain bacteria than the rest of the population. We still don't know how the viruses and bacteria trigger Alzheimer’s disease, which is why the research has not been ongoing, but the herpes virus is already known to damage the nervous system, and the infections are known to cause …show more content…
Scientific research has revealed some of the brain changes that take place in Alzheimer's disease. Abnormal structures called amyloid plaques and tangles are what causes the disease. Plaques form when specific proteins in the neuron's cell membrane are processed differently. Because they are processed differently, fragments clump together and they become toxic and interfere with the function of neurons. As more fragments are added they increase in size and become insoluble, eventually the plaques. How tangles are caused is when a protein called tau is …show more content…
Since the disease affects the memory part of the brain, eventually the person will forget how to do things such as speak, eat, drink, walk, control bodily functions and even forget what time zone they are in. Alzheimer’s is very serious. It’s the 6th leading cause of death in America. More than five million Americans are thought to have this disease and it’s expected that by 2050 that number may increase to 14 million. Those with Alzheimer’s live an average of 8 years after diagnoses but can live up to 20 years. The typical age of diagnoses is 65 and up. Although, it is not a normal part of aging. 5% of people with the disease have an early onset Alzheimer’s, which often appears in someone in their 40’s or 50’s. Alzheimer’s has a strong genetic connection, and in most cases in inherited but it’s not the only risk. The disease worsens over time, and there is no cure. There are treatments to slow the process or reduce risk of getting it, but no actual cure. Treatments could be medication, and cognition enhancing ways and even physical exercise helps to slow it down. Also because scientists think a bacteria is causing it in the first place, research has gone into ways to the bacteria to prevent the disease.

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