...and the damage it causes in the human brain. The general population is under the impression that AD is a result of the normal human developmental process of aging. The focus of this research is to dismiss this misconception by providing indisputable empirical evidence to the contrary. This paper looks at the various studies explored by researchers in an attempt to show the factors attributed to AD, a population over the age of 65 that do not suffer from AD, and a population of as young as 18 clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The author also addresses life style, environmental, and genetic risk factors attributed to the development of AD. Alzheimer's Disease and its Link to the Normal Human Developmental Process of Aging Contrary to popular belief, studies show that Alzheimer’s disease is not part of the normal human developmental process of aging. It is imperative that researchers acknowledge that AD is not part of the normal aging process. Researchers must keep an open mind during the research and experimental process, exploring all plausible arguments, in order to discover the cause(s) and/or cure to any disease. This would include having an interdisciplinary approach to the study. Currently, the cause(s) of AD is unknown (Nowrangi MA, 2011). Data collected from studies as early as ten years ago would suggest that AD is a degenerative disease attributed to the normal aging process. However, current studies, with the use of new technology, shows that AD is not...
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...Environment,”2011). Nursing turned to an immense expertise where maintaining health promotion is a master key. Health promotion favors the enhancement of health and the setting up of plan for a healthy lifestyle and well-being (Potter and Perry, 2011). Examples of health promotion consist of encouraging immunizations and regular checkups. Risk reduction Many complications can be avoided by promoting risk reduction. By promoting healthy choices and behaviors, the risks of contracting disease are considerably decreased. “In 1993, researchers documented that modifiable behavioral risk factors had contributed substantially to the number of deaths that occurred in this country in 1990” (“The Importance of behavior in cancer prevention and early Detection,” 2012). By teaching and encouraging healthy...
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...BEL311 ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES TERM PAPER ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: NOT JUST A LOSS OF MEMORY Prepared by: XXXXXXXXX (matric no.) XXXXXXXXX (matric no.) Group XXX Prepared for: XXXXXXXXXXXX Date of Submission: July 2011 Introduction Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative brain disease, is the most common cause of dementia. It currently afflicts about 4 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of mental impairment in elderly people and accounts for a large percentage of admissions to assisted living homes, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities. Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, have been reported in a large proportion of patients with this disease. In fact, it is the presence of these psychotic symptoms can lead to early institutionalization (Bassiony, et al, 2000). Learning about Alzheimer’s disease and realizing that it is much more that just a loss of memory can benefit the families of those with the disorder as well as society as a whole. This paper is to look at the disorder, as well as to discuss the history, symptoms, diagnosis, current researches and hopes of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. History Around the turn of the century, two kinds of dementia were defined by Emil Kraepin: senile and presenile. The presenile form was described more in detail by Alois Alzheimer as a progressive deterioration of intellect...
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...degeneration of the brain that destroys many mental functions and can occur in middle to old age. Although it is most common in old age it is not a normal part of the aging process and can also effect younger people. This is known as early-onset Alzheimer’s. The lifespan of people with the disease varies but it usually about 8-10 years and in some cases, has been 20 years. There has not been enough reach to know if Alzheimer’s is inherited but certain genes do make someone more likely to develop it. There are three stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and although...
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...resource paper discussing Alzheimer’s disease, discussing the history, symptoms, diagnosis and hopes for a cure of the disease. Alzheimer’s Disease: Not Just Loss of Memory Introduction Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative brain disease, is the most common cause of dementia. It currently afflicts about 4 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Furthermore, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of mental impairment in elderly people and accounts for a large percentage of admissions to assisted living homes, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities. Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, have been reported in a large proportion of patients with this disease. In fact, it is the presence of these psychotic symptoms can lead to early institutionalization (Bassiony, et all, 2000). Learning about Alzheimer’s disease and realizing that it is much more that just a loss of memory can benefit the families of those with the disorder as well as society as a whole. The purpose of this paper is to look at the disorder, as well as to discuss the history, symptoms, diagnosis and hopes of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. History Around the turn of the century, two kinds of dementia were defined by Emil Kraepin: senile and presenile. The presenile form was described more in detail by Alois Alzheimer as a progressive deterioration of intellect, memory and orientation. As a neuropathologist, Alzheimer studied...
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...care facilities. Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, have been reported in a large proportion of patients with this disease. In fact, it is the presence of these psychotic symptoms can lead to early institutionalization (Bassiony, et all, 2000). Learning about Alzheimer’s disease and realizing that it is much more that just a loss of memory can benefit the families of those with the disorder as well as society as a whole. The purpose of this paper is to look at the disorder, as well as to discuss the history, symptoms, diagnosis and hopes of a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. History Around the turn of the century, two kinds of dementia were defined by Emil Kraepin: senile and presenile. The presenile form was described more in detail by Alois Alzheimer as a progressive deterioration of intellect, memory and orientation. As a neuropathologist, Alzheimer studied the case a 51 year-old woman. When she died, Alzheimer performed an autopsy and found that she had “cerebral atrophy” (deterioration of the brain), “senile plaques” (protein deposits) and “neurofibrillary tangles” (abnormal filaments in nerve cells) in her brain -- three common pathological features of those who have Alzheimer’s Disease (Ramanathan, 1997). Today, as research on Alzheimer's disease progresses, scientists are describing other abnormal anatomical and chemical changes associated with the...
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...SOURCES: http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/alzheimers-history#3 http://www.dnalc.org/view/794-Background-to-Alzheimer-s-Disease.html http://www.nndb.com/people/217/000165719/ http://www.alz.co.uk/alois-alzheimer http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159442.php http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE * Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. Bottom of Form * Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older. But Alzheimer's is not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer's (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40s or 50s. * Alzheimer's worsens over time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Those with Alzheimer's live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable to others, but survival can range from four to 20 years...
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...Psychology Term Paper Assignment Monday Night Class Abstract In the society that we are living right now, we can find a lot of different kinds of illness and health problems. A large number of these diseases have a cure and they also have a happy end; but there is one that does not. Over the past 20 years, Alzheimer’s disease came from an unknown dark side. Once studied as a strange disorder; it is one of the most common health problems that affect a lot of people around the world and their families. More of a 90% of Alzheimer’s disease cases shows up in people around 60 years old. Even do we ignore how this treats starts; science people have found that the change inside the brain starts 10 to 20 years before we can observe the symptoms. Knowing a little more about this illness, will help us to understand these people that are in need of love, attention and comprehension. Alzheimer’s disease In the society that we are living right now, we can find a lot of different kinds of illness and health problems. A lot of these diseases have a cure and they also have a happy end; but there is one that does not. Alzheimer’s disease is a very ordinary illness that severely affects our society, specially the older population. It is a fact that we have to deal with. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there that suffer this terrible illness, and they need help. This research paper gave me the...
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...Neurology (2001) 1:3 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/1/3 BMC Neurology (2001) 1:3 Research article Traumatic brain injury as a risk factor for Alzheimer disease. Comparison of two retrospective autopsy cohorts with evaluation of ApoE genotype Address: 1L.Boltzmann Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Baumgartner Hoehe 1, B-Bldg., A-1140 Vienna, Austria, 2Department of Neuropathology, University of Munster School of Medicine, Munster, Germany and 3Cognitive Neuropharmacology Unit, H.M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, Md, USA E-mail: Kurt A Jellinger* - kurt.jellinger@univie.ac.at; Werner Paulus - werner.paulus@uni-muenster.de; Christian Wrocklage - christian.wrocklage@uni-muenster.de; Irene Litvan - ilitvan@dvhip.org *Corresponding author Kurt A Jellinger*1, Werner Paulus2, Christian Wrocklage2 and Irene Litvan3 Published: 30 July 2001 BMC Neurology 2001, 1:3 This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/1/3 Received: 29 June 2001 Accepted: 30 July 2001 © 2001 Jellinger et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in any medium for any non-commercial purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's original URL. For commercial use, contact info@biomedcentral.com Abstract Background and Purpose: The impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) is still controversial. The aim of our retrospective autopsy study was to assess...
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...Amanda Farrington Research paper October 17, 2014 Despite the forgetfulness, we have of the seriousness of Alzheimer’s disease; the behind the scenes action is what we need to be taking a look at. Researcher is now choosing different routes of prevention, treatment and diagnostic studies to solve this serious illness. Which different stages of diagnosis it’s difficult to find the target of what triggers the disease. With the majority of patients being diagnosed being of the elderly stage of life, testing different options is risky because of old age. As many years and millions have gone on to find the cure to stop this tragic illness that overcomes thousands of loved ones every year, scientist have decided to step back and make a strategy. With so many failed attempts of curing this disease, they decided to find an attack approach before being diagnosed. Studies have gone into the smallest detail to find common traits that those diagnosed have. While this is an endless and tedious process, they continued. Scientist have discovered that there are ways to lower the risks of being diagnosed with the disease in the future. Although there is no cure once diagnosed, there have been studies found on how to lessen your chances of getting it. Multiple articles, including National Institute of Agings “alheimer’s prevention”, state that vitamins are always a natural and healthy route as well as anti inflammatory drugs. While a healthy diet and exercise can be effective...
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...Research Paper Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: Current Challenges Prepared by Ms. Rawan Al-Juweed Introduction Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a degenerative disorder of the brain that leads to memory loss1. AD affects 5.3 million Americans and is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. There are two main forms of the disease. Familial AD affects people younger than 65, accounting for nearly 500,000 AD cases in the United States alone1. The remainder of AD cases occur in adults aged 65 and older and is classified as sporadic AD. The prevalence of AD varies among many different factors, including age, co-morbidities, genetics, and education level. There is no way to definitively diagnose AD without performing an autopsy. There is no cure for AD, however promising research and development for early detection and treatment is underway. Abstract Alzheimer’s disease was discovered in 1906 by Alois Alzheimer, a German neurologist and psychiatrist2. The disease was initially observed in a 51-year-old woman named Auguste D. Her family brought her to Dr. Alzheimer in 1901 after noticing changes in her personality and behavior. The family reported problems with memory, difficulty speaking, and impaired comprehension. Dr. Alzheimer later described Auguste as having an aggressive form of dementia, manifesting in memory, language and behavioral deficits3. Dr. Alzheimer noted many abnormal symptoms, including difficulty...
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...Running head: Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease Brenda Silva Waubonsee Community College PSY 205 Research Paper Mr. Scott Hollenback October 27, 2011 Alzheimer Disease As Kevin Arnold quotes, “Memory is a way of holding on to things you love, the things you are, and the things you never want to lose.” Memories are the things we uphold. Whether it’s bad or good, those memories are engraved in us and can’t be stolen from us. But what if as time goes by, those memories are losing? Worst, you’re even losing your language skills, ability to recognize familiar things and you feel sense of depression. This means, as a person grows old he/she experiences deterioration in one’s self. Now, we are currently living in the age of technology. Our advancements in the past few decades overshadow everything learned in the last 2000 years. This increase has bought with it a large increase in disease afflicting the elderly community. AD once thought to be a natural part of aging, is a severely debilitating form of mental dementia. Although some other types of dementia are curable or effectively treatable, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer. A general overview of AD including the clinical description, diagnosis, and progression of symptoms, helps one to further understand the treatment and care of patients. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory...
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...TERM PAPER THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TREATMENTS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE ( First Draft ) BEL 311 ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES LECTURER’S NAME MADAM RAFIZAH MOHD RAWIAN SHAFINAS BINTI SAMSUDIN 2010131651 BMD3Ab b SHAFINAS BINTI SAMSUDIN 2010131651 BMD3Ab b PREPARED BY EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TREATMENT OF ALZHERMEIR’S DISEASE Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. According to Howard Crystal & William C. Shiel Jr ( 2005 ), Alzheimer's disease is a slowly progressive disease of the brain that is characterized by impairment of memory and eventually by disturbances in reasoning, planning, language, and perception. Many scientists believe that Alzheimer's disease results from an increase in the production or accumulation of a specific protein (beta-amyloid protein) in the brain that leads to nerve cell death. The likelihood of having Alzheimer's disease increases substantially after the age of 70 and may affect around 50% of persons over the age of 85. Nonetheless, Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of aging and is not something that inevitably happens in later life. For example, many people live to over 100 years of age and never develop Alzheimer's disease. But, nowadays there are some types of effective treatment that are effective for Alzhermeir’s disease. The management of Alzheimer's...
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...Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Paper David Brown, Charles Hodge PSY/300: General Psychology Susan Bonnell June 2, 2015 University of Phoenix Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Paper Abnormal psychology is the study of unusual behavior, thoughts, and emotion by members of a society (American Psychological Association, 2015). To meet the definition of abnormal, the behavior, actions, or thoughts must be atypical of the culture (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Herein is where the challenge lies, due to the fact that our world encompasses many cultures and definitions of normal are significantly different from one region to the next. The paper will provide examples of abnormal psychology in the form of mental disorders and illnesses. Additionally, treatments for these disorders and illnesses will be discussed. Normal and Abnormal Psychology Normal and abnormal psychology can differ by culture. One’s normal behavior is that which allows for a society to maintain a productive and relationship driven life that does not differ drastically from the normalcy of said society (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). When an individual’s behavior is maladaptive to the culture he or she belongs, others will then classify said behavior as abnormal, and then will attempt to change that behavior. Wen-Sing Tseng, M.D. (2013), described a Latino man who hit his body and yelled very loudly, alone while in public, upon hearing of his wife’s death. The treating doctor was unsure if the man’s behavior...
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...Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Research advances have enabled detailed understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of the hallmarks of the disease-ie, plaques, composed of amyloid β (Aβ), and tangles, composed of hyperphosphorylated tau. However, as our knowledge increases so does our appreciation for the pathogenic complexity of the disorder. Familial Alzheimer's disease is a very rare autosomal dominant disease with early onset, caused by mutations in the amyloid precursor protein and presenilin genes, both linked to Aβ metabolism. By contrast with familial disease, sporadic Alzheimer's disease is very common with more than 15 million people affected worldwide. The cause of the sporadic form of the disease is unknown, probably because the disease is heterogeneous, caused by ageing in concert with a complex interaction of both genetic and environmental risk factors. This seminar reviews the key aspects of the disease, including epidemiology, genetics, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as recent developments and controversies. 100 years ago, Alois Alzheimer gave a lecture at a congress in Tubingen, Germany, on the first case of the disease that Kraepelin some years later named Alzheimer's disease.1 In this single case. Alzheimer described typical clinical characteristics with memory disturbances and instrumental signs, and the neuropathological picture with miliary bodies (plaques) and dense bundles of fibrils (tangles), which we today...
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