...good or bad they are part of who we are no matter what it may be. But what if a person started to lost them? What if she doesn't even remember her family members, what if she doesn't even remember how to speak? Or imagine the person that she was yesterday can not even recognize it today. Even with the increase in the technology that we have, we could not bring back the memories that we lost. With the increase in the technologies, we increase in diseases connected with middle aged people. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is one of the common diseases that is affecting middle-aged people. Although...
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...family member that’s alive. Alzheimer’s disease makes this nightmare a reality by taking away someone’s mental ability to perform normal everyday tasks and remember their most important memories. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative, disease that affects the brain and can also profoundly affect you or someone you love. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative disorder that attacks the brain’s nerve cells or neurons. The neurons slowly break their connections with other nerve cells and then begin to slowly die, resulting in memory loss, behavioral changes, and loss in thinking and language skills (About Alzheimer’s, Definition of Alzheimer’s 1). An estimated 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer’s disease and half a million Americans under the age of sixty-five have a kind of early onset dementia including Alzheimer’s disease (About Alzheimer’s, Statistics 1)....
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...individuals in the US, Alzheimer’s affects 5.3 million Americans, like president Ronald Regan . Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common of dementia and rises steeply with age . AD is a progressive mental deterioration of the brain where the disease attacks the brain’s nerve cells, which results in progressive thinking, judgment, and memory loss . These symptoms last for decades. Eventually, individuals with this disease will be unable to remember facts, family members or events . Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s will kill the diseased person. Changes in the brain, which are caused by Alzheimer’s, contribute to the death of the individual, but the...
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...Alzheimer's disease is a disease of the brain that is eventually fatal and affects how a person thinks, feels, and acts. It is an "irreversible disease and destroys brain cells causing thinking ability and memory to deteriorate." ("Alzheimer's Disease", 2016). Each individual with this fatal disease is affected in different ways. There is no order in which symptoms occur or the speed of their progression. Alzheimer's disease affects a person's ability to make decisions, perform simple tasks, or follow a conversation. It also affects a person's emotions, mood, and physical abilities. Individuals with this disease can lose interest in their favorite hobbies, become less expressive and withdrawn. An individual may also seem "different" or out...
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...effects of Alzheimer’s disease The former liberal party leader, Michael Ignatieff said in his essay, “Deficits” (2010) “Sometimes I try to count the number of times she asks me these questions but I lose track” (p.108). Ignatieff is expressing his own feelings towards his mother’s Dementia of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German physician discovered a patient that suffered from a severe dementia due to brain abnormalities. Alzheimer’s disease is the second most-feared irreversible illness in America, following Cancer. It affects as many as 5 million Americans, a number that could soar to 16 million by 2050 (Hoffman, Froemke, and Golant, 2009, para 1). These numbers are due to the fact that there is no cure. The major effects of this specific disease can be depicted by Ignatieff (2010) in “Deficits” and also scientific studies that create a clear picture of how an individual is affected through the brain, how the individual does not have that sense of security and those caregivers who are trying to cope with the disease to that individual. The brain is a vital organ in the human body, when the brain is affected; the entire functions of the body are affected. In most individuals affected by Alzheimer’s, memory loss is usually the first sign. The individual begins to lose memory of recent events and later the ability to complete regular tasks declines as nerve cells break down. In the book, “The Everything Health Guide to Alzheimer’s disease” Terry...
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...Alzheimer’s disease General 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...
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...Alzheimer’s Disease Susan Edmonson Daymar College Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimers Disease is a progressive, deteriorating disease that attacks the brain causing diminished memory, thinking and behavior. Therefore it is imperative to know how Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed, risks and the different stages of the illness. It is an illness that is evident in a gradual decline in brain function that gets worse with time. It can affect a person’s ability to find words, finish thoughts or follow instructions. Learning about Alzheimer's disease and realizing that it is much more than memory loss can benefit the families of those with the illness. This disease is progressive and eventually leads to death. While there is no cure, it can be treated. Alzheimer’s is not a classic part of aging (What is Alzheimers, 2015). It can earnestly affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. Those affected by Alzheimer’s live an average of eight years after the symptoms are evident. One can survive from four to twenty years, dependent on the age of the person and their health situations (What is Alzheimers, 2015). “In 2013, as many as 5 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s disease”(Center for Disease Control, 2015 ). There are quite a few risk factors that can increase one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (Cummings,2008). “Aging is the most powerful risk”(Cummings, 2008). Having a family history of dementia can also be a risk factor, even though it is uncommon...
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...Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common diseases for people over the age of 65. It can affect any age, any gender, any background, or socioeconomic status. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 5.4 million Americans who live with this disease and the number for people over the age of 65 will rise to 7.7 million in the 2030. A new medicine that researchers are studying is ANAVEX 2-73, that may treat Alzheimer’s through disease modification versus only treating the symptoms. In this paper I will discuss other methods scientists are researching for the diagnosing and treatment of Alzheimer’s. According to medical news today, Anavex Life Sciences Corporation has been testing a new neuroprotective, anti-amnesic, anti-depressive and anti-convulsive compounds. ANAVEX 2-73 and ANAVEX 1-41 are being studied for their anti-amnesic and neuroprotective effects, the company claims that these compounds could be compared to donepezil, which is the leading Alzheimer’s disease medication. Researchers are excited about the potential of this possible new Alzheimer’s medication. A clinical trial has been started in which volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55. The volunteers will be given one dose of oral ANAVEX 2-73 to determine the maximum tolerated single dose, safety, and pharmacokinetics with the objective is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of this potential new Alzheimer’s medication. The existing anti-seizure drug, levetiracetam, which improves memory...
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...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 advancements in medical technology that are increasing the human life span. That being said, now there is more responsibility placed on the individual and their caregivers to provide a supportive environment to combat this disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that causes a gradual, irreversible cognitive deterioration. The individual experiences a significant decline in their memory, language skills, perception of space and eventually, their ability to be self-sufficient and independent. Alzheimer’s disease takes a toll on the patients as well as their caregivers. “Being a caregiver for an ill or disabled loved one is widely recognized as a threat to caregiver’s quality of life” (Poulin et al 2010). The diagnosis of this disease affects the caregivers on physical, psychological, and social levels. Family, friends, and caregivers suffer from pain and stress as they witness their loved one experiencing the progression of the disease. Background “Alzheimer’s disease is the most common...
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...Alzheimer's Disease Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive and irreversible brain disease that destroys mental and physical functioning in human beings, and invariably leads to death. It is the fourth leading cause of adult death in the United States. Alzheimer's creates emotional and financial catastrophe for many American families every year, but fortunately, a large amount of progress is being made to combat Alzheimer's disease every year. To fully be able to comprehend and combat Alzheimer's disease, one must know what it does to the brain, the part of the human body it most greatly affects. Many Alzheimer's disease sufferers had their brains examined. A large number of differences were present when comparing the normal brain to the Alzheimer's brain. There was a loss of nerve cells from the Cerebral Cortex in the Alzheimer's victim. Approximately ten percent of the neurons in this region were lost. But a ten percent loss is relatively minor, and cannot account for the severe impairment suffered by Alzheimer's victims. Neurofibrillary Tangles are also found in the brains of Alzheimer's victims. They are found within the cell bodies of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex, and take on the structure of a paired helix. Other diseases that have "paired helixes" include Parkinson's disease, Down's Syndrome, and Dementia Pugilistica. Scientists are not sure how the paired helixes are related in these very different diseases. Neuritic Plaques are patches of clumped material lying...
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...Alzheimer’s disease is an organic brain disorder that causes dementia by systematically damaging the brain tissue. It is progressive, unrelenting, and irreversible, and it affects more than 5 million Americans today, most of whom are older than age 60. Recent estimates rank Alzheimer’s disease as the third leading cause of death in the United States in the geriatric population (NIA). It has been long known that altered sleep patterns often accompany the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, but recent research is questioning just what the link between the two may be. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a build-up of toxins in the brain, namely amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. While there is some build-up of amyloid plaques...
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...Alzheimer’s Disease We live in an advanced world of technology and medicine. As much as many things positively impact society, numerous may also have a negative effect. Throughout the years, we were able to create cures through medicine that have allowed the life expectancy of the older generation to outlast the previous ones. But for many seniors, new problems arise that still require an antidote with the help of research and development. Even though females have a higher rate in life expectancy, they also have a greater chance in degenerating diseases; but both have an equal chance in getting a specific disease. One of which is the most common form of Dementia called Alzheimer’s that is caused within old age. Alzheimer causes memory loss and it goes from losing a little portion to even forgetting your entire past. This paper will discuss what happens with Alzheimer’s, who it targets, what are the signs of detecting this disease, and if there is a way to cure it. Alzheimer’s was first discovered in the early 1900’s by a German physician, Alois Alzheimer. He discovered the disease while observing a patient, a 51 year old woman named Frau Auguste D., who developed symptoms of memory loss and had difficulty understandings and speaking. After a few years of observations, Dr. Alxheimer discovered a progression of the symptoms which inevitably led to the death of the patient. Upon autopsy, abnormal impairment of the brain was discovered, along with a remarkable...
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...Shelly Leffingwell Intro to Pysch 1050 Winter 2014 January 25, 15 Alzheimer’s: Could it be type 3 diabetes? I choose this article because I am interested in Alzheimer’s research. I want to know the physical impact of the disease on the body and how it is changing the mind of the person. This disease is on the rise as baby boomers come of age; if there is a way to prevent or minimize the aliments of the disease I want to know how to best treat people as they are progressing through the aging. Memories of people are what shape the social history of a community and country at large. Losing those memories means that a part of history will be lost unless we figure out how to preserve it before it is gone. On a personal level those memories maybe the key to a genetic disease or maybe the exposure of a harmful chemical that is now taking its toll on the body of the person. When a mind is lost we lose a living part of our personal and social history that may explain how society got where it is. The article explains how insulin affects the brain. Insulin is a key factor in brain activity because it is the sugar the body runs on. Insulin is one a few components that cross the blood brain barrier, when it does not make it to the brain the brain reacts with shrinkage. In the 1990’s studies started showing a correlation between type 2 diabetes and dementia, when a fasting glucose test is performed up to 75% had dementia type symptoms. The majority of the insulin receptors...
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...Alzheimer's disease (AD), also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease, is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death. It was first described by German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was named after him. Most often, AD is diagnosed in people over 65 years of age, although the less-prevalent early-onset Alzheimer's can occur much earlier. In 2006, there were 26.6 million sufferers worldwide. Alzheimer's is predicted to affect 1 in 85 people globally by 2050. Although Alzheimer's disease develops differently for every individual, there are many common symptoms. Early symptoms are often mistakenly thought to be 'age-related' concerns, or manifestations of stress. In the early stages, the most common symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. When AD is suspected, the diagnosis is usually confirmed with tests that evaluate behaviour and thinking abilities, often followed by a brain scan if available. As the disease advances, symptoms can include confusion, irritability and aggression, mood swings, trouble with language, and long-term memory loss. As the sufferer declines they often withdraw from family and society. Gradually, bodily functions are lost, ultimately leading to death. Since the disease is different for each individual, predicting how it will affect the person is difficult. AD develops for an unknown and variable amount of time before...
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...encounter. There are many significant health issues that come with aging, one of which is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys the memory and thinking skills of its victims. Eventually victims of Alzheimer’s lose their ability to complete tasks of daily living (National Institute on Aging, 2013). The discovery of Alzheimer’s disease was made by Dr. Alois Alzheimer upon an examination of the brain of a woman who died of an unusual mental illness. The doctor saw changes in the tissue of the brain. The National Institute on Aging (2013) website states that the symptoms of the woman’s illness were: memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behaviors. In the examination of the brain, the doctor found abnormal clumps and tangled bundles of fibers. The clumps are amyloid plaques and the tangled bundles of fibers are neurofibrillary tangles. These plaques and tangles are two of the main features that accompany Alzheimer’s disease. A third feature is the loss of connection between neurons (nerve cells) in the brain (National Institute on Aging, 2013). Developing some knowledge of what Alzheimer’s disease is will help people understand what the symptoms of the disease are, how the disease is diagnosed and what treatments can be used to help slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease: Symptoms The symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are tricky and can be easily written off as a sign of aging. It is...
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