Growing old is a part of life. No matter how hard someone may try, there is no way to prevent the inevitable. Although when someone does age, their mind and memory does start to deteriorate, these subtle changes should never be undermined. There is a great chance these small effects could be an indicator to a much more serious life threat than old age; Alzheimer’s disease. This along with Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease and all forms of dementia, a general term for any decline in mental capabilities severe enough to hinder daily life and activities. Of these types of dementia, Alzheimer’s is the most common. Nearly 80 percent of all dementia case are Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s specifically, is a type of dementia that causes problem
…show more content…
This was the case until 1906 when a German Physician, Dr. Alois Alzheimer identified a grouping of brain cell abnormalities as a disease. This disease of course later became known as Alzheimer’s disease. While performing a brain autopsy of a patient whom suffered Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, Dr. Alzheimer discovered dense deposits surrounding the never cells call neuritic plaques. Within these nerves he also found twisted bands of fibers call neurofibrillary tangles. In 1960, scientist found a link between cognitive decline and the number of plaques and tangle in the brain. This is when Alzheimer’s was formally recognized as a disease and not just a part of aging. Plaques and tangles are now known to be abnormal structures that damage and destroy nerves cells in the …show more content…
The rate at which it progresses varies from person to person. On average, a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer’s lives for 8 years, but if identified in the early stages, some patients can survive up to 20 years. In the earliest stage of Alzheimer’s (Mild Alzheimer’s), it is almost undetectable. Symptoms do not began to show themselves but plaques and tangles have already began to form in key areas of the brain involved in learning, thinking, and memory. In the Moderate stage of Alzheimer’s, more plaques and tangles form in the same areas of thinking and memory. Because of this, some individuals develop problems with memory and thinking serious enough to interfere with daily life or work. Handling money and expressing themselves is often difficult. At this stage is often when most patients are first diagnosed. Plaques and tangles also start to form in areas involved in communication as well as areas responsible for your sense of where your body is in relation to the world around it. In the final stage of Alzheimer’s (Severe Alzheimer’s), memory problems become so severe no familiar face is recognizable. Most of the brain cortex is seriously damaged. At this point, the brain has shrunken in size dramatically due to widespread cellular death. Eventually patients lose bowel and bladder control and need constant care. Following this will be losing the ability to
This was the case until 1906 when a German Physician, Dr. Alois Alzheimer identified a grouping of brain cell abnormalities as a disease. This disease of course later became known as Alzheimer’s disease. While performing a brain autopsy of a patient whom suffered Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, Dr. Alzheimer discovered dense deposits surrounding the never cells call neuritic plaques. Within these nerves he also found twisted bands of fibers call neurofibrillary tangles. In 1960, scientist found a link between cognitive decline and the number of plaques and tangle in the brain. This is when Alzheimer’s was formally recognized as a disease and not just a part of aging. Plaques and tangles are now known to be abnormal structures that damage and destroy nerves cells in the …show more content…
The rate at which it progresses varies from person to person. On average, a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer’s lives for 8 years, but if identified in the early stages, some patients can survive up to 20 years. In the earliest stage of Alzheimer’s (Mild Alzheimer’s), it is almost undetectable. Symptoms do not began to show themselves but plaques and tangles have already began to form in key areas of the brain involved in learning, thinking, and memory. In the Moderate stage of Alzheimer’s, more plaques and tangles form in the same areas of thinking and memory. Because of this, some individuals develop problems with memory and thinking serious enough to interfere with daily life or work. Handling money and expressing themselves is often difficult. At this stage is often when most patients are first diagnosed. Plaques and tangles also start to form in areas involved in communication as well as areas responsible for your sense of where your body is in relation to the world around it. In the final stage of Alzheimer’s (Severe Alzheimer’s), memory problems become so severe no familiar face is recognizable. Most of the brain cortex is seriously damaged. At this point, the brain has shrunken in size dramatically due to widespread cellular death. Eventually patients lose bowel and bladder control and need constant care. Following this will be losing the ability to