The most common form of dementia is, Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Alzheimer’s can be defined as a disease that includes memory loss and inabilities that affect daily life. A common misconception is that aging comes with Alzheimer’s. Although majority people affected with this disease are 65 and above, there is also a 5% of people who are in their 40s or 50s affected by Alzheimer’s. AD is a disease of progression. There are three stages of AD and by the third stage one affected loses the ability to converse. Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States (Overview | Alzheimer 's Association). Once a person is diagnosed with AD they can live for an additional four to twenty years …show more content…
AD consists of three stages. The first stage known as the on-set or early stage, a person is still independently functional with a few memory lapses. Conversing may become difficult for the person and work performance may slowly deteriorate which leads to new changes in behavior. This stage can last up to five years. The second stage, known as the progressive or moderate stage, is typically the longest stage and can last for many years. At this stage the person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will become more dependent on a caregiver. The symptoms of the first stage become more obvious, along with agitation caused by constant confusion. The nerve cells in the brain slowly deteriorate causing difficulty to express thoughts or perform daily routine. The last stage known as the late-stage, the individual loses their ability to respond to their environment. Communicating becomes nearly impossible and memory and cognitive skills worsen. By the time an individual reaches the third stage they have lost both short and long-term memory and 24-hour assistance becomes necessary. Because they become inactive their immune system weakens and increases the chance of disease or infection, which often times leads to death. (Alzheimer’s Disease …show more content…
The leading factor to cell death and tissue loss of a brain affected by Alzheimer’s is plaques and tangles. These dead nerve cells made up of another protein are known as tangles. In the areas where tangles are formed nutrients and other necessities can no longer move through the cells. This causes a build up of a protein, beta-amyloid, between nerve cells known as plaques. . (Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics) These clumps of beta-amyloid block communication amongst other cells sometimes leading to inflammation of the brain. The tangles consist of a protein called tau. Tau allows food molecules to travel along “tracks”. When tangles are formed the “tracks” no longer remain straight and fall apart and disintegrate. This causes the depletion of the cortex, which eventually leads to death. (Dimitrios