Imagine going through life with no memory of ones loved ones or even of how to perform daily functions. Being unable to go to the bathroom by one’s self or even feed one’s self. This, sadly, is a reality for many of the ageing population. This description describes Alzheimer’s disease. This disease progressively worsens with age, greatly impairing ones quality of life. It is defined as “a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that occurs when nerve cells in the brain die” (JH). It “ranks fourth in the cause of death among adults” and “approximately four million Americans have Alzheimer’s Disease” (kids). Much research has been performed to find information on this topic, but more still needs to be done. There are two different types of this
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The first category is Suspected Alzheimer’s Disease. The features of this include symptoms such as “loss of mental capacity, loss of recent memory, transient periods of confusion, restlessness, errors in judgment, and reduced capacity to learn”. The second category is Probable Alzheimer’s Disease, which includes the symptoms of “clear dementia, onset between ages of 40 and 90, deficits in two or more cognitive spheres, progressive deterioration of memory and other cognitive functions, no disturbances of consciousness, and no alternative illness it could be diagnosed as”. The last category is termed as Definite Alzheimer’s Disease. This can only be proven when the person is deceased, because an autopsy of the brain is required. Features in the brain one would look for are “atrophied cerebral hemispheres, dilated ventricles, neurofibrillary tangles, neurite plaques, and loss of dendritic branches and spines” (CNS aging). It is a length process to determine if one truly has Alzheimer’s …show more content…
It will greatly affect those who have it by either finding a cure or being able to diagnose it in the beginning stages to slow the process. Right now those who are determined to have the disease “generally live for about 9 years after initial diagnosis” (CNS). If one could diagnose it earlier it may expand the life of the individual infected with the disease. If a cure is found in general it would expand the lives of all the individuals with the disease which could lead to them making more contributions to society. For the loves ones of the patient a cure would rid them of the stress of caring for that person and the financial burdens placed upon them due to the disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a tragic happening in the lives of many individuals. It can lead to suffering for the patient and the family, but the past and current research for this is helping the process. Past research has helped many to understand what symptoms to look for when trying to diagnose this disease. It has also helped researchers to look for what exactly causes this disease and based on this treatments to slow down its rapid progression. Further research on this will hopefully lead to a cure, which will improve the quality of life those it
The first category is Suspected Alzheimer’s Disease. The features of this include symptoms such as “loss of mental capacity, loss of recent memory, transient periods of confusion, restlessness, errors in judgment, and reduced capacity to learn”. The second category is Probable Alzheimer’s Disease, which includes the symptoms of “clear dementia, onset between ages of 40 and 90, deficits in two or more cognitive spheres, progressive deterioration of memory and other cognitive functions, no disturbances of consciousness, and no alternative illness it could be diagnosed as”. The last category is termed as Definite Alzheimer’s Disease. This can only be proven when the person is deceased, because an autopsy of the brain is required. Features in the brain one would look for are “atrophied cerebral hemispheres, dilated ventricles, neurofibrillary tangles, neurite plaques, and loss of dendritic branches and spines” (CNS aging). It is a length process to determine if one truly has Alzheimer’s …show more content…
It will greatly affect those who have it by either finding a cure or being able to diagnose it in the beginning stages to slow the process. Right now those who are determined to have the disease “generally live for about 9 years after initial diagnosis” (CNS). If one could diagnose it earlier it may expand the life of the individual infected with the disease. If a cure is found in general it would expand the lives of all the individuals with the disease which could lead to them making more contributions to society. For the loves ones of the patient a cure would rid them of the stress of caring for that person and the financial burdens placed upon them due to the disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a tragic happening in the lives of many individuals. It can lead to suffering for the patient and the family, but the past and current research for this is helping the process. Past research has helped many to understand what symptoms to look for when trying to diagnose this disease. It has also helped researchers to look for what exactly causes this disease and based on this treatments to slow down its rapid progression. Further research on this will hopefully lead to a cure, which will improve the quality of life those it