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Alzheimers Disease. Alzheimers Disease What is Alzheimers Disease? The most ...
themselves. What happens to the brain in Alzheimers Disease? In ...
Alzheimers Disease. ... URL:Http://www.mayo.edu/research/alzheimers.center. Wallace,
Robert. (1998, March). Alzheimer's disease. [www.document]. ...
Alzheimers Disease. ... URL:Http://www.mayo.edu/research/alzheimers.center. Wallace,
Robert. (1998, March). Alzheimer's disease. [www.document]. ...
alzheimers disease. You have to begin to lose your memory, if only in bits
and pieces, to realize that memory is what makes on lives. ...
Alzheimers Disease. ... (2000). What Is Alzheimer's Disease? http://www.alzheimers.com/
health-library/basics (2000, September 20). Coogle, Constance (October 2000). ...
Submitted by mduncan on April 5, 2005
Category: Psychology
Words: 1608 | Pages: 7
Views: 317
Popularity Rank: 35,092
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The disease called Alzheimer's is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States (Weiner, 1987). It is estimated that the elderly population will double between now and 2030. During this period, the number of elderly will grow by an average of 2.8% annually (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001). By 2050, the number of people with Alzheimer's is estimated to range from 11.3 million to 16 million (Alzheimer's Association, 2005). These startling numbers should prompt an examination into one of the leading causes of death among this group of people. Understanding what Alzheimer's is and the known causes of the disease are a good starting point. For those who have aging family members, knowing the risk factors and warning signs of Alzheimer's can be beneficial to both the patient and his family. Finally, once the patient has been diagnosed as having Alzheimer's, a plan for treatment as well as providing the family and caregivers with a support system can help ease those involved through a very challenging, heartbreaking time.
The Alzheimer's Association (2005) defines the disease as "a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person's memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate, and carry out daily activities". Contrary to popular belief, Alzheimer's is not the result of normal aging, although it normally occurs more frequently in people who are over the age of 65 (Gruetzner, 1988). Studies performed on the brains of deceased Alzheimer's patients show several irregularities. The most obvious abnormality is in the signal-transmitting chemicals, where a 40-90% decrease in the enzyme CAT is found. This enzyme lies in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus regions of the brain. When CAT is decreased, it causes cholinergic or acetylcholine-releasing nerve terminals to diminish. These chemicals are important for communication between nerves. Also found during these autopsies were double strands of neurofibullary...
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