Alzheimer's Disease
Kortney Kirking
The Tragic Disease
Advanced Alzheimer's Disease vs. Healthy Brains
On the right side of the picture it shows how a normal brain would look without Alzheimer's disease and on the left it shows what a brain would look like with advanced Alzheimer's disease.
Brain Cells
The enlarged image shows what Alzheimer's disease brain cells look like and the smaller image shows what normal brain cells look like.
The Color Purple
Every disease has a ribbon to create awareness. Purple is the color for Alzheimer's disease.
History of Alzheimer's Disease
A man named Alois Alzheimer founded this disease. He was in early treatment with a woman named Auguste Deter who had described her symptoms as losing her mind. Alzheimer had observed that she had been mentally declining for around five years. She had been getting worse over the past five years because as time goes on the disease gets worse. She had developed progressive memory loss, was unable to take care of herself, and began to be unable to speak. She later died at the age of 55. After her death, Alzheimer examined her brain. While performing an autopsy he found plaques between the nerve cells and tangles inside the neurons (Alzheimer's Disease International 3). This disease was then later named after him.
Alois Alzheimer
Alois Alzheimer, the man who founded this disease, discovered it in 1907 by performing an autopsy on a women named Auguste Deter.
Auguste Deter
Auguste Deter, the first known person to get Alzheimer's, started loosing her memory in her early fifties.
Missing Puzzle Piece
As the disease progresses, the brain slowly deteriorates which is often shown as a missing puzzle piece. The missing puzzle piece represents confusion in the mind.
Ages Alzheimer's Disease Effects
Symptoms
Alzheimer's disease comes in different stages; mild, moderate, and severe stages. At the mild stage Alzheimer patients begin to become confused with familiar places. They also have trouble paying bills, handling money, and performing normal daily tasks. At the mild stage patients may occasionally lose or misplace things. Their personality can change along with mild mood swings. At the moderate stage patients often have problems recognizing family members and friends. Their memory loss and confusion increases along with difficulty carrying out tasks with multiple steps. Patients continuously repeat stories, tasks, and motions. They may also start to not be concerned with their hygiene or appearance. Lastly, at the severe stage they lose the inability to recognize their self and family. They no longer can communicate and can only make groaning and moaning noises. Often at this time patients have to wear depends, which are adult diapers to help their lack of control of going to the bathroom.
Is there a cure for Alzheimer's?
Caregivers
The daily life of a caregiver takes a lot of challenge such as being physically, mentally, and emotionally ready. An important role of the caregiver is to be fully informed on the patient and the disease. Some Alzheimer's caregivers have found that participating in support groups helps them express concerns about their patient and experiences (National Institute of Health 4). This also gives a way for the caregiver to receive emotional support because over time often caregivers become close to their patient and it makes it hard for them to see how their brain rapidly crumbles away.
Future
Right now more than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, and by 2050 the rates are predicted to increase (Symptoms and Stages 1). By 2050 more than 15 million people are predicted to have this tragic disease (Symptoms and Stages 1). Worldwide nearly 36 million people are believed to be living with Alzheimer's disease (Symptoms and Stages 1). This number is estimated to increase to 65.7 million by 2030 and 115.4 million by 2050 (Symptoms and Stages 1). Since there are no known treatments for this disease scientists are trying many drugs in hopes to slow the rapid disease down, or even find a cure. Some goals scientist have for helping patients with Alzheimer's are slowing the progression. They are also trying to help behavior management, confusion, sleep, and agitation of the patient. Although now there is currently no cure there could possibly be one in the future with all the new technology developing.
Works Cited
- "About Alzheimer's Disease." About Alzheimer's Disease. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/>.
- "About Alzheimer's Disease: Caregiving." National Institute on Aging. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/topics/caregiving>.
- "About Alzheimer's Disease." Namenda (memantine HCl) Diagnosis & Treatment. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.namenda.com/About/Treatment.aspx?WT.srch=1>.
- "About Alzheimer's Disease." Namenda (memantine HCl) Official Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.namenda.com/About/Symptoms.aspx>.
- "About Alzheimer's Disease." Namenda (memantine HCl) Official Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.namenda.com/About/Stages.aspx>.
- "Alois Alzheimer." Alzheimer's Disease International. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.alz.co.uk/alois-alzheimer>.
- "Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia | Alzheimer's Association." Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia | Alzheimer's Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp>.
- "Google Images." Google Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://images.google.com/>.
- Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Definition." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161>.
- Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Definition." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161/DSECTION%3Dtreatments-and-drugs>.
- "Types of Alzheimer's: Early-Onset, Late-Onset, and Familial." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/guide/alzheimers-types>.
- "Younger/Early Onset | Alzheimer's Association." Younger/Early Onset | Alzheimer's Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_early_onset.asp>.