Need to Know About Alzheimer's?
Celeste Grunwald
Why I chose Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's is a serious, yet interesting condition. I want to learn what causes the disease, what makes it progress, and if it can possibly be reversed. This research may inform me and prevent my family or me from being affected by Alzheimer's.
What is Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that destroys memory and brain functions. The progressive disease disrupts memory and thinking, impairing and eventually killing brain cells. This impairment can lead to symptoms like forgetfulness, having difficulty with time, language problems, or an inability to recognize loved ones.
The Discovery
Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. After she died, he examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps (now called amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary, or tau, tangles).
Symptoms of Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease (AD)
Symptoms of Alzheimer's include: memory loss, difficulty planning and solving problems, difficulty determining time or place, difficulty completing familiar tasks, vision loss, misplacing items often, withdrawing from work and social events, difficulty finding the right words, ans personality and mood changes such as anxiety, depression, fearfulness, and confusion.
What is Happening In The Brain?
Damage to the brain starts a decade or more before memory and other cognitive problems appear. During this preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease, people seem to be symptom-free, but toxic changes are taking place in the brain. Abnormal deposits of proteins form amyloid plaques and tau tangles throughout the brain, and once-healthy neurons stop functioning, lose connections with other neurons, and die.
What You May Not Know:
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common form of Dementia, women are at higher risk, the more education you have, the less likely you are to have Alzheimer's disease. You have lower odds of getting AD if you learn new things in old age, such as: taking classes, learning languages, and playing musical instruments.
Citations and Useful Websites
https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet#cha
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/alzheimers-and-brain#1
http://www.crystalinks.com/alzheimersbrain.jpg
http://www.curealz.org/sites/default/files/AboutAlz_PeopleWithAlzByAge.jpg
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/alzheimers-facts#4
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/alzheimers-and-brain#1
http://www.crystalinks.com/alzheimersbrain.jpg
http://www.curealz.org/sites/default/files/AboutAlz_PeopleWithAlzByAge.jpg
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/alzheimers-facts#4