Alzheimers

Alzheimer’s

American Military University

I have choose this topic because my great-grandmother suffered from this disease and it changed the dynamics of my family as we had to figure out how to process what was going on with her and what we needed to do to help. 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. Alzheimer's disease is one of the most serious and progressive forms of mental deterioration known as dementia, and the most common type of dementia to affect older people in America. Alzheimer's impacts a part of the brain that controls cognitive function, including memory, comprehension, thought processing, and language capabilities.

An estimated 1.3 million to 1.8 million Americans over the age of 65 suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (Bair, pg. 5.) Another 80,000 or so, in their forties and fifties suffer from the disease. These staggering numbers, I am sure everyone has been affected in one or another by this disease. Two types of abnormal lesions clog the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease: Beta-amyloid plaques—sticky clumps of protein fragments and cellular material that form outside and around neurons; and neurofibrillary tangles—insoluble twisted fibers composed largely of the protein tau that build up inside nerve cells. Although these structures are hallmarks of the disease, scientists are unclear whether they cause it or a byproduct of it (alzfnd.com).

As much research being done in this field there is still no answer to what causes Alzheimer. As with all illness not explained it is believed to have a genetic and environment mix as to why the diseases is in effect. There about 4 stages of Alzheimer’s. It occurs in people age 30 to 60 and represents less than 5 percent of all people who have Alzheimer’s disease. Most...