Essay on A Cure for Alzheimers - 1614 Words

A Cure for Alzheimers In February of 2000, I lost my grandmother to Alzheimers disease. She was diagnosed with the disease just less than two years prior to her death. Throughout that time, I watched changes in my grandmother that made her seem like an entirely different woman to me. She gradually began losing her short-term memory and we began to see signs of her long-term memory degrading too. It began to get harder and harder to take her out into public without being afraid of what would happen next. Her emotions would fluctuate with the changing of each minute it seemed. Physically she became weaker and weaker and would often scare us with falling while she would be walking. Eventually she had to be moved into the†¦show more content†¦Often times this disease has been called â€Å"the long good-bye† because the symptoms progress so gradually. Most often the disease shows itself in the elderly around the age of about eighty, and is rarely seen in people under the age of sixty-fi ve. One of the characteristics of this disease that makes it so hard for scientists to find a cure, are the numerous factors that present themselves in different patients. It seems as if no two cases of Alzheimer’s can be exactly alike. In 1906 a physician, named Alois Alzheimer, cared for a fifty-one year old patient with severe dementia. Upon her death, he was able to examine her brain at autopsy. Dr. Alzheimer was able to take advantage of recent innovations in microscopy and histological techniques that allowed him to study in detail the cellular components in nervous tissue. He found that the brain of his patient had severe cortical atrophy and described the neurofibrillary bundles and plaques that are now the hallmark for definitive diagnosis of what he at that time called â€Å"presenile dementia†. An account of his first patient was published in 1907. It is a little ironic that reevaluation this case has lead some to believe that this first patient did not s uffer from the Alzheimer’s disease at all. Instead they believe she suffered from a different, rare disease called metachromatic leukodystrophy (Izenberg, 2000). The termShow MoreRelatedThe Pursuit Of A Cure For Alzheimers1047 Words   |  5 Pagespublished research. In the time since earning my masters’ degree, I have been employed at a cognitive neuroscience company conducting research in the pursuit of a cure for Alzheimer’s. I began as an assistant, but advanced to become the leader of the research team. Ultimately, our efforts were successful and we identified a potential cure. Although it is still in its early stages, we believe it is an authentic approach and will put an end to this horrific disease. I began the speech that I had rehearsedRead More Searching for the Cure for Alzheimers Disease Essay1763 Words   |  8 Pagesbrains. They let us speak, move, see, feel emotions and make decisions. Inside a normal healthy brain billions of cells called neurons constantly communicate with one another.Healthy neurotransmission is important for the brain to function well. Alzheimers disease destroys memory and thinking skills over time by compromising the ability of neurons to communicate with one another (Jannis).The disease triggers as two abnormal protein fragments called plaques and tangles accumulate in hippocampus, theRead MoreAlzheimers Disease945 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive neurological disease; it often attacks the brain tissues causing memory loss of one’s identity and regular behaviors. Statistics indicates that the rate of predicted people to get Alzheimer’s will increase briskly as time goes on. There are currently no cures for such disastrous disease, but there are currently approved treatments available that can help people within the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Once the disease is too far alongRead MoreAlzheimer s Is A Non Lethal Disease1605 Words   |  7 Pagesbelieve that Alzheimer’s is a non-lethal disease, however, they couldn’t be more wrong. Alzheimer’s is a disease that leaves no survivors. It is lethal and has absolutely no mercy towards any one. It does not discriminate between race or gender, rich or poor. Anyone can be a target. So much, that it is now the sixth leading cause of death and it continues to rise each year (Ryan). Yet, the scariest t hing about Alzheimer’s, is not just the memory loss, but also the fact that it has no cure and is irreversibleRead MoreAlzheimer s Effects On The Brain1133 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimer’s is a disease where neurotransmitters, acetylcholine, or the brain’s chemicals break connections with other nerve cells causing the cells to die off, the effects of this are irreversible. The loss of these cells result in loss of thinking and language skills, unpredictable behavioral changes and eventually the inability to carry out the simplest tasks. Although there is no known cause for Alzheimer’s, researchers have found a genetic link. Alzheimer’s first symptoms usually appear whenRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease Is The Most Common Form Of Dementia1684 Words   |  7 Pages Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, which slowly and steadily impairs the mental function and psychological competence. Even though there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, current treatment patterns and research aim to delay the progression towards dementia and the associated symptoms. The strongest risk factor for this disease is increased age, typically seen in individuals over the age of 65, but it must be noted that Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of the aging process. AlzheimerRead MoreCellular Research : Alzheimer s Disease1118 Words   |  5 PagesCellular Research - Alzheimer s disease Alzheimer’s is a life-threating disease that affects many elderly. This tragic disease affects parts of the brain, severely damaging and hampering the neurons. However, researcher are continually searching for a cure for this disease. In the toxic disease of Alzheimer’s, neurons are the cells that are affected. The neurons connect together in one’s brain to form the â€Å"neuron forest.† These neurons send electrical signals that are sent throughout the brainRead MoreAlzheimer s Is The Most Common Form Of Dementia948 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. â€Å"Dementia is a general term that describes a group of symptoms-such as loss of memory, judgment, language, complex motor skills, and other intellectual function-caused by the permanent damage or death of the brain s nerve cells, or neurons.† Alzheimer’s is not a part of aging even though increasing age is a risk factor but Alzheimer’s occurs in people 65 and older. Alzheimer’s worsens over time. In the early stages memory is lost and then graduallyRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Progressive Mental Deterioration1109 Words   |  5 Pages Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive mental deterioration that can happen in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain. Alzheimer’s disease is one form of dementia that gets harmful over time. Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with other diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Scientists believe that Alzheimer’s disease results from genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors that impact the brain. Alzheimer’s disease damages and kills brain cells and it also leadsRead MoreA Brief Note On Fighting Alzheimer s Disease1038 Words   |  5 PagesResearch Paper January 18, 2017 Fighting Alzheimer’s â€Å"So now, we feel it is important to share it with you. In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it.† This was part of the fortieth president Ronald Reagan’s speech announcing the start of his battle with Alzheimer’s Disease that would last ten years (Adams 21). Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects millions