...genetic disease: Alzheimer’s. There is one case of this disease within my family tree. My father’s mother suffers from Alzheimer’s. I will be talking about this disease. I will discuss why I chose to talk about this disease, the signs and symptoms of the disease, the modes of inheritance of the disease, when to seek help, any problems I come across, and how I would explain this to my children. I chose Alzheimer’s because my aunt called and told me that my grandmother was diagnosed with it. Ever since that phone call it has been something I am wondering about getting in my later years. Because of this information, I know that it runs on my...
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...Alzheimer? There are two main types of Alzheimer namely, early-onset Alzheimer and late-onset Alzheimer. Early-onset Alzheimer What is it? Who have it? What are the factors that influence this types of disease? What are the symptoms, signs of this disease? How can a doctor treat this disease? Late-onset Alzheimer In United Kingdom, 800000 people have a dementia, and the most common dementia is Alzheimer Dementia is a set of symptoms which comprises of “loss of memory, mood changes, problems with community and reasoning”. 60000 people in United Kingdom die per year attributed to dementia. One third of aged people over 95 years old have dementia. Two third of dementia patients are women (Alzheimer’s society, 2014.a). http://alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=341 Alois Alzheimer, a German neurologist, first described Alzheimer as a physical disease affecting the brain. People with Alzheimer have a scarcity of certain vitals chemicals, which of these involve in the transmission of messages inside the brain. During the course of Alzheimer’s, protein called plaques and tangles develop inside the structure of the brain, leading to the death of brain cells. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, which means gradually more parts of the brain are damaged. As a result, the symptoms and impacts from Alzheimer ‘s are likely to become more severe over time (Alzheimer’s society, 2014.b). http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info...
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...EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE and ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE Introduction As defined in 2012 by the American Nurses Association, “nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations. “To deliver the best optimal treatment when performing their duties, nurses are taught to follow evidence-based practices (EBP). Following EBP when dealing with clients especially those affected by Alzheimer’s disease facilitates the nurse in performing his/her main responsibilities that include maintaining health promotion, risk reduction and disease management. Maintaining health promotion From Florence Nightingale era in the 19th century to today’s world, nursing has become a new field where it is just not described “as the action of putting the patient in the best condition for nature to act “(“Healing Environment,”2011). Nursing turned to an immense expertise where maintaining health promotion is a master key. Health promotion favors the enhancement of health and the setting up of plan for a healthy lifestyle and well-being (Potter and Perry, 2011). Examples of health promotion consist of encouraging immunizations and regular checkups. Risk reduction Many complications can be avoided by promoting risk...
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...Alzheimer ’s disease SOC 313 Social Implications of Medical Issues Instructor: August 8, 2011 Alzheimer’s disease is irreversible progressive brain disease that destroys memory and thinking skills. “Its onset is generally insidious that gradually deterioration of cognitive function and eventually resulting death.” (Falvo, D. 2009). Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia among older people from age 65 or older. “Nearly 70 percentages of dementias are Alzheimer’s, and over 4.5 million Americans have it” (www.alz.org). This disease happens in older people, but a small percentage that can affect those in their middle age. One of the greatest risk factors that increase Alzheimer’s in family history is ages, and genetics. Alzheimer’s develops in genetic, lifestyle, and environmental work factors that cause this disease process. “Research shows that Latinos and African Americans in the United States have higher rates of vascular disease for developing Alzheimer’s”. (www.alz.org). If someone in your family has Alzheimer’s such as a brother, sister, or parent, they are more likely to developing the chance to getting the disease. There are two stages to having the disease, early onset and late onset. The early onset stage affects a small percentage of people under the ages 35 to 65. The early onset stages are usually inherited from a family history meaning a greater chance for developing the disease. The person tends to deal with forgetfulness, mood swings...
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...Alzheimer Disease 2013 michaeltin [Type the company name] 4/30/2013 Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 60. Estimates vary, but experts suggest that as many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities, to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of daily living. Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr. Aloes 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 amyloidal plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary tangles). Plaques and tangles in the brain are two of the main features of Alzheimer’s disease. The third is the loss of connections between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain...
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...Alzheimer's Disease and its Link to the Normal Human Developmental Process of Aging Angel M. Perez Liberty University Abstract The cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is currently unknown. However, extensive studies using new technology has led to new ways of accurately identifying AD, an understanding of the mechanisms involved regarding the development of AD, and the damage it causes in the human brain. The general population is under the impression that AD is a result of the normal human developmental process of aging. The focus of this research is to dismiss this misconception by providing indisputable empirical evidence to the contrary. This paper looks at the various studies explored by researchers in an attempt to show the factors attributed to AD, a population over the age of 65 that do not suffer from AD, and a population of as young as 18 clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The author also addresses life style, environmental, and genetic risk factors attributed to the development of AD. Alzheimer's Disease and its Link to the Normal Human Developmental Process of Aging Contrary to popular belief, studies show that Alzheimer’s disease is not part of the normal human developmental process of aging. It is imperative that researchers acknowledge that AD is not part of the normal aging process. Researchers must keep an open mind during the research and experimental process, exploring all plausible arguments, in order to discover the cause(s) and/or...
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...“Never Forget” Lindsey Cash Illinois Central College There is a debilitating disease that is “affecting an estimated 4 to 5 million adults” (Hahn, Payne, and Lucas 2011), this disease is known as Alzheimer’s disease. The first topic that will be discussed will be symptoms and diagnosing the disease. Secondly how it progresses and the stages associated with it, along with the two main types of Alzheimer’s disease. The last topic will be the possible causes, risk factors and medications available to the sufferer. “Alzheimer’s disease dementia is a progressive degenerative brain disease and has no known cure. It is the most common form of dementia and eventually leads to death. Alzheimer’s disease significantly impacts the patient’s ability to function cognitively, which is the most apparent symptom of the disease.“ (http://www.alzheimersdisease.com/info/what/what-is-alzheimers-disease.jsp?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=+causes%2Bof%2B+alzheimer's%2B%2B%2B&utm_campaign=Unbranded%2BSigns%2Band%2BSymptoms%2B5/11&gclid=CIrGwvG9l6wCFYpb7AodaSjuUA). There are several symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease listed on the website www.alzheimersdisease.com[->0] including misplacing things. Objects are not just being misplaced but being placed in areas they should not be an example of this is instead of placing a purse on the counter when a person walks into the house they may place it in the freezer or refrigerator. Everyone may lose something...
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...What is Alzheimer’s disease? Why should people know about it? This is a disease that causes more than just memory loss. Alzheimer’s is a Neurodegenerative Brain disease, and is a common cause of dementia. It currently affects over 5 million Americans, and it is also the 6 leading cause of death in the United States (Alzheimer's Association (2014). A lot of people are not fully aware of the impact this awful disease has; not only on the victim but the caregiver as well. I chose topic of Alzheimer’s disease because I want to shed some light on the history, the effects on the families, and the hope for a cure. I have been around Alzheimer’s disease since I was about 8 years old. Being that I was so close to my mother I watched her take care of my grandmother who had Alzheimer’s; then again as a teenager I helped her take care of my aunt who also had this disease as well. I have been affected by this disease in numerous ways mentally and emotionally but the real impact didn’t hit until my mother was diagnosed with the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s. History As a neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer studied a case of a 51 year old woman when she died, Alzheimer performed an autopsy and discovered that she had “cerebral atrophy” (deterioration of the brain), “senile plaques” (protein deposits) and “neurofibrillary tangles” (abnormal filaments in nerve cells) in the brain- three common pathological features of people who have Alzheimer’s disease ( Ramanathan, 1997). Diagnosis ...
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...Pathophysiology The brain is made up neurons that are interconnected to form a vase network. These connections known as synapses enable the transmission of information from one neuron to another. In Alzheimer’s disease, ten to fifteen years before the appearance of the symptoms, two main lesions form in the brain, which are senile plaque’s that are composed of Beta-Amyloid protein, and neurofibrillary tangle’s that are composed of Tau protein. On the surface of a neuron is a large protein called APP. Normally, APP is sectioned by enzymes on the surface of the neuron and it frees a protein called Amyloid-Beta. The amyloid-beta protein is then cleared in the body. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease there is an imbalance as the amyloid-beta protein is no longer regulated and is found in two greater quantities. The protein is assembled to form insoluble fibrils and create Senile Plaques. When a neuron communicates with another a signal goes from the body known as soma to the synapse to transfer the information. The signal passes through the skeleton of the neuron composed of microtubules. These microtubules are stabilized by normal towel protein. In Alzheimer’s disease, Tau protein becomes defective and detaches from the microtubules. Thus, the skeleton of the neuron dissociates, as it is no longer maintained. Defective tau protein is then assembled to form filaments in the neuron. Without the skeleton the neurons degenerate and connections between the neurons are lost. The abnormal...
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...Dementia/Alzheimer’s – The Unwanted Inheritance Georgeanna L. Chapman COM/172 June 09, 2014 Janice Prewitt Dementia/Alzheimer’s – The Unwanted Inheritance It is time to start the day by getting up moving; standing there trying to remember the reason that they are perched there in the kitchen, but their brain isn’t operating correctly. Why can’t they remember what they walked in there for? It wasn’t like this yesterday, or was it is, but with the increasing symptoms of Alzheimer’s setting in, their world is changing, and there is nothing that they can do about it. Yesterday is a blur, today is starting out in a foggy cloud. Even though, environmental factors could contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s, 25% of all people aged 55 have family history of the disease, 50% of them will inherit the gene mutation. More studies need to be done when it comes to Alzheimer’s; a disease that is increasing in numbers and it is time to put more emphasis on this. With the number of cases rising at a fast rate, women need to stand up and take a stand and demand that more studies be performed as they are more at risk to get Alzheimer’s than Cancer; nearly two-thirds of those with Alzheimer’s are women. “Alzheimer’s disease was first identified more than 100 years ago but still relatively little is known and understood about the aetiology, pathogenesis, treatment management and prevention of the disease. Diagnosis is difficult, particularly in the early stages, and effective treatments...
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...Alzheimer’s disease is characterized as a type of irreversible dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior which can affect the ability to perform simple tasks. (Alzheimer’s Association). Unfortunately, Alzheimer's is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and over five million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s (National Institute of Aging). Each of the three categories of Alzheimer’s has unique symptoms. In mild Alzheimer’s disease, where Alzheimer’s is usually diagnosed, the person presents with memory loss and other problems such as behavior changes and taking longer to complete activities of daily living. In moderate Alzheimer’s, the person begins to have damage to parts of the brain that...
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...Inevitable Alzheimer’s disease was named after a German neuropathologist and psychiatrist by the name of Aloysius Alzheimer who is credited with identifying two symptoms of the disease; amyloid plaques and neurofribrillary tangles in the brain. It is important to understand that Alzheimer’s disease is not a type of dementia; it is simply a disease that causes dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is an incurable progressive disease that can take up to twenty years to advance, but typically takes between eight to ten painful years for the Alzheimer’s sufferer and their family. Christian Nordqvist author of What is Alzheimer’s Disease? What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease? states that “During the course of the disease plaques and tangles develop within the structure of the brain. This causes brain cells to die. Patients with Alzheimer’s also have a deficiency in the levels of some vital brain chemicals with are involved with transmission of messages in the brain – neurotransmitters” (1). The disease is typically broken down into three common stages that people experience: mild, moderate, and severe. As well as the duration, the length of each stage can vary depending on the person, as Rosemary Blieszner and Peggy A. Shifflett confirm in their article The effects of Alzheimer’s Disease on Close Relationships Between Patients and Caregivers, “This disease is very unpredictable in terms of duration and nature of symptoms, with some patients living many years after the onset” (58). Every...
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...Alzheimer’s Disease Kathryn Hardcastle, PSY 340 February 5, 2012 Chris Garwick-Foley Alzheimer ’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that causes a gradual and irreversible decline of cognitive abilities (Feldman, 2010, p. 325). Informally known as “old timers” disease, it strikes more than half of the elderly community greater than age 85 (Feldman, 2010). In addition to the loss of memory there are also major neurological, functional, and behavioral changes as well. There are a few risk factors including age, family history, and head injuries. There is no definitive way of predicting that a person will get Alzheimer’s, but there are genetic markers and neurological tests that can signify a person’s chances at acquiring Alzheimer’s later in life (Association, 2012). Although there is no cure at this time there are methods to treating symptoms, and leading a healthy lifestyle, eating right, and staying fit both mentally and physically can help with prevention. Defining Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease is neurological and affects short-term memory, behavior, the ability to match words with familiar objects, and attention span. The disease is degenerative with the gradual loss of neurological function. Alzheimer’s is distinguished from other dementias by the presence of beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (Swaminathan, 2011). These create a disruption in the synapses responsible for critical thinking and changes in...
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...Alzheimer’s disease General Psychology Term Paper Assignment Monday Night Class Abstract In the society that we are living right now, we can find a lot of different kinds of illness and health problems. A large number of these diseases have a cure and they also have a happy end; but there is one that does not. Over the past 20 years, Alzheimer’s disease came from an unknown dark side. Once studied as a strange disorder; it is one of the most common health problems that affect a lot of people around the world and their families. More of a 90% of Alzheimer’s disease cases shows up in people around 60 years old. Even do we ignore how this treats starts; science people have found that the change inside the brain starts 10 to 20 years before we can observe the symptoms. Knowing a little more about this illness, will help us to understand these people that are in need of love, attention and comprehension. Alzheimer’s disease In the society that we are living right now, we can find a lot of different kinds of illness and health problems. A lot of these diseases have a cure and they also have a happy end; but there is one that does not. Alzheimer’s disease is a very ordinary illness that severely affects our society, specially the older population. It is a fact that we have to deal with. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there that suffer...
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...Reflecting on Alzheimer’s disease As I read the book Still Alice, I was surprised by how the main character portrays real life disease. The book vividly highlights the different stages of the disease and the behaviors - forgetfulness, confusion and so on, associated with memory loss that are exhibited by persons with Alzheimer’s disease. In my opinion, Alzheimer’s disease can obscure the true identity of its victims as the disease progress. The best part of the book I think was helpful to Alice and perhaps would also be to individuals diagnosed with early onset of Alzheimer’s disease, is finding a support group. Alice, knowing that her intellectual and physical capacity would decline at some point, exchanging and sharing information such...
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