Alzheimers Disease as the Most Common Type of Dementia - Essay Example

Alzheimer’s al Affiliation Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. Just like HIV/AIDS, the diseasehas no known cure as to date, and as it progresses, its effects continue to worsen. Alzheimer’s mostly affects the elderly adults and is mostly mistaken to be a part of the aging process or stress manifestations. During its earliest stages, the most common symptom is memory loss where the diseased finds it difficult to remember recent events. As the disease progresses, the individual experiences certain behavioral changes such as being moody, aggressive and has difficulty in uttering common words. To better the livelihood of the diseased, the diseased can only undergo treatment to help with the symptoms of the disease. Persons suffering from the disease often find it hard to take care of themselves and therefore rely on others for assistance. Keywords: Alzheimer’s, Elderly, Brain Introduction Since time immemorial, Alzheimer’s has been considered to be a usual part of the aging process and has rapidly continued to affect the elderly adults. The disease can be traced back to approximately 100 years ago. Lu and Bludau (2011) point out that Alzheimer got to be well understood by Dr. Alois Alzheimer after he got a patient known as Auguste Deter, a German housewife under his care and after her death in 1906, did an autopsy on her brain. Lu and Bludau add that “examining her brain under a microscope, he described findings of unusual clumps (now known as amyloid plaques) and fiber tangles that would become synonymous with her disease” (2011, p. 2). Other strange features included a drastic decrease of the entire brain, dense deposit surrounding the nerve cells and intracellular damage. After this, the illness was named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer (Lu & Bludau, 2011). After the death of Auguste Deter, the disease had long been forgotten only to make a comeback in the 1970s, where the medical community realized that it was not just a normal part of the aging process (Lu & Bludau, 2011). Since then, the disease has continued to affect millions around the globe (Lu & Bludau, 2011). According to Lu and Bludau (2011), “Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and fatal disease of the brain” (p. 2). The disease leads to a condition called dementia (Lu & Bludau, 2011). Dementia refers to memory and mental abilities loss that is serious enough to affect a person’s normal day to day life. Alzheimer’s is so far the most common type of dementia (Lu & Bludau, 2011). The Alzheimer Society of Canada states that, the limbic system of the brain that is responsible for memory and emotion is affected early in Alzheimer’s disease (2014). Alzheimer can be best defied as a pandemic disease. This is because approximately 1 million cases are found annually and the number is expected to accumulate in the coming years (Lu & Bludau, 2011). Lu and Bludau point out that, “by 2050, it is expected that there will be 11 to 16 million people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States” (2011, p. 4). These are however mere estimates. In order to completely comprehend this physiological disease, the human race needs to put certain facts into consideration. Lu and Bludau’s study (2011) found that some people do not seek medical help hence making the number of cases higher, Alzheimer’s disease may be more common in western industrialized nations compared to countries in Africa and Asia, and lack of knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease on the part of those it is presented to makes it go undiagnosed. Additionally, the length of survival of Alzheimer patients, especially the elderly, is shortened by lack of advanced medical care. Discussion The brain is able to carry out most of its functions through a complex system called the limbic system. It also contains certain lobes which are accountable for most of the behavior carried out by the human race and they include: 1. The Hippocampus and the Temporal Lobe According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, verbal and visual memories are processed in the hippocampus (2014). Here, verbal memories are composed of words read, spoken or heard, while visual memories are composed of objects, places and faces seen. Short term memory and new learning are controlled by the temporal lobe. 2. Parietal Lobe Activities such as putting clothes in the right order or starting a car and driving would not be simple tasks if it were not for the parietal lobe. This lobe helps people to put activities in an orderly manner and also helps people in controlling their ability to judge positions and sizes of objects. The Alzheimer Society of Canada study found out that, depending on which side of the brain is affected, problems vary” (2014). 3. Frontal lobe This lobe is responsible for setting any activity into motion and enables people to plan and organize their actions. It also helps in control of individual’s social behavior and judgment. If this part of the brain is affected by the Alzheimer’s disease, the person tends to lose interest in any activity, stops hobbies and repeats an activity several times. There is also another lobe referred to as the occipital lobe, this lobe does not have a huge impact on Alzheimer’s as opposed to the other lobes; this is because it is normally responsible for visual representation of objects (Alzheimer Society of Canada, 2014). The brain also consists of three major components; the cerebrum, cerebellum and the brain stem. The cerebrum controls movement and is involved in thinking, memories and feelings. The cerebellum is involved in balance and co-ordination while the brain stem connects the brain to the spinal cord and has important functions in regulating the body. There are a number of factors which affect the brain system. These factors affect the neuronal structure and behavior. According to Kolb, Gibb and Robinson, the factors include pre and post natal experiences, psychoactive drugs, dietary factors, anti-inflammatory agents, growth factors, genetic factors, stress, brain injury and diseases (n.d.). Clinical Problem The most common cause of dementia in the elderly is usually brought about by the Alzheimer’s disease. Recent studies support the presence of a long preclinical phase of the disease with the deposition of the Alzheimer’s disease pathology. The clinical phenotype of Alzheimer’s is a gradual and progressive decline in two or more areas of activity, which involve episodic memory and executive functions that is enough to cause social or occupational impairment. Identifying individuals with the disease at their earliest symptomatic stage will better their chances of getting well through the disease modifying therapies. Causes Alzheimer’s is caused by the death of brain cells. Death of the brain cells is a continuous process which happens over duration of time. Alzheimer’s makes the brain size decrease at an alarming rate, hence leading to fewer nerve cells and connections. By the use of post mortem, tiny inclusions commonly referred to as the plaques and the tangles are found between the dying cells in the brain and the tangles are inside the brain neurons (MacGill, 2014). Symptoms Numerous symptoms are observed on patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. These symptoms are usually behavioral symptoms, which affect the daily life of an individual. According to MacGill (2014), they include: 1. Inability to receive and remember information for instance, repetition of questions, losing personal belongings, forgetting events and getting lost in familiar routes. 2. Difficulty in reasoning and poor judgment for instance, poor management of personal finances, inability to make good and wise decisions and poor planning. 3. Poor vision that is not caused by eyesight problems, but rather, inability to recognize common faces and objects. 4. Impaired speaking, writing and reading. This can be noticed in poor spelling, speech and writing errors and thinking of common words, which becomes a strenuous activity. 5. Behavioral and personality change for instance moody, antisocial and obsessive behaviors. According to MacGill, in the United States, over a tenth of the elderly who are over the age of 65 have the disease, while those over 85 are more (2014). Researchers have discovered promising drug therapies which are aimed at slowing down the progress of the disease in the brain. They have found that Beta-amyloid is the main component of plaques. Scientists now have a better understanding of this protein fragment. Researchers are developing medications to block the activity of the two enzymes of this component to preventing clumping of the beta-amyloid into plaques and clear beta-amyloid fragment from the brain by using antibodies (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014). Tau protein is the main component of tangles. According to Alzheimer’s Association, “researchers are investigating strategies to keep tau molecules from collapsing and twisting into tangles, a process that destroys a vital cell transport system” (2014). Scientists have discovered a lot on how molecules respond to overall inflammation in the body and are putting in a lot of effort to better comprehend the specific aspects of inflammation most active in the brain, which may lead to anti-inflammatory treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. There is also the aspect of insulin resistance, which is suspected to be linked to Alzheimer. Researchers are hence studying the function of insulin in the brain. These investigations are likely to produce pans which will support cell function and delay Alzheimer’s related changes (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014). Reference List Alzheimers Association. (2014) Treatment Horizon. Retrieved from http://www.alz.org/research/science/alzheimers_treatment_horizon.asp Alzheimer Society of Canada. (2014). About Dementia: About the Brain. Retrieved from http://www.alzheimer.ca/en/About-dementia/About-the-brain Kolb, B., Gibb, R. & Robinson, T. (n.d.). Brain Plasticity and Behavior. Retrieved from http://www.psychologicalscience.org/journals/cd/12_1/Kolb.cfm Lu, L. C. & Bludau, J. H. (2011). Alzheimer’s Disease. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, LLC. MacGill, M. (2014). What is Alzheimer’s disease? Causes, Symptoms and Treatment. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159442.php Read More