The Concept of Alzheimers Disease Using Information from Outside Sources - Essay Example

Alzheimer’s disease is defined as a progressive, degenerative brain disorder manifested by memory loss, impaired thinking, difficulty in finding the right word when speaking, and personality changes and which eventually lead to cases of dementia (Harvard Health Publications, 2009, p. 2). Continual loss of nerve cells and synapses and decreasing levels of neurotransmitters which are crucial to memory, mental functions, and relaying of complex messages to the nerve cells in the body affects not only the cognitive aspect but also the activities of daily living and one’s personality.

The prevalence rate of diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease is approximately more than five million and by 2050, 11 to 16 million of the American population will be probably diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease; that is, one in eight people ages 65 and above is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease causes financial and emotional strain to families and is estimated to have caused the nation $148 billion in health costs annually (Lu & Bludau, 2011, 3). When a person was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it usually takes 8-10 years to die.

Because there is no cure or prevention for the disease, different warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease must be noted to prompt early diagnosis and care and to temporarily stabilize or delay the worsening of symptoms through drug interventions. In line with this, Harvard Health Publications (2009) identified seven warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease, which include: trouble remembering things starting from short-term memory such as a new acquaintance then progressing to loss of long-term memory such as recognition of family members; mood or personality changes (very angry to sad, socially-outgoing to withdrawn, and signs of depression); trouble completing ordinary tasks such as simple tooth brushing; difficulty expressing thoughts particularly in language (e.g. ringer for telephone); impaired judgments such as inability to balance a checkbook; disorientation manifested by losing track of date and time; and unusual behavior like wandering in the community (p. 3). Despite the unavailability of curative and preventive strategies, scientists and researchers are studying for chemical changes in what cause Alzheimer’s disease and for compounds that may probably block the destructive course of the disease and eventually, may lead to a cure.

Scientists are also looking for the creation of a vaccine that may prevent the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease. These interventions are merely theoretical propositions and may take time to provide relief to millions of affected individuals. However, science-based studies have provided means how to improve the day-to-day lives of people with Alzheimer’s disease (Harvard Health Publications, 2009, p. 2).