Alzheimer's disease - Essay Example

Memory and Alzheimer’s Disease Memory is defined as “a process of information retention in which our experiences are archived and then recovered when we recall them” (Cardoso). Short term memory is the recent memory which stores small amount of information and can recollect events that occurred lately in the person’s life. Long term memory is one which can hold larger amount of information and can recall events that happened very early in life. Alzheimer’s disease is normally considered as a form of dementia in elderly people and is a progressive, irreversible and fatal brain disorder that hinders with the patient’s capability to perform his every day chores and maintain social life, by destroying the brain cells.

It has a slow development and normally starts after the age of sixty (Medline Plus, 2010). The short-term memory is disturbed while long-term memory is still there. The patient starts losing control over his language, reading and writing skills. He begins to forget the names of acquaintances, relatives or even members of the family. When the disease starts getting worse, the patient may even forget how to eat, drink or go to toilet. Stage 1, mild stage, has symptoms like losing way, trouble in calculating bills, asking something repeatedly, taking longer to perform daily tasks, putting things in weird places, and showing attitude problems.

Stage 2, moderate stage, shows symptoms like requiring assistance in performing daily tasks, forgetting recent happenings and acquaintances, mixing up distant past with recent past, having language problems, and wandering away. Stage 3, severe stage, has symptoms like being unable to feed oneself, control bowel and urinary movements, speak, read, write or recognize members of the family. Memory vanishes away totally (American Health Assistance Foundation, 2010). References American Health Assistance Foundation. (2010). Alzheimer's symptoms & stages.

Alzheimer’s Disease Research. Retrieved July 22, 2011 from http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/symptomsandstages.html#symptoms Cardoso, S. H. (1997). Human memory: what it is and how to improve it. Brain & Mind. State Retrieved July 22, 2011, from University of Campinas website: http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n01/memo/memory.htm Medline Plus. (2010, March 23). Alzheimer’s Disease. Retrieved July 22, 2011 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html