Alzheimer's Disease
Robin Grooms Pd. 2 Health
Alzheimer ’s disease
A form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is a fatal ailment that affects the brain with abnormal deposits of proteins that form amyloid plaques and tau tangles so once-healthy neurons begin to work less efficiently. The disease is found most commonly to affect those older than sixty-five. This disease usually last for seven to ten years, with less than three percent making it past fourteen years. The first signs and symptoms of developing Alzheimer’s disease are relatively low-key. Small memory loss and problems with smell are among the first. These do not at this point affect day-to-day life. Other issues in the first stages can be: problems with word finding, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning and judgment. It has been discovered that damage to the brain has been occurring for years before the symptoms start. During the mild Alzheimer’s stage the disease continues to develop in the brain building up more plague. In this stage the memory loss worsens and cognitive strain is evident. Problems can include getting lost, trouble handling money, repeating questions, taking longer to complete tasks, and having some mood or personality changes. This is the stage where most people are diagnosed. Next is the moderate stage. Damage of the brain spreads to areas of language, reasoning, sensory processing, and conscious thought. At this point many people start to have trouble in recognizing their family and friends. Learning new things during this stage becomes increasingly difficult as does doing tasks with more than one step like making food. These symptoms often cause uncertainty which can lead to aggressiveness and paranoia. The last stage of this disease is the severe Alzheimer’s stage. By now, the plagues have spread throughout the majority of the brain and the tissue has shriveled and shrunk significantly. People in this stage cannot communicate and are completely dependent on others. Their body
Alzheimer ’s disease
A form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is a fatal ailment that affects the brain with abnormal deposits of proteins that form amyloid plaques and tau tangles so once-healthy neurons begin to work less efficiently. The disease is found most commonly to affect those older than sixty-five. This disease usually last for seven to ten years, with less than three percent making it past fourteen years. The first signs and symptoms of developing Alzheimer’s disease are relatively low-key. Small memory loss and problems with smell are among the first. These do not at this point affect day-to-day life. Other issues in the first stages can be: problems with word finding, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning and judgment. It has been discovered that damage to the brain has been occurring for years before the symptoms start. During the mild Alzheimer’s stage the disease continues to develop in the brain building up more plague. In this stage the memory loss worsens and cognitive strain is evident. Problems can include getting lost, trouble handling money, repeating questions, taking longer to complete tasks, and having some mood or personality changes. This is the stage where most people are diagnosed. Next is the moderate stage. Damage of the brain spreads to areas of language, reasoning, sensory processing, and conscious thought. At this point many people start to have trouble in recognizing their family and friends. Learning new things during this stage becomes increasingly difficult as does doing tasks with more than one step like making food. These symptoms often cause uncertainty which can lead to aggressiveness and paranoia. The last stage of this disease is the severe Alzheimer’s stage. By now, the plagues have spread throughout the majority of the brain and the tissue has shriveled and shrunk significantly. People in this stage cannot communicate and are completely dependent on others. Their body