The And Its Effects On Alzheimer s Disease Essay

According to the Alzheimer’s Association (AA), â€Å"more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease† and this number is expected to triple by the year 2050. The AA website states that Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in our country with 1 in 3 seniors dying from Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. Because this disease effects so many people and because its symptoms are so devastating, scientists are continually searching for the cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in attempt to find treatment or a cure. Some scientists working in this field believe that microbial infections may be underlying causes of the disease. There are many theories and studies are being conducted to determine whether bacteria or viruses are playing some role in the development of AD and other forms of dementia. To understand how microbes may be involved in AD, we first must look at what physically happens to the brain with this disease. There are two distinct aspects involved in Alzheimer’s disease; beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Beta-amyloid plaques are formed when the amyloid precursor protein (APP) which is present in the membrane of neurons (alz.org) is cleaved off by beta and gamma-secretases (Chen et al., 2001). In a normal brain, alpha-secretase does the cleaving and the body processes APP on its own (Chen, et al., 2001). In AD, the small pieces join to form beta-amyloid plaques but as smaller individual pieces they can interfere with nerve signalingShow MoreRelatedAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects932 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is a mental disorder that catches up to many while in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain. It is the most common cause of premature senility. What causes this disease? Experts believe that Alzheimer s develops as a complex result of multiple factors rather than any one overriding cause. Alzheimer’s may result from the central nervous system including brain tumors, head injuries, and other diseases. They can also result form infectionsRead MoreThe Effects Of Alzheimer s Disease Essay1107 Words   |  5 PagesTopic: The effects of Alzheimer’s disease General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. Thesis Statement: Alzheimer’s disease adversely affects the patient’s brain, behavior, and daily life. I. Introduction A. Attention Material: At some point in the sixth grade, early one morning, at around 3 a.m., I woke up to an eerie feeling. I felt as though someone was watching me, and to my surprise, someone was. I woke up to a perplexed faceRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects1701 Words   |  7 Pages Alzheimer’s disease is predicted to affect 115 million people worldwide by the year 2050 (Aggarwal, Neelum). 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(Mayeux, 2010) The disease is irreversible and has no cure. â€Å"The disease affects 500,000 Canadians, 71,000 of those are under the age of 65† (VanDenBroek, 2013). AD affects the person by impacting their neurological function, their cognition and their behaviour. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, it affects two pathological hallmarks: amyloidRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects1575 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract: According to data available from the Alzheimer’s foundation every 67 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s disease and currently at least 5.3 million people are affected by the disease. The numbers are expected to grow as 75 million baby boomers transition into retirement by 2030. Alzheimer disease is a brain disorder that causes decay and dis- function of neurons resulting in memory loss, speech and language impairment. This can also extend to challenges in physical and social behaviouralRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease And Its Effects1021 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimer’s disease is a neurological disorder, in which one progressively loses memory, thinking skills, and the ability to perform activities of daily living. Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia also called senile dementia, and two thirds of dementia cases are from Alzheimer’s disease (ZZZZ). This disease usually effects the older generation, early 60s to late 60’s. According to the Nation al Institute of Aging, over 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s, and it is ranked the sixth leading cause of