Alzheimer’s Disease Essay -- Alzheimers Disease Essays

Alzheimers DiseaseAlzheimers disease is a progressive contour where the neurons degenerate in the brilliance, while the brain substance shrinks in volume. Alzheimers is also the number one cause of dementia. When it was first noticed, Alzheimers was thought to be a pre-senile disease, but now it is known to be responsible for seventy-five percent of the dementia cases in people over sixty-five years of age. Alzheimers disease usually causes several years of personal and intellectual dec tie until death. Because in that location is an increasing number of elderly citizens in the United States, research into the causes and attainable cures for the disease is on the rise (1). Several theories have been made concerning factors that may cause the condition however, the cause remains unknown. Some suggest that it may be caused by some type of chronic infection or from exposure to a metal that may be toxic, such as aluminum (1). This line of belief originated from high levels of aluminu m deposits being found in Alzheimers brain lesions (2). It is also known that people with Alzheimers have reduced levels of brain chemicals, such as acetylcholine (1). Additionally, people with Downs Syndrome are more likely to acquire this dementia, with about fifteen percent of Alzheimers patients showing a family history of this disease. This leads many scientists to believe that there is a genetic link to the disease. When twins have been studied, a high agreement rate has been found for the disease. Furthermore, there is sometimes a very dominant pattern of inheritance of this disease, where a person has a fifty percent chance of acquiring it if either rise up has Alzheimers (autosomal dominant transmission) (1,2). It is rare to acquire Alzhei... ...al and family study of 22 twin pairs. Neurology, 1987, 37, 359-3B3. 4. Thomas, C. L. Alzheimers Disease. Tabers Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 15th ea., 1985, 61. 5. Murray, R. K., Cranner, D. K., Hayes, P. A. and Rodwell, V. W. D eposition of Amyloid Beta Protein is concern in the Causation of Alzheimers Disease. Harpers Biochemistry, 23rd ed., 1993, 750-752. 6. Miyakskawa, T., Katsuragi, S., Watanabe, K., Shimoji, A. and Ikouchi, Y. Ultrastructure Studies of Amyloid Fibrils and Senile Plaques in the Human Brain,1986,70 202-208. 7. Frazier, S. H. American Psychiatry Glossary, 5th. ed., 1988, 11 50 153. 8. Cohen, C. D. effective Information on Alzheimers Disease. Department of Health and Human Services, 1990, 5-7. 9. Rosenberg, R. N. A Causal Role for Amyloid in Alzheimers Disease The end of the beginning. Neurology, 1993, 43851-854.