Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease: Diagnosis, Effects, and the Journey Forward

Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease: Diagnosis, Effects, and the Journey Forward

Abstract

The disease I will be talking about is Alzheimer’s. This disease affects humans every day, and it is very sad. It affects not only human beings physically but also emotionally. This is especially a drastic change for family members and close friends. Seeing a person change completely and not remember things can have a huge effect on a person. The concepts I will be talking about are ways to know you are developing this, different types of tests to determine this, what it affects, the pathology, epidemiology, and the long-term effects. This will give you a deeper understanding of what this disease is and the huge effects it has on human beings.

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Having someone you have had all these shared memories with suddenly start to forget is something that can be emotionally hard. They start not to remember you, how to do things, what day it is, and even more. It can cause a person’s personality or mood to change and become depressed, suspicious, and even anxious. The disease I’m talking about is Alzheimer’s; these are not the only things that can happen. This disease affects human beings a lot.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s

There are ways to know if someone is developing this disease. The steps required stated by the article Alzheimer’s Disease is a doctor taking different tests and evaluating you by asking you a few questions and asking you to do different tasks. Other tests they take are called metal status testing and Neurophysiological tests (para. 3). They do these tests to look at your brain, but they can also take an MRI, CT, or PET scan.

Doing these different types of tests can help a doctor diagnose if Alzheimer’s is the disease you may have. Although a doctor tells you the final answer to know if you have this condition, there are symptoms that may show you signs of this. As article 10, early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s states some of these symptoms are not being able to remember things, misplacing things, mood changes, and having trouble concentrating (para. 13). Alzheimer’s is a disease that you can certainly see or notice early signs of.

Alzheimer’s affects the brain part of your body. As Stanley J. Swierzewski states, “The frontal lobe which is responsible for the voluntary movements, emotion, writing, and speech. The parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes are also involved. “The parietal interprets sensation, temporal is involved with understanding sounds and speaking words as well as emotions and memory, while the occipital is about understanding visual images” (Swierzewski, para 2). This is how Alzheimer’s affects each of these body parts. They affect each body part in dissimilar ways because of their different functions, yet each of them is affected greatly.

Pathology of Alzheimer’s

There have been three main things determined as the cause of this disease. The pathology, as stated in the “Cure Alzheimer’s Fund” article, is Abeta peptide accumulation, nerve cell death, and inflammation (para 1.). As one thing happens, more things continue to happen, which becomes a cycle and causes more death of cells. According to Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, it was also stated that the cell amyloid is what builds outside the nerve cell, causing it to tangle and then strangle the nerve cell (para 1.). This becomes so dangerous that memory loss is developed.

Epidemiology of Alzheimer’s

The epidemiology of Alzheimer’s disease is mostly found in people who are 65 years old and older. As Chengxuan Qui and Laura Fratiglioni state in the article “Epidemiology of Alzheimer’s Disease,” “North America has the highest percentage with it being 6.4%. Africa has the lowest, which is 1.6%. At the same time, China has 4% and Latin America has 4.6%. Western Europe is close to North America with a 5.6%. It may be hard to believe, but one-third of people may develop Alzheimer’s” (Qui et al., ch 3.). This is very sad because this disease is something that is very hard to deal with. It takes a toll on the person dealing with Alzheimer’s life, but also on the people close to them because it changes them completely.

Treatments of Alzheimer’s

Though Alzheimer’s is very hard to deal with, there are treatments to help. Sadly, there is no cure for this disease, but two types of drugs called Cholinesterase inhibitors and Memantine can help deal with this. Cholinesterase inhibitors, according to an Alzheimer’s disease article, help with “cell to cell communication and can help with depression as Memantine helps as another brain cell communication” (Alzheimer’s disease, para.17). Both these medicines can help greatly with depression.

Though these medicines may help, there are side effects that can be experienced. As stated in the article Alzheimer’s disease with Cholinesterase, you can experience “diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite and sleep. While with Memantine, you may feel “constipated, headaches and dizziness” (para. 18). It’s up to the person if they are willing to deal with possibly having these side effects. Some experience it, while others don’t. This is a great route to take because you are slowing down this disease. It is so important to do anything you can so you can help the person dealing with this disease live a longer life.

Other ways to help with Alzheimer’s are by exercising, being supportive, and creating a nice environment for people who may be suffering from this disease. Making sure they eat and have healthy foods and a lot of vitamins is always good and necessary. Even keeping pictures and things that mean something around to look at is a way to help. It’s all about being as supportive as you can. Although through all this, it can be very hard not only on the person who has this disease but the one who is there to support because of everything that is happening. Always remember that support is one of the best things you can do because although they may not remember things most of the time, there may be moments when they do, and it will be such a warm feeling.

Long-term effects of Alzheimer’s

The long-term effect of Alzheimer’s, coming from a clear standpoint, is memory loss. You won’t be able to remember people, names, moments, even who you are. You will not want to eat or have an appetite. Not only will you forget things that happened a while ago, but you will start forgetting things that happened a day ago, too.

Although you can do things to cope with it and lengthen the life expectancy, theThe article “Life Expectancy and Long-Term Outlook for Alzheimer’s Disease” by Kimberly Holland states that life expectancy can be long or, sadly for some people, short. Holland stated, “After the diagnosis, it can be eight to ten years or as long as twenty years, although in some cases it can be only three years” (Holland, para. 5). Since this has no cure, all you can do is help out with the treatments to make the progression slow down which is why it is so important to take it seriously and make sure they are getting the right treatments.

A lot of people suffer from this disease; I have had a close family member with Alzheimer’s and seen how much it changes people drastically. My uncle was a fun, loving, jokester and always trying to make people happy. I grew up with him since I was a little girl and saw him as a young woman and a different person. He became depressed and did not remember us anymore. It was the hardest thing for our family. It didn’t stop us from trying to be as supportive as we could by showing him pictures and speaking to him about our memories. Sometimes, we heard him say our name and remember us for a few seconds; it brought the biggest smiles to our faces and hearts. Sadly, after his battle, he passed away about a year ago.

Conclusion

Alzheimer’s comes and disrupts your everyday life, taking a toll on your brain and body. When you have someone who goes through this disease, there are a lot of ways to cope with this. I am using the treatments that I stated and the medications to slow down this disease as much as possible. Be as strong as possible for them, and make sure they are still reminded they are loved and cared for. I saw how badly Alzheimer’s affects a human being. This disease is so hard to deal with, and nobody deserves to go through this.

References

  1. 10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2018, from https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs
  2. Alzheimer’s disease. (2017, December 30). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350453
  3. Holland, K. (n.d.). Life Expectancy and Long Term Outlook for Alzheimer’s Disease. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.healthline.com/health/alzheimers-disease/life-expectancy
  4. Pathology – Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2018, from
    https://curealz.org/the-disease/pathology/
  5. Qui, C., & Fratiglioni, L. (n.d.). Oxford Scholarship Online. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from http://m.oxfordmedicine.com/mobile/view/10.1093/med/9780199569854.001.0001/med-9780199569854-chapter-3
  6. Swierzewski, S. J. (n.d.). Alzheimer’s Disease Overview, Brain Anatomy. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/frontal-lobe#1

Unveiling the Complexity of Alzheimer’s Disease: Causes, Diagnosis, and Impact

Unveiling the Complexity of Alzheimer’s Disease: Causes, Diagnosis, and Impact

Introduction

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia. It is the most widely recognized type of dementia. Dementia is a term used to depict memory misfortune and loss of other scholarly abilities, such as thinking and considering, that are sufficiently serious to cause issues in everyday life. Alzheimer’s illness is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who found the malady in 1906. Alzheimer’s biggest hazard factor is maturing. In any case, it’s anything but an ordinary piece of maturing. While the lion’s share of individuals who have Alzheimer’s are beyond 65 years old, it can occur in somebody more youthful.

Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease

Early-beginning Alzheimer’s is the point at which the illness winds up discernible in somebody in their 40s or 50s. Around 5 percent of individuals with this sickness are in this age gathering. This is a disease that continuously deteriorates after some time. In the late stages, somebody with Alzheimer’s will most likely be unable to convey or dissuade people around them. They will likewise, in the long run, need full-time care for regular day-to-day existence. As indicated by the Alzheimer’s Association, it is the sixth driving reason for death in the United States. The normal life expectancy of somebody with the infection is eight years after analysis. However, they can satisfy 20 years depending upon other well-being conditions. There is no fix as of now. Notwithstanding, there are medicines that can moderate the movement and enhance the personal satisfaction of those with the infection.

The Pathological Journey: Plaques and Tangles

The most widely recognized early side effect of Alzheimer’s is trouble recalling recently learned data in light of the fact that Alzheimer’s progressions regularly start in the piece of the cerebrum that influences learning. As Alzheimer’s advances through the mind, it prompts progressively extreme side effects, including bewilderment, inclination, and conduct changes; developing disarray about occasions, time, and place; unwarranted doubts about family, companions, and expert guardians; increasingly genuine memory misfortune and conduct changes; and trouble talking, gulping and strolling. Individuals with memory misfortune or other conceivable indications of Alzheimer’s may think that it’s difficult to remember they have an issue. Indications of dementia might be increasingly clear to relatives or companions. (https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers)

Like a wide range of dementia, Alzheimer’s is caused by cerebrum cell passing. It is a neurodegenerative disease, which implies there is dynamic cerebrum cell demise that occurs after some time. In an individual with Alzheimer’s, the tissue has fewer and fewer nerve cells and associations. Autopsies have demonstrated that the nerve tissue in the cerebrum of an individual with Alzheimer’s has minor stores, known as plaques and tangles, that develop on the tissue. The plaques are found between the diminishing cerebrum cells, and they are produced using a protein known as beta-amyloid. The tangles happen inside the nerve cells, and they are produced using another protein called tau. Specialists don’t completely comprehend why these progressions happen. A few distinct elements are accepted to be included. (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159442.php)

Specialists utilize a few strategies and apparatuses to help decide if a person who is having memory issues has ‘conceivable Alzheimer’s dementia’ (dementia might be because of another reason), ‘plausible Alzheimer’s dementia’ (no other reason for dementia can be found), or some other issue. To analyze Alzheimer’s, specialists may:

Ask the individual and a relative or companion inquiries regarding, by and large, well-being, utilization of remedy and over-the-counter meds, diet, past medicinal issues, capacity to do day-by-day exercises, and changes in conduct and identity

Lead trial of memory, critical thinking, consideration, tallying, and dialect

Complete standard therapeutic tests, for example, blood and pee tests, to recognize other conceivable reasons for the issue. Perform mind checks, for example, registered tomography (CT), attractive reverberation imaging (X-ray), or positron discharge tomography (PET), to discount other conceivable foundations for indications.

The Growing Impact

These tests might be rehashed to give specialists data about how the individual’s memory and other psychological capacities are changing after some time. They can likewise help analyze different reasons for memory issues, for example, stroke, tumor, Parkinson’s ailment, rest unsettling influences, reactions of drugs, a disease, gentle intellectual disability, or non-Alzheimer’s dementia, including vascular dementia. A portion of these conditions might be treatable and conceivably reversible.

Note that Alzheimer’s ailment can be absolutely analyzed simply after death by connecting clinical measures with an examination of cerebrum tissue in a dissection. Once in a while, biomarkers—proportions of what is going on inside the living body—are utilized to analyze Alzheimer’s. (https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/how-alzheimers-disease-diagnosed)

An expected 5.7 million Americans of any age are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2018. By 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 14 million. This number incorporates an expected 5.5 million individuals age 65 and more established and around 200,000 people under age 65 who have more youthful beginning Alzheimer’s.

One out of 10 individuals aged 65 and older (10 percent) has Alzheimer’s dementia. Just about 66% of Americans with Alzheimer’s are ladies. More established African-Americans are about twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s or different dementias as older whites. Hispanics are around one and one-half occasions as liable to have Alzheimer’s or different dementias as older whites. 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. ( https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures )

Conclusion

The degree to which a person with the disease can keep up his or her social connections can likewise assume an extensive job. Patients should chat with their specialist or an analyst for procedures to adapt to social circumstances. What’s more, keeping up with family duties for as long as possible can help enhance personal satisfaction. In later stages, a patient’s needs may change, and it is essential for a parental figure to realize how to think about themselves, notwithstanding their adored one.

References

  1. “Alzheimer’s Disease: What If There Was a Cure?: The Story of Ketones” by Mary T. Newport
  2. “Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help, and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer’s” by B. Smith and Dan Gasby
  3. “Creating Moments of Joy for the Person with Alzheimer’s or Dementia” by Jolene Brackey

Exploring Environmental and Lifestyle Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease Risk

Exploring Environmental and Lifestyle Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease Risk

Introduction

Alzheimer’s is a disease that is only growing with casualties as humans live longer and give Alzheimer’s a chance to take over the brain. The United States culture has been very active in letting people know what causes other diseases like cancer and heart attacks. Yet, it is seemingly talked about what causes Alzheimer’s. Most Americans believe that it is an inherited disease, and that’s the only way a person can get it. But in reality, only 30 to 40 percent of Alzheimer’s victims get it generically; the rest get infected by (environmental).

Some of the many ways a person can get Alzheimer’s are easy things like having stress, not getting quality sleep, having a bad diet, not taking care of the brain, and changing it to keep it healthy. All of these causes are due to not living a healthy lifestyle. By living a healthier lifestyle and being aware and educated about the possible ways to get Alzheimer’s, people should have a better chance of never getting the horrendous disease that tears away memories, happiness, and sole, and the percentage of Alzheimer’s victims should go down from the sixth leading cause of death in America, instead of going up.

Unmasking Alzheimer’s Causality

There is beginning to be a link between environmental exposure and Alzheimer’s. There is a very strong connection already found by scientists that pesticides DDT can cause Parkinson’s disease. There is beginning to be a study correlation between DDT and Alzheimer’s. Dr. Jason Richards at Rutgers University did a study that tested the blood of people who had Alzheimer’s. They tested the blood for DDT and DDE in most of the pertisapents, and “they had levels of DDT and DDE four times greater than the control group”. (Sneed) There is no surgeon answer as to how DDT and DDE can cause Alzhiermsers, but Dr. Jason Richards believes, “But he speculates that DDT/DDE somehow encourage growth of the amyloid proteins that make up the plaques associated with the disease.” (Sneed)

Sleep, Stress, and Cognitive Health

In life, humans develop diseases, and a lot of these diseases are caused by some sort of unhealthy lifestyle. It is very common for one disease to lead to another. In the case of Alzheimer’s, studies are showing that people who already have high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and diabetes have a greater chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease. (Reuters Health) Dr. Rebecca Gottesman of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said, “Each alone may not be enough to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, but having a number of these risk factors appears to be associated with an even higher risk” (Reuters Health) of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

This does not prove that if a person has one of these diseases, he or she will doomingly have Alzheimer’s, too. This does support that “vascular risk factors might directly impact Alzheimer’s changes in the brain” (Reuters Health). If vascular risk factors do impact getting Alzheimer’s, then it would be good for those individuals to know that they have a high risk of getting Alzheimer’s. After knowing that they can have time to do anything they can to delay or eliminate the disease. Not a lot of Americans have any idea that high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and diabetes could lead to Alzheimer’s disease. High cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and diabetes are very common illnesses in America, and yet there is very little talk about how they can cause Alzheimer’s disease.

Stress and sleep are two things that Americans do all the time, and they have no idea that it can affect their mental health. Poor sleep can lead to high levels of beta-amyloid. Beta-amyloid is a brain-clogging protein. The brain tries to activate mechanisms to try to repair the myelin. The beta-amyloid blocks the repair mechanisms, and the brain stops producing myelin. Uninterrupted deep sleep is very important to the brain by helping flush the brain toxic out of the brain.

Persistent Stress and Chronic stress can hinder nerve cell growth and shrinkage in the memory area tissue of the brain. Hindering nerve cell growth leads to Alzheimer’s by the death of nerve cells. Alzheimer’s kills nervous cells, and if the nerve cells are prohibited from growing, this will increase the chance of getting Alzheimer’s, which could be caused by Persistent Stress and Chronic stress. The shrinkage of the memory tissue of the brain can lead to Alzheimer’s. The most common way Dementia starts is with the shrinkage of the brain tissue. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of Dementia. When the memory tissues start to shrink, the brain starts to forget memories. The most common forgotten memory of early memory tissue shrinkage is recent/newer memories. Need a source for this one.

Unhealthy diets can increase a person’s chance of getting Alzheimer’s by causing inflammation and insulin resistance in the brain, which injure neurons and inhibit communication between brain cells. An unhealthy diet leads to metabolic disorder, which is linked to the signal-processing system in the brain. Eating excessively processed foods can, along with other fatty foods, create insulin resistance, which will injure neurons in the brain. Refine carbs can make the brain have dramatic shifts in blood sugar, which can lead to insulin resistance; not eating a good helping of omega-three fat foods will not help the brain and could lead to Alzheimer’s because omega-three fat foods have beta-amyloid plaques, which will help prevent Alzheimer’s (Mace) pg:334.

Not taking the right vitamins could also lead to Alzheimer’s. Folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin D, magnesium, fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo biloba, and coenzyme Q10 help preserve the brain and decrease inflammation in the brain. Douud, Gwenale Preventing Alzhimers Dieses-Related to Gray Matter by Vitamin B Treatment says that “use of vitamin B intake supplements have reduced as much as seven-folds, cerebral atrophy in the gray matter” Pp 9523-9528; The effect that the vitamin B supplement possibly affects grey matter to support the brain health and prevent Alzheimer’s. Not taking the right vitamins could affect the chances of a person getting Alzheimer’s. The 36-Hour Day, by Mace, Nancy L., and Peter V. Rabins, explains how “Having a poor diet can lead to Cognitive Decline.”

Cognitive Engagement and Social Interaction

Cognitive abilities are memory and thinking skills. A person who has a cognitive decline has a very high risk factor of getting Alzheimer’s. Nitrosamines are nitrogen-based fertilizers that are used in Tabaco products, color, flavor, and preserve natural foods (Sneed). “Researcher Suzanne de la Monte of Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School believes there is a connection between the rising number of Alzheimer’s cases and the greater amounts of nitrogen-based chemicals added to our food” (Sneed). America has consumed extranmical amounts of tobacco, food color, flavor, and preserved foods. If the link between nitrosamines and causing Alzheimer’s is true, then America should be worried and start to avoid those products.

Living a physically active life could cause and lead to Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation said physical exercise can reduce a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s “by up to 50 percent.” By not participating in physical activity, an individual does not stimulate the brain, which provides its ability to make and maintain connections in the brain. Not being able to make and maintain old connections in the brain can lead to the deterioration of neurons in the brain and ultimately start Alzheimer’s.

Naftolin, Frederick, and Mitchell Harmans’s scholarly journal Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive decline describes “The interaction between physical activity and the putative mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease progression.” (Putative mechanisms, means “the cause of death.”) Naftolin, Frederick, and Mitchell Harmans research that if a person is not physically active, it can lead to “putative mechanisms” of Alzheimer’s. When a person is physically active, they should avoid letting their head get hit and causing a head injury. Head injuries can increase a person’s chance of getting Alzheimer’s and is a greater chance after the age of fifty-five.

Physical Activity and Brain Vitality

Like most diseases, there are many contributing factors to getting Alzheimer’s. Brain health is a very important thing, and it is what Alzheimer’s attacks and breaks down. Not having a healthy working brain can lead to Alzheimer’s. There are many different ways that the brain can deteriorate and lead to Alzheimer’s.

“Keeping the brain working” is a way to prevent Alzheimer’s. A person that is not socially active and doesn’t have conversations with other human beings could lead to the deterioration of the brain and ultimately lead to Alzheimer’s. Not keeping the brain active and not challenging it daily could lead to Alzheimer’s. An example of keeping the brain actively thinking would be doing crossword puzzles, reading, brain food learning tools, and games.

When people don’t practice their memory, examples like looking at old photo albums and working on attaining a great memory could be in danger of Alzheimer’s. A Study conducted by NIH ACTIVE Help Guide said, “Older adults who received as few as ten sessions of mental training not only improved their cognitive functioning in daily activities in the months after the training but continued to show long-lasting improvements ten years later.” The NIH ACTIVE study provides evidence that not doing anything to help the brain’s health will not help it continue to be healthy and could lead to the deterioration of the brain.

Alzheimer’s can be passed down genetically. “30 to 40 percent of Alzheimer’s is passed down genetically”. Alzheimer’s can be passed down genetically by getting an APOE gene from one of your parents. Not everyone who has an APOE gene gets Alzheimer’s. The common miss belief is that Alzheimer’s is a genetic gene; if a person in the family has Alzheimer’s, the individuals in that family will get the disease. This is false because 30 to 40 percent of Alzheimer’s victims get the disease through a genetic trait; the rest are (Environmental and lifestyle).

Pesticides and Environmental Exposure

Environmental, Lifestyle Alzheimer’s can mean that humans get diseases through environmental factors and exposure. It can also mean that the diseases were gotten through lifestyle. Lifestyle is the way you live your life and what you do to cause or prevent Alzheimer’s. A study done by the British Medical Journal claimed that “Missense mutations in three genes are known to cause atonal dominant forms of early onset Alzheimer’s diseases.

The amyloid precursor protein gene is located on chromosome 21, and genes for presenilin one and presenilin two are located on chromosome 14 and 1.” These are the different genes that the Alzheimer’s trait can be passed down on. The British Health Article did a survey, and they decided that “the 50 or so mutations associated with presenilin one may explain up to half of all cases of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.” Half of the early cases of Alzheimer’s of the mutations associated with Presenilin 1 conflicts with the theory that only 30 to 40 percent of Alzheimer’s victims get it through genetics.

Conclusion

Alzheimer’s disease occurs when brain cells and their connections degenerate and die, which leads to confusion and memory loss. Over 5.5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s Disease, and there is a 10 percent chance of getting it after turning 65 years old. Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in America. Yet in America, we are not as worried about the causes of Alzheimer’s compared to our concern with other diseases, such as cancer.

However, Alzheimer’s Disease is one of the more horrible ways to die, and there needs to be a greater awareness of what causes it to aid in reducing a person’s chances of falling victim to this horrible, deadly disease. Most Americans are educated on what can cause/increase the risk of common diseases such as cancer. However, the causes or risk factors of Alzheimer’s Disease are seldom talked about. People need to be educated and aware of the factors that can increase a person’s chances of
getting the horrendous brain-deadening disease, Alzheimer’s.

References

  1. “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova
  2. “The Forgetting: Alzheimer’s: Portrait of an Epidemic” by David Shenk
  3. “On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s” by Greg O’Brien
  4. “Creating Moments of Joy Along the Alzheimer’s Journey: A Guide for Families and Caregivers” by Jolene Brackey

Advances in Alzheimer’s Disease Detection: The Promise of Early Diagnosis

Advances in Alzheimer’s Disease Detection: The Promise of Early Diagnosis

Introduction

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that causes people to lose their memory and eventually their ability to do easy, everyday tasks. Approximately 5.7 million Americans have this disease, and it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. In 20 years, it is predicted that 14 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s disease(2018).

Alzheimer’s Disease: A Looming Crisis

Unfortunately, there isn’t one drug to treat this disease due to its complexity. However, current approaches include the management of behavior and maintaining mental function(2016). In January 2019, CNN released an article claiming that blood tests can detect Alzheimer’s up to 16 years before symptoms occur.

This article explains how researchers started measuring the level of NfL, neurofilament light chain (a protein in the blood), to see if any rise in the level of NfL could lead to disease. Basically, NfL is a marker for nerve cell loss in the brain, and the more of the NfL you have, the more damage you have. Based on this, a research team under Mathias Jucker went on to conduct a test of NfL levels of 405 individuals with dominantly inherited Alzheimer’s. This study has been going on for seven years now, and the results show that NfL is a good predictor of brain development.

However, the article goes on to explain that this method isn’t really new. They do this kind of test to tell people that they have cancer as well. Also, NfL levels increase if there is brain damage from an injury/accident. Therefore, this test isn’t just for diagnosing Alzheimer’s. There has also been previous research in hopes of detecting Alzheimer’s in the early stages. In 2014, a team of researchers used a blood test to look at ten specific lipids in people’s blood, and the results were that they were able to predict Alzheimer’s prior to any symptoms (Avramova, 2019).

Conclusion

This new research is extremely important in the process of trying to find a treatment for Alzheimer’s before it develops into dementia. Although there is a long way to go, every step matters, and this research is a big step in the right direction. Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease that not only affects the person who is diagnosed but also their families. The Alzheimer’s Association estimated that nearly 17 billion hours of unpaid care is provided by 15 million caregivers(Allied Services 2018). This disease also causes a lot of physical, emotional, and financial stress to loved ones. Unfortunately, the disease is expected to skyrocket over the next few years; therefore, a cure is needed now(Cirillo, 2011). This new blood test research will hopefully lead to finding a treatment prior to the start of symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

Works Cited

  1. Avramova, Nina. “Blood Test Could Detect Alzheimer’s Years Before Symptoms Begin.” CNN, Cable News Network, 22 Jan. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/01/22/health/alzheimers-detected-blood-test-study-intl/index.html.
  2. Cirillo, Anthony. “Why Is Alzheimer’s Disease Research Important? | Alzheimer’s Disease.” Sharecare, 29 Nov. 2011, www.sharecare.com/health/alzheimers-disease/why-alzheimers-disease-research-important.
  3. “Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet.” National Institute on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 17 Aug. 2016, www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet#treating.
  4. “Facts and Figures.” Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Association, 2018, www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures.
  5. “The Importance of Alzheimer’s Awareness.” Allied Services, 27 Nov. 2018, www.allied-services.org/the-importance-of-alzheimers-awarness/.

Unveiling the Emotional Struggles of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Deeper Look

Unveiling the Emotional Struggles of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Deeper Look

Introduction

Alzheimer’s disease tends to affect the elderly, which causes them to lose old and new memories. For most, losing memories becomes confusing and frustrating. Some patients don’t lose all their memories. They just can’t find the right words for what they want to say. Hence, the Alzheimer’s Association chose to write, “I know what I want to say. I just can’t find the words.”. Early signs of possible dementia are the loss of communication skills, loss of sense of direction, and forgetting basic life functions, i.e., personal hygiene. The suicide rate of patients affected by Alzheimer’s is significantly higher when compared to the rates of other dementia patients. The amount of emotional strain and discomfort put on those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s is astronomical. Alzheimer’s Association’s ad explicitly tells you that she’s confused and distressed but implicitly says that she’s hurting emotionally and knows a cure doesn’t exist.

Depicting Desolation: Visual and Emotional Elements

When looking at the advertisement, you see an elderly woman who looks depressed. She stands with a white sign that describes her thoughts because she doesn’t know which words will get her point across. The tone of the ad is sad and sympathetic towards the woman. When you look at the background, you see that it’s blurred. Maybe it’s for visual aspects, but in reality, it’s blurred to show that she can’t remember her past or recall what has happened earlier in her life. The creators of the ad want to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s and the charities attached to it. Alzheimer’s Association is one of the largest donors to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and helping provide care. By advancing their research, their goal is to eradicate Alzhiermers completely. Since the ad is in a magazine whose target audience is business owners and entrepreneurs of an older, more mature demographic, the creators expect the reader to know the general definition of Alzheimer’s Disease and how it makes the affected feel.

Alzheimer’s Impact on Caregivers and Families

During the early and middle stages of Alzheimer’s, it’s common for a patient to experience some form of depression. With the help of the Association, treatment that is given can make a large difference in their quality of life. As of now, there is no cure or a way to slow down the natural effects, but thanks to the donations and funding provided by the Alzheimer’s Association, there are “drug and non-drug options that may help treat symptoms” (Alzheimer’s Association).

Most people think of Alzheimer’s as a disease that affects memory and thinking, mostly due to lapses in the beginning stages of the disease. In the early stages, people start to misplace objects, forget faces and names, and have difficulties recalling recent events. Toward the end, “people may completely lose the ability to speak” (Harvard Medical School). At the bottom of the ad, the Association added a short description of where to find information about Alzheimer’s. The ad appeals to ethos or values by spreading information about the first signs and warnings of potential dementia.

Common feelings caregivers and families often experience are “guilt, grief and loss, and anger.” (Alzheimer’s Society Canada). Alzheimer’s is often referred to as a family disease because of the strain and sadness of watching someone you love slowly deteriorate. Alzheimer’s can lead those diagnosed at a loss of words, which makes the people who have a fully functioning vocabulary feel guilty and sympathetic. The Ad uses facial expressions and body language to emote the woman’s feelings and overall demeanor. The older woman is stressed and frustrated. Purple is a sympathetic color and is often used to evoke a feeling of close relationships and sensitivity. The Ad uses pathos or emotions to attract a reader or viewer to gain more knowledge about Alzheimer’s and the effects it has on a person’s emotions.

Conclusion

Alzheimer’s can lead to depression of the ones affected and the family and friends of those. While you’re still young, take advantage of your youth and ability to have a fully capable memory, speaking your mind without delay and feeling no confusion. In recent research, it’s been shown that head trauma is linked to Alzheimer’s, especially if the affected is at any point unconscious. You can help reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by protecting your head. Alzheimer’s Association utilizes the appeals of value (ethos) and emotions (pathos) to persuade a viewer to investigate and gain knowledge about Alzheimer’s.

References

  1. “The Alzheimer’s Action Plan: The Experts’ Guide to the Best Diagnosis and Treatment for Memory Problems” by P. Murali Doraiswamy and Lisa P. Gwyther
  2. “On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s” by Greg O’Brien
  3. “Somebody I Used to Know: A Memoir” by Wendy Mitchell