The Study of Alzheimer’s Disease and Its Affect on the Elderly

The Study of Alzheimer’s Disease and its affect on the elderly Widely range research has been looked at when studying Alzheimer’s disease and the brain. Scientist and doctors have their own theories which are to be proven evidence on how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain. Periodic figures show the results in the stages studied about Alzheimer’s.

No one knows the actual cause of Alzheimer’s disease, but they do know the affects it does to the brain. “Clinical trials are the engine that powers medical progress. Through clinical trials, researchers test new ways to detect, treat and prevent Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Without clinical trials, there can be no new treatments or cures. Over the last 15 years, scientists have made enormous strides in understanding how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain. Currently, the drugs available for the treatment of Alzheimer’s only temporarily improve the symptoms of the disease; they do not stop the damage to brain cells that causes Alzheimer’s to progress.

But scientists believe that in the near future, therapies and treatments that slow or stop the progression of the disease will be available.

Ground-breaking research is going on that could have a measurable impact on the lives of current and future Alzheimer patients. But a lack of volunteers for Alzheimer clinical trials is significantly slowing down this research and the development of new Alzheimer treatments”. The study of Alzheimer’s disease and its affect on the elderly Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia which is memory loss. Alzheimer’s disease is being researched by scientist who thinks that the absence of protein in the body plays an affect on ones brain.

Alzheimer’s can strike fast or very slowly.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the largest diseases affecting the elderly population today. Alzheimer’s is listed number four in the highest death rate of the elderly. Alzheimer’s is known to strike the brain. There are many signs and symptoms, such as speech, forgetfulness of where you live, or where you put your keys last. As Alzheimer’s increases with age there becomes a need for assistance with bills, bathing, cooking, etc.

In the year 2010 Alzheimer’s disease is still being studied throughout the United States of America.

There is new, and advance technology to help with finding a cure, and medications use to slow the growth of Alzheimer’s as it affects the brain. The disease itself really makes the elderly very stressful as it progresses on the brain. It is know for killing the nerve cells in the brain. Scientist and doctors are studying more and more as they show interest about the disease.

The interest of study in Alzheimer’s is the early, mid, and late onset of the disease. Alzheimer’s disease has not yet has a cure, but medications are giving slowing the rapid process of the disease.

The University of Carolina, in San Francisco has a research center for Alzheimer’s disease, where they have done studying on medication for Alzheimer’s disease. The term dementia defines a collection of symptoms and is not in itself a specific disease. Tacrine, donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine are five FDA approved drugs for the treatment of AD.

These drugs, with their limitations, are not perfect agents. Numerous therapeutic options are currently being investigated for treating AD and improving patient care, (UCSF).

The disease strikes at the age of late to mid forties. Based upon what is known and studied by scientist, age is a great factor of Alzheimer’s disease. “Every five years Alzheimer’s disease doubles in numbers on the affect it has on the elderly after the age of sixty-five”. This was studied by the national Institution of Neurological Disorder and Stroke, (NINDS).

One hundred years later there have been many findings in the study of Alzheimer’s. Surfing the web in a research on Alzheimer’s disease it was stated on helpguide. rg that “According to the 2008 Wall Street Journal review “Neurotics and Other Brain Boosters,” an active, stimulated brain reduces your odds of developing Alzheimer’s.

Those who remain engaged in activities involving multiple tasks, requiring communication, interaction, and organization, who continue learning, and constantly challenge their brains earn the greatest protection. ” A person with Alzheimer’s disease can live with the disease for up to 20 years, but can die as early as eight years after the finding of the disease.

Charles, D. a M. D. tates that “Amyloidal is thought to be the primary cause of Alzheimer’s disease. ” Augusta, D.

was the first documented patient studied in (1901-1906). She was studied, by a German doctor Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In the resent studies of the Alzheimer’s disease, scientist with the help of the newly found technology has performed these studies. Dr.

Stephan Silberstein says that “Alzheimer’s is a fatal disease that has 3 different stages”. In a newsletter, “The Ribbon”, the three stages of Alzheimer’s disease is listed: First Stage 2 to 4 years leading up to and including diagnosis

Symptoms Recent memory loss begins to affect job performance: What was he or she just told to do? •Confusion about places: gets lost on way to work •Loses spontaneity, the spark or zest for life. •Mood/personality changes: patient becomes anxious about symptoms, avoids people. •Poor judgment: makes bad decisions. •Takes longer with routine chores. Examples •Forgets which bills are paid and phone numbers that are called frequently.

•Loses things. Forgets grocery list. •Arrives at wrong time or place, or constantly rechecks calendar. “Mother’s not the same—she’s withdrawn, disinterested” •She spent all day making dinner and forgot to serve several courses. •She paid the bills three times over, or didn’t pay for three months. Second Stage 2 to 10 years after diagnosis (longest stage) Symptoms •Increasing memory loss and confusion–shorter attention span •Problems recognizing close friends and/or family

•Repetitive statements and/or movements.

•Restless, especially in late afternoon and at night. •Occasional muscle twitches or jerking. •Perceptual-motor problems. •Difficulty organizing thoughts, or thinking logically. Can’t find right words–makes up stories to fill in the blanks.

•Problems with reading, writing, and numbers. •May be suspicious, irritable, fidgety, teary, or silly. •Loss of impulse control–sloppy–won’t bathe or afraid to bathe–trouble dressing. •Gains and then loses weight. •May see or hear things that are not there.

•Needs full-time supervision. Examples •Memory loss–can’t remember visits even though the visitor just left. •Repetitive movements or statements. •Sleeps often: awakens frequently at night and may get up and wander. Perceptual–motor problems–difficulty getting into a chair, setting the table for a meal. •Can’t find the right words.

Problems with reading, numbers–can’t follow written signs, write name, add, or subtract. •Suspicious–may accuse spouse of hiding things, infidelity; may act childish. •Loss of impulse control–sloppier table manners: may undress at inappropriate times or in the wrong place. •Huge appetite for junk food and other peoples food; forgets when last meal was eaten, then gradually loses interest in food.

Terminal Stage 1 to 3 years Symptoms •Little capacity for self care. •Can’t communicate with words.

•May put anything in mouth or touch anything. •Can’t control bowels or bladder. •May have seizures, experience difficulty with swallowing, skin infections. Examples •Looks in mirror and talks to own image. •Needs help with bathing, dressing, eating, and going to the bathroom.

•May groan, scream, or make grunting sounds. •May try to suck on everything. •It is difficult to place a patient with Alzheimer’s disease in a specific stage.

However, symptoms seem to progress in a recognizable pattern and these stages provide a framework for understanding the disease. It is important to remember they are not uniform in every patient and the stages often overlap.

Alzheimer’s disease (pronounced altz-hi-merz) is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common form of dementing illness. More than 100,000 die of Alzheimer’s disease annually, which makes it the fourth leading cause of death in adults, after heart disease, cancer, and stroke, (The Ribbon).

In furthering my research on Alzheimer’s disease I came across another web site whyy. org which stated “New findings from the Alzheimer’s Association states that an estimated 5. 2 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and one out of eight baby boomers is likely to be diagnosed.

By 2050, the report estimates 959,000 people will be diagnosed annually, including 16 percent of women and 11 percent of men 71 and older”. In conclusion Alzheimer’s disease is still being studied and researched for a cure.

While there are many commonalities in patients with Alzheimer ‘s disease, there are many issues and manifestations that are unique to the patient. As the disease progresses the body in general begins to fail, which leads to the individual’s eventual death.

Reference page U.

S. Department of Health and Human Services Consumer Health Information Service (CHIS) http://www. chis . com The Lancet Neurology, (Volume 9) July 2010 p. 702-706 (Article) Alzheimer’s disease: Clinical trials and drugs development Alzheimer’s Research Newsletters p.

4 summer 2010 The ribbon, (volume 1). October 2 1998