"What Is Alzheimer's Disease?"
Submitted by rustyc on 06/30/2008 05:21 PM
- Category: Medical
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"What Is Alzheimer's Disease?"
What is Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive conditions that damages areas of the brain involved in memory, intelligence, judgment, language, and behavior. It is the most common cause of mental decline, or dementia, in older adults. The disease was first described in 1906 by Dr. Alois Alzheimer for which he will always be remembered. Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. He found abnormal clumps and tangled bundles of fibers in the brain which today, are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (Fact Sheet).
The changes that take place in the brains of people who have Alzheimer's disease include lover levels of acetylcholine in certain areas of the brain. Acetylcholine is a chemical messenger in the brain, or neurotransmitter, needed for some nerve cells to work properly. Also, there are clumps of abnormal nerve cells surrounding abnormal protein deposits, known as amyloid plaques, and clumps of material, called neurofibrillary tangles, that disrupt the normal structure of nerve cells (Symptoms).
Alzheimer's disease is very different from the mild memory loss that many people experience as they grow older. Memory loss usually is the first sign of Alzheimer's disease, and many older people may worry that they have Alzheimer's disease if they start to have memory problems. Alzheimer's disease affects not only memory but also behavior, personality, ability to think, and ability to function from day to day (Symptoms). Close family members usually notice symptoms first, although the person affected also may realize that something is wrong.
Alzheimer's disease advances at widely different rates, and the symptoms may vary as the disease progresses. The duration of the illness may often vary from 3 to 20 years (What Is). The areas of the brain that control memory and thinking skills are affected first, but as the disease progresses, cells die in other...
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