Alzheimers Disease Essay -- Alzheimers Disease Essays

We are currently living in the age of technology. Our advancements in the early(prenominal) few decades overshadow everything learned in the last 2000 years. With theelimination of numerous diseases through effective cures and treatments, Canadianscan expect to live a a good deal longer life then that of their grandparents. In 1900about 4% of the Canadian population was over the age of 65. In 1989 that figuretripled to 12% and the government expects that figure to rise to 23% by the year2030 ( medical examination,1991,p.13). This increase has brought with it a large increase indiseases associated with old age. Alzheimers dementia (AD) is one of the mostcommon and feared diseases afflicting the elderly community. AD, once thought tobe a indispensable part of aging, is a severely debilitating form of mental dementia.Although many opposite types of dementia are curable or effectively treatable, on that point is currently no cure for the Alzheimer variety.A general overview of Alzh eimers disease including the clinicaldescription, diagnosis, and progression of symptoms, helps one to furtherunderstand the treatment and care of patients, the ground of the problem, andcurrent research.The clinical definition of dementia is "a disability in intellectualperformance that involves, but is not limited to, a expiration in at least 2 of thefollowing areas language, judgement, memory, visual or depth perception, orjudgement interfering with daily activities" (Institute,1996, p.4).The initial realise of AD symptoms is a result of the progressivedeterioration of brain cells (neurons) in the cerebral cerebral mantle of the brain. Thisarea of the brain, which is the largest and uppermost portion, controls all ourthought processes, movement, speech, and senses. This deterioration initiallystarts in the area of the cortex that is associated with memory and thenprogresses into other areas of the cortex, then into other areas of the brainthat control bodily function . The death of these cells causes an reprieve ofthe electrochemical signals between neurons that are a key to cognitive as wellas bodily functioning.Currently AD can scarce be confirmed at autopsy. After death the examinedbrain of an Alzheimer victim shows two distinct characteristics. The first isthe presence of neuritic plaques in the cerebral cortex and other areas of thebrain including cerebral blood vessels.... ...988).Understanding Alzheimers disease.New York Scribners.Brassard, Daniel.(1993).Alzheimers Disease.Ottawa Library of Parliament,Science and applied science Division.Brown, Phyllida.(1992, November 7).Alzheimers May Not be Linked to Aluminum.NewScientistSupplement,p.6.Carlton University Department of Health SciencesFreenet.(1996).Internet.httpwww.nct.carltonca/fp/social.services/alzheimer/disease.dirEvans, Denis, et al.(1989).Prevalence of Alzheimers Disease in a CommunityPopulation ofOlder Persons.Journal of the American Medical Association,272(15),1152.Institute for Brain Aging.(1996).Internet.httpwww.128.200.55.17/aboutad.htmlMedical Research Council of Canada.(1991).Presidents Report 1989-1990.Myers, David.(1996).Exploring Psychology.New York Worth.Pollen, Daniel.(1990).Hannahs Heirs The signal For the Genetic Origins ofAlzheimersDisease.LondonOxford University Press.Statement on Use of Apolipoprotein E Testing for AlzheimersDisease.(1996).American College of Medical Genetics/American Society of HumanGenetics Working free radical on ApoE and AlzheimersDisease.Internet.httpwww.faseb.org/genetics/asng/policy/pot