Imagine living in a world where you tend to forget
the date, the people you love or even where you live. As we grow older our body
and brain change drastically. The way we think, perform, solve problems and
analyze things change as well. Many of the times, these changes also bring with
them a common disease we know as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Alzheimer’s disease
is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking
skills and, eventually, even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks of
daily living. In most people with AD, symptoms first appear after age 60. AD is
also the most common cause of dementia among older people.
Alzheimer’s disease begins slowly. It first involves
the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. People with
AD may have trouble remembering things that happened recently or names of
people they know. A related problem, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), causes
more memory problems than normal for people of the same age. Many, but not all,
people with MCI will develop AD. Overtime, symptoms get worse. People may not
recognize family members or have trouble speaking, reading or writing. They may
forget how to brush their teeth or comb their hair. Later on, they may become
anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. A person with the disease may not recognize
that anything is wrong, even when changes are noticeable to their family
members, very close friends and co-workers.
During the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease,
people are free of symptoms but toxic changes are taking place in the brain.
Abnormal deposits of proteins form amyloid plaques and tau tangles throughout
the brain, and once-healthy neurons begin to work less efficiently. Over time,
neurons lose their ability to function and communicate with each other, and
eventually they die. Before long, the damage spreads to a nearby structure in
the brain called the hippocampus, which is essential in forming memories. As
more neurons die, affected brain regions begin to shrink. By the final stage of
Alzheimer’s, damage is widespread, and brain tissue has shrunk significantly.
Although there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease,
there are treatments that prolong the individual’s awareness and memory. Their
medications can be taken in the early stages to minimize memory loss that the
patient is experiencing. One drug that has a positive effect is tacrine, a drug
that is used to increase acetylcholine, which helps to improve memory. Although
extensive research has been done on Alzheimer’s disease, much still remains
unknown about the destructive illness.
The video below is a story of a spouse trying to cope with her husbands loss of mind and spirit while still relishing in the brief moments of clarity that they share together.
Alzheimer’s is such a depressing disorder. We see this illness depicted in movies and novels and it always leads to such sad outcomes. The video mentioned that the youngest person to have Alzheimer’s was only twenty-nine years of age. That is extremely young thinking that at that age many people are finishing off their graduate degrees and barely beginning their families and careers. The video was so sad and it showed the emotional hardships family and loved ones have to endure when someone is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Most of the illnesses involving memory and learning not only take a toll on the person themselves, but also on their families. Once Alzheimer’s gets severe enough the person may not recognize anyone and may even lose their ability to complete necessary basic activities. In these severe stages the body is completely deteriorating soon resulting in death. Very difficult illness to cope with and it is even more difficult to think there is currently still no cure.
ReplyDeleteYes Alzheimer's is very depressing, having to deal with a love one that has this disorder is devistating. It is sad to know that your love one doesnt recognize you and they have lost the spark of life. The ability to depend on their own and live a normal life. Having this disease makes it hard on the individual aswell as the relatives. It is sad how the neuronal degeneration leads to Alzheimer's disease.This video that you showed was so sad, it is difficult to deal with a situation like that one. Having your love one so close yet so far is worst than death. Alzheimer's disease keeps on deteriorating the person until death. It is difficult to remember tasks such as daily activities and basic needs that an idividual should be able to acomplish.The worst thing about this disease is that there is no cure, yet there are medications that can be given if detercted on time, but that is not the solution as your neurons degenerate the person looses control of their daily living activities.
ReplyDeleteAlzheimers is so common in the elderly that most of us know people who are diagnosed with this disorder. The treatments and medication that prolong the spreading and worsening of Alzheimers is I think so appreciated by everyone that knows or is taking care of a person with it. It is not a complete answer, but I think it gives hope those trying to hold on dearly and to the one dealing with the disorder themselves of course. My grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimers at least 5 years ago if not more, and was on medication for as long as I could remember. When I first found out, I didn't even think it was that bad, as she could still completely function and her memory was only slightly bad as she couldn't remember a few events of previous days. After a while she only knew I was her son's daughter, but not what my name was. Unfortunately, the medications will never be a cure, and she has almost no memory now just as a person with certain amnesia. Hopefully there will be some sort of cure one day soon.
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