Alzheimer`s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a fatal and progressive brain disorder named after the German physician Alois Alzheimer who was the first person to describe it. This is an age-related and irreversible brain disorder which develops and progresses over time. It affects the part of the brain that controls the memory, language, and speech of a person. Early symptoms include forgetting things that just happened, and the symptoms will get worse as time passes by. For instance, people with this disorder may forget their loved ones and may have difficulty writing and reading.

They may not know how to do their mundane routines such as brushing their teeth and combing their hair. In the end, this disease will lead to severe and serious loss of mental function because of the breaking down and death of the brain neurons. This is a form of dementia that affects usually people 65 years of age and older. There are approximately five million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s, and according to surveys, this disease ranks number seven when it comes to the leading causes of death in the United States.

The cure for Alzheimer’s has yet to be discovered, but there are treatments and medications that will enable to control, minimize, and slow down its advancement. Medicines for depression and hallucination that may occur as a result of the deterrence of an individual’s mental faculties are also made available. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four types of drugs that will help regulate the signs and delay its progression as much as possible. People with Alzheimer’s suffer from a deficiency of acetylcholine, which is a chemical involved in the communication of nerve cells.

Cholinesterase is an inhibitor which functions to slow down the breakdown and destruction acetylcholine. It also produces more of these chemicals for cellular communication. Regular treatment will slow down the process impairment of a person’s cognitive functions, and this is proven effective for individuals who have early symptoms of this disease. BIBLIOGRAPHY American Health Assistance Foundation. “Common Alzheimer’s Treatments. Alzheimer’s Disease Research. 2009. http://www. ahaf. org/alzheimers/treatment/common/ (accessed July 31, 2009).

Alzheimer’s Association. “What is Alzheimer’s? ” Alzheimer’s Association. 2009. http://www. alz. org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers. asp (accessed (July 31, 2009). National Institute on Aging. “Alzheimer’s Disease. ” Medline Plus. July 31, 2009. http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease. html (accessed July 31, 2009). “What is Alzheimer’s Disease? ”. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 2009. http://www. ninds. nih. gov/disorders/alzheimersdisease/alzheimersdisease. htm (accessed July 31, 2009)