Research Paper On Alzheimer's

Professor Brenda Anderson
Developmental Psychology
26 November 2012
Alzheimer’s – A Growing Risk In today’s world the aging society has a new problem to face. In addition to retirement, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and many other issues, Alzheimer’s disease is becoming the biggest issue when entering late adulthood. Alzheimer’s, unlike other diseases and illnesses, has no cure and there aren’t many measures that are proven to prevent it. The issue of Alzheimer’s demands more attention and awareness because the majority of people will soon be entering the late adulthood stage of their life where they will most likely fall victim to Alzheimer’s disease. The history of Alzheimer’s disease begins with a German psychiatrist named Alois
Alzheimer. He was the first to describe it in 1906 and named the disease after himself. Alois discovered the disease in a fifty year old woman. After her death, Alois publicized on the disease and named it after himself. There were similar cases that were reported in medical literature during that time period as well (Alzheimer’s). Alzheimer’s disease is defined by the National Library of Medicine as a type of dementia that eventually worsens over the course of time. It is a loss of brain function that negatively impacts a person’s short term and long term memory, their behavior, and the way they think. The victims of Alzheimer’s disease are people that are fifty years and older, although people younger than fifty may get it as well. There is also proven scientific evidence of a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease; if an individual’s parent had Alzheimer’s, they will most likely get it too. Statistics show that females are at a higher risk for getting Alzheimer’s and people with high blood pressure are also at a greater risk (Board). Despite knowing the risks, scientists are still unable to narrow down what exactly causes people to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Doctors believe in two prominent theories for what causes Alzheimer’s disease – plaques and tangles. In the plaque theory, a protein known as beta-amyloid clumps up and destroys brain cells. Scientists can physically see the clumps of protein in brain scans from people that have Alzheimer’s. The clumps of protein interfere with cell to cell communication. Tangles, the second cause, occurs when the protein, tau, twists around in abnormal tangles. When the tau isn’t twisted, the brain is able to communicate and carry nutrients throughout the tau extensions. When the twisting occurs, the brain is unable to do so, leading to a decline and death of brain cells (“Causes”). Spotting the initial symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease may be a challenge because it is forgetfulness and mild confusion that normal people experience occasionally.
Unlike normal forgetfulness and confusion, these symptoms gradually get worse over time. People that develop Alzheimer’s not only have problems remembering things, but they may be unable to write, their judgment may be impacted, and they will not be able to do logical problem solving. The memory is impacted by forgetting important appointments, misplacing items by leaving them in illogical locations, and forgetting the names of close family members or the names of objects that they use on a day to day basis. They may also forget who they are or when their birthday is. It is hard for people with Alzheimer’s to express how they feel with words, making writing nearly impossible to do once the disease takes hold. People that are normally happy and social beings may become depressed, develop anxiety and mood swings, paranoia, socially withdrawn, and their sleep patterns may also be affected
(Staff). While there is no sure way to prevent Alzheimer’s, there are many positive steps people can take to increase their quality of overall health and possibly reduce their risk to getting Alzheimer’s. The director of the Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Reisa Sperling, believes that preventing Alzheimer’s means “the brain active mentally, the body active physically, and staying active socially,”. People can challenge their brains by regularly doing puzzles and reading. In a study conducted by the Archives of Neurology, scientists found that people who normally did crosswords and read the newspaper daily were less likely to get Alzheimer’s. Eating a well-balanced diet is not only healthy, but may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. The brain requires the right amount of nutrients in order to work properly. Eating foods that are low in cholesterol and fat will also reduce the risk for developing diabetes. Adults who were obese were more likely to develop types of dementia later in life than those who were of healthy weight. The last part of Sperling’s advice is the most important, social involvement. Adults that are socially active are more likely to be encouraged to eat healthy and exercise when their friends are doing it too. Social interaction is proven to stimulate connections between brain cells (Haupt). Preventive measures need to be taken because the current trends with Alzheimer’s are quite grim. Currently, there are 5.4 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease. If this rate continues, there will be 16 million people living with Alzheimer’s by the year 2050. Alzheimer’s is currently the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. The cost of caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease was around $200 billion for the year 2012. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in Iowa alone there was 69,000 people living with Alzheimer’s in the state of Iowa in 2010 (Latest). The issue of Alzheimer’s disease isn’t a moral issue, but it affects everyone.
Everybody in the world will get older and will eventually be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or they will have a parent, sibling, or friend who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. While many people believe it will never happen to them, their mother or father may end up being diagnosed. Between 70% to 80% of people suffering with Alzheimer’s disease are being cared for in their own homes by their spouses or children. There are many support groups out there in society that help aid people that are caregivers for those who have Alzheimer’s disease. It is often very difficult to provide care for someone with Alzheimer’s and a social network of support is necessary. In addition to being afflicted with the disease, Alzheimer’s comes with a great cost to society. Many of the people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are elderly and end up in nursing homes that they can’t pay for by themselves. They end up on social welfare programs that provide for their care at the cost to the rest of society
(Brown). Because society is rapidly aging it is important to face the facts about Alzheimer’s before everyone reaches the late adulthood stage. Preventive measures such as healthy diet and exercise, being social, and doing brain stimulating activities will also decrease the chance of Alzheimer’s. If someone is suffering from the disease, reach out and support them so they don’t feel alone. With the proper care, support, and medical research, society may one day be able to end Alzheimer’s disease.

Works Cited
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Board, A.D.A.M. Editorial. "Alzheimer 's Disease." Alzheimer 's Disease. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Nov. 0000. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001767/>.
Brown, T., and D. M. Kleist. "Alzheimer 's Disease and the Family: Current Research." The Family Journal 7.1 (1999): 54-57. Sage. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
Haupt, Angela. "Stay Active, Eat Well, and Socialize." U.S. News Digital Weekly 4.16 (2012): n. pag. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
"Latest Facts & Figures Report Alzheimer 's Association." Latest Facts & Figures Report | Alzheimer 's Association. Alzheimer 's Association, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_facts_and_figures.asp>.
Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Causes." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-disease/DS00161/DSECTION=causes>.
Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Symptoms." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 18 Jan. 2011. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimersdisease/DS00161/DSECTION=symptoms