Alzheimer s Disease And How It Affects The Brain

This research paper will be about Alzheimer’s disease and how it affects the brain. It will also tell you many other things about Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease is named after the German physician Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who first discovered Alzheimer’s in 1906. It is the most common form of dementia, and it is found in around sixty to eighty percent of all cases of dementia. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disorder (physical ailment whose course in most cases is the worsening, growth, or spread of the disease), and it is characterized by large loss of nerve cells and the connection between them, along with change in personality and behavior. Its course is never ending, but pretty predictable. People who are on the upwards of sixty-five†¦show more content†¦As other areas of the brain are affected, the victim becomes more bedridden, and eventually requires total care, after a while the person becomes entirely irresponsive to the outside w orld. The causes of Alzheimer’s disease are still for the most part unknown. Scientists can’t quite pinpoint the exact causes of Alzheimer’s. But for the last twenty years the cause getting the most attention is that it is caused by an excess amount of insoluble fragments of beta-amyloid, then that leads to the loss of connection between brain cells, then eventually the death of said brain cells. (American Scientist, 44) The risk factors can increase the possibility of having Alzheimer’s, but isn’t exactly linked to cause Alzheimer’s. Age, genetics, gender, cardiovascular disease, having down syndrome, depression, immune system malfunctions, endocrine (hormonal) disorders, slow-acting viruses or bacteria, vitamin deficiencies, exposure to electromagnetic fields and accumulation of metals such as zinc, copper, iron and aluminum in the body, or previous head injuries are the risk factors. If you’re older, a female, and have had other people in your bloodline with Alzheimer’s then your chances of getting Alzheimer’s are significantly increased. The chances of getting Alzheimer’s doubles every five years after the age 65. Some research says that the chances of getting Alzheimer’s