Alzheimers Disease essays

Alzheimer's Disease essays Dementia is a certain brain disorder that affects a persons ability to do daily routine activities. Alzheimers disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia that affects the senior minority in the U.S. It involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. The cause of AD is unknown and currently there is no cure; however scientists learn new things everyday, hoping to put an end to this horrible disease. Scientists do not yet fully understand what causes AD. Studies show that there is probably not just one factor, but multiple factors put together that cause this disease. Age is the most important known risk factor for AD. The number of people with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65. Family history is another risk factor. Scientists believe that genetics may play a role in many AD cases. AD is a very gradual disease and you may not know it at first, therefore it is extremely dangerous. The first symptoms might be mild forgetfulness. People with AD may have trouble remembering recent events, activities, or the names of familiar people or things. Simple math problems may become hard to solve. AD may stop here, but most cases show of AD getting serious; enough for medical attention. When a patient develops a later stage of AD they may forget to do the simplest of tasks such as: brushing their teeth, or combing their hair. Eventually the patient will need 24 hour watch and care. AD is a slow disease that can result in severe brain damage. No treatment can stop AD. However, for some people in the early and middle stages of the disease, the drugs tacrine (Cognex), donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), or galantamine (Reminyl) may help prevent some symptoms from becoming worse for a limited time. As you can see Alzheimers disease is extremely dangerous. Treatment is limited and so is time therefore if you know anyone who shows symptoms of this d ...