Memory and Amnesia Paper: A Look at Alzheimer's Disease

Memory and Amnesia Paper: A Look At Alzheimer's Disease

June 27, 2010

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative brain disease which impacts the memory and cognitive regions of the brain. The most prevalent symptom is evidenced by dementia which can be a characteristic of other diseases or disorders. Because of this, Alzheimer's is often misdiagnosed leaving individuals without knowledge that they have the disease until well after its onset. Currently there is no cure for this debilitating disease. Early detection is an important factor in reducing the affects caused by the disease. Continued research is needed in this arena, as the estimates for those afflicted continue to rise over the course of this next generation.

Memory and amnesia: A look at Alzheimer's Disease

Why the concern about Alzheimer's now? One of our more celebrated Americans, Ronald Reagan, was struck down by this horrendous disease in 2004. The effects that this brain disease had on President Reagan's memory are prominent, but the disease continued on affecting the President's cognitive abilities as well. These effects were extremely debilitating (Wood, 2009) and incurable. Usually when a little known disease is brought forth through the life of a prominent citizen more information is revealed about the disorder. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive deteriorating disease which affects the patient's memory; it is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer a German doctor who first detected brain damage associated with this disease (National, 2010). Prior to the 1990's individuals had little recourse to the actions of the disease (McCance, 1998). Alzheimer is the most common cause of dementia in the United States; current estimations run at 5 million citizens are afflicted with the disease (Centers, 2010). Dementia itself is characterized by impairment of memory, impairment of reasoning, language, and perception, eventual severity causes declines in the patient's ability to function in society (Wood, 2008; Pinel, 2009).

Although research has found that memory loss is a normal part of aging, the rate and severity with which Alzheimer's patients attain their dementia requires further research. Some researchers believe that this debilitating brain disease results from an increase in production of a particular protein in the brain leading to the death of nerve cells (McCance, 1998; Pinel, 2009). As the United States continues to age the concern over Alzheimer's disease will continue to rise. Individuals currently over the age of 70 are largely at risk, with higher percentages afflicting those even more elderly (Centers, 2010; National, 2010). This is not to say that it requires individuals to panic. The disease does not necessarily strike simply because one is over the age of 70; it is only to say that as the longevity of persons increases then the likelihood of being inflicted with the disease increases (Ramakers, 2010). Current research is being sought for early detection in order to apply early intervention methods to reduce the effects of the disease, as well as genetic research which seeks to identify a particular 'Alzheimer's gene' (National, 2010). Hope is provided as three gene mutations influencing the synthesis of amyloid protein are currently under investigation for early onset cases (Pinel, 2009).

While looking at the disease one needs to simply note that those at risk are the elderly. Until a cure can be achieved, or a probable cause can be named then all are at risk. Currently as the population ages, the number of cases of Alzheimer's disease also increases. Today, five to ten percent of people over 65 years of age and thirty five percent of those over 85 years of age have Alzheimer's disease (Centers, 2010). Without new treatments or an over all cure for this disease, statisticians anticipate those numbers to climb anywhere from 6 to 14 million people by 2040 (Wood, 2009). Even as stated the likelihood of developing the disease occurs after the age of 70, however, in rare instances an individual may acquire the disease before the age of 50 (2% to 5%) (National, 2010). It is very possible that the majority of the early onset cases inherited some type of gene mutation associated with Alzheimer's disease. This type of Alzheimer can easily be passed on to the child. Children of early onset patients are 50% more at risk than other individuals. Genetic risk then can be viewed through the possibility of mutations on "three chromosomes 14, 19, and 21and even possibly on another not yet mapped" (McCance, 1998, p. 487). Other risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels, and heart disease (National, 2010).

Individuals may have the early onset of Alzheimer's disease yet not know it. Some of the more obvious signs are memory loss and difficulty performing every day tasks. For instance an aunt with Alzheimer's may constantly misplace things. This may be common for many individuals; however, in some people, misplacing and forgetting where something has been placed has never been a problem. As this occurrence becomes a new happening rather than a seldom occurrence then one may take pause for concern and consult a physician, neurologist, or psychiatrist. Disorientation of time and place as well as increasingly poor judgment on daily tasks may become readily apparent. All these are early symptoms that family members may become aware of and often times attribute to old age (California, 2008). Unfortunately, this misconception prevents patients from receiving the early diagnosis necessary to counter the disease with early interventions which have been formulated to assist the individual. One such intervention is the use of a pharmacological agent, memantine, the first FDA approved drug treatment for the disease (California, 2008). Mild cognitive impairment is a condition that makes individuals at risk for dementia, but as to leading to Alzheimer's, Buracchio and Kaye (2009) state that results vary from anywhere between "2% to 31%" (p. 18). Again further evidence that more research is necessary on this debilitating disease.

Early diagnosis of the dementia is important in order to utilize effective treatments to slow down the effects of Alzheimer's disease (Buracchio, 2009; Jungwirth, 2009). Individuals who exhibit several of these symptoms should see a physician for a complete evaluation as the ability to remember