Essay about Alzheimer’s Disease - 1526 Words

It is said that memory declines as people age, and this can be just a natural part of life. However, in many cases as people grow older, they develop a mental disorder known as Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a disease that causes problems with memory, thinking, and overall behavior, and progressively becomes a bigger problem. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and is a very common disease in people over the age of 65. This terminal disease puts tremendous stress on the victim and the victim’s family. A cure for Alzheimer’s has yet to be discovered; however, through healthy and constant use of the brain and the aid of certain drug treatments, Alzheimer’s disease can be both naturally and medically prevented. In 1906, a†¦show more content†¦They lose the ability to think rationally and judgmentally, and this is why the disease becomes so awful. Family members have to dedicate their lives to care for the patient, whe n in many cases the patient cannot even remember the name of the person caring for them or what they are doing. The patients themselves are in immediate danger of using poor judgment, and for example, not putting shoes on and going out in the snow or other actions that may prove harmful to them. This disease can be very destructive to the families that deal with it. So what actually causes Alzheimer’s disease? Scientists have deemed that the disease may be genetic. People who have a parent or sibling that had Alzheimer’s can be two to three times more likely to develop it than those with a clean family history. Two kinds of genes have been discovered that are definitive risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. One called Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), increases the probability of developing Alzheimer’s. Scientists have also discovered a very rare gene called a â€Å"deterministic gene† that will undoubtedly lead to the development of Alzheimer’s dise ase, but it is only found in a few hundred families throughout the entire world. ApoE is only a risk gene, so many people that possess this gene, will not definitely develop Alzheimer’s disease. So other risk factors for developing the disease can come from other health problems. Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol can damageShow MoreRelatedAlzheimers Disease945 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive neurological disease; it often attacks the brain tissues causing memory loss of one’s identity and regular behaviors. Statistics indicates that the rate of predicted people to get Alzheimer’s will increase briskly as time goes on. 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