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Experts are still trying to fully understand the cause or causes of Alzheimer's disease. In the meantime, it's helpful to understand the hallmarks of Alzheimer's -- plaques and tangles -- and the risk factors that affect a person's likelihood of developing the disease (Hill).
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a build-up of proteins in the brain. Though this cannot be measured in a living person, extensive autopsy studies have revealed this phenomenon. The build-up manifests in two ways: Plaques -- deposits of the protein accumulate in the spaces between nerve cells. Tangles -- deposits of the protein that accumulate inside of nerve cells.
Scientists are still studying how plaques and tangles are related to Alzheimer's disease. One theory is that they block nerve cells' ability to communicate with each other, making it difficult for the cells to survive (Hill).
Autopsies have shown that most people develop some plaques and tangles as they age, but people with Alzheimer's develop far more than those who do not develop the disease. Scientists still don't know why some people develop so many compared to others. However, several risk factors for Alzheimer's disease have been uncovered (Hill).
Advancing age is the number one risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease. One out of eight people over the age of 65 has Alzheimer's disease, and almost one out of every two people over the age of 85 has Alzheimer's. The probability of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's nearly doubles every five years after age 65 (Hill).
Family history is another factor. People who have a parent or sibling that developed Alzheimer's disease are two to three times more likely to develop the disease than...
If more than one close relative has been affected, the risk increases even more.
Scientists have identified two kinds of genes that are associated with this familial risk factor. The first is thought to be a "risk gene," ApoE 4, that increases the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's, but does not guarantee it. In addition to ApoE 4, scientists think there could be up to a dozen more risk genes yet to be discovered (Hill).
Prevention
When discussing the prevention of Alzheimer's, it's important to remember that there is no "vaccine" against the disease, nor is it guaranteed that prevention strategies will work. Still, scientific evidence indicates that how we live our lives really does make a difference in how likely we are to develop Alzheimer's or a related dementia. Prevention involves making healthy lifestyle choices in four areas: Diet and Nutrition, Physical Exercise, Mental Exercise, and Social Interaction (Hill).
Conclusion
While there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease and no proven treatment to slow its progression, it is possible to relieve some of the symptoms and sometimes slow progression. By managing the disease life can be easier for the patient and family.
Bibliography
Hill, Carrie. "What Causes Alzheimer's Disease?" 4 Mar 2009. about.com. 5 May 2009 .
"history." n.d. alzheimers.factsforhealth.org. 8 May 2009 .
"Living With Alzheimer's." n.d. alzheimerstreatment.org. 8 May 2009 .
Plontz, Michael. "A Brief History of Alzheimer's Disease." n.d. caregiver.com. 8 May 2009 .
Stephens, Laura. "Alzheimer's Disease ." 5 Dec 2007 . psychologytoday. 8 May 2009 .
Bibliography
Hill, Carrie. "What Causes Alzheimer's Disease?" 4 Mar 2009. about.com. 5 May 2009 <http://alzheimers.about.com/od/whatisalzheimer1/a/causes.htm>.
"history." n.d. alzheimers.factsforhealth.org. 8 May 2009
"Living With Alzheimer's." n.d. alzheimerstreatment.org. 8 May 2009
Plontz, Michael. "A Brief History of Alzheimer's Disease." n.d. caregiver.com. 8 May 2009 <http://www.caregiver.com/channels/alz/articles/a_brief_history.htm>.
Stephens, Laura. "Alzheimer's Disease ." 5 Dec 2007 . psychologytoday. 8 May 2009 <http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/alzheimers.html#Symptoms>.
Disorders of the Brain Alzheimer disease This is a progressive disease that damages nerve cells (neurons ) in parts of the brain that are involved in learning, memory, reasoning and language.as the disease progresses, there is a communication breakdown among the neurons.in the early stages of the disorder short-term memory starts failing .with time functions like language, long-term memory and judgment gradually decline. This disorder is a very common cause of dementia
Some treatments may actually help with the disease. Diets and dietary supplements Eating vegetables like broccoli and spinach may help older women [and probably men] retain some memory abilities later on, while avoiding obesity in middle age lowers the risk of later Alzheimer's disease in both sexes, new studies suggest." The effect of the vegetables probably comes from the antioxidants and B. vitamins they contain (Ritter, 2004). Herbal remedies and other dietary
What is worth noting here is the fact that behavior disturbances, ranging in severity from repeated questioning to physical violence, are common (National Institute of Mental Health, 1989). It is unclear whether Alzheimer's disease represents a single entity or several variants. Some experts believe that there are distinct subtypes of Alzheimer's disease, such as Lewy body disease (in which the signs of Parkinson's disease, visual hallucinations or alterations in alertness
In fact, many researchers believed that free radicals, produced when the body burns oxygen to produce energy consumed in food, may be at cause. Free radicals are believed to damage brain cells by taking electrons away from the body's healthy molecules to balance themselves. A few 'free radicals' is not a problem. IF there are too many free radicals, the 'oxidative damage' affects the brain causing AD symptoms (Healing with Nutrition
2013: 1483). It notes that although genetic markers "are known for individuals of European ancestry, but whether the same or different variants account for the genetic risk of Alzheimer disease in African-American individuals" was unknown before the study (Reitz et al. 2013: 1483). In contrast, the Kolata piece seemed to suggest that the association was very much a 'known' quantity, even though it had not yet been directly proven.
) Researcher believe that when Alzheimer's begins to attack, it hits the "factory" of cell groups that otherwise are functioning perfectly. There are breakdowns in the communications that the cell groups hitherto provided, and although scientists don't know precisely where the attack is first launched by Alzheimer's, but they do understand that "as the damage spreads, cells lose their ability to do their jobs and, eventually die, causing irreversible changes