Description Of Alzheimer s Disease - 1273 Words

Description: Alzheimer’s disease is a disease that attacks the brain’s neurons resulting in loss of memory, skills, and normal behaviors. The affected neurons produce the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. However, when affected by the disease, acetylcholine connections break and kill the cells. The location of the dying neurons correspond with the symptoms that appear. The most obvious example of this would be the dying of neurons in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for short term memory. Once the neurons inside the hippocampus die, a patient with Alzheimer’s will not be able to make new memories. Along with the dying of neurons, another cause can be plaque and tangles in the brain. Beta-Amyloid plaque†¦show more content†¦Failure to remember newly learned information is one of the first symptoms. This happens because the part of the brain that controls learning is affected. As the symptoms continue to progress, a pat ient with this disease may experience disorientation, serious memory loss, mood and behavior changes, confusion about places, people, events or time, difficulty walking, swallowing, and possibly speaking. There are many warning signs that could indicate this disease is becoming active in your life. Some warning signs include: memory loss that disrupts daily life, challenges in planning or solving problems, difficulty completing familiar tasks, confusion with time or place, new problems with words or speaking, misplacing things, poor judgement, and changes in mood or personality. There are three main stages of the disease: mild (early onset), moderate, and severe. A person with mild Alzheimer’s can still function independently. They may still do most of the things they do everyday such as drive, participate in activities, and go to work. However, they will have slight temporary memory loss of everyday items and locations. Doctors, families, and friends can tell that the patient is having difficulty remembering or saying things that they would normally remember easily. Moderate Alzheimer’s is the next stage, this stage can last for many years and require more care. The neurons in