What is Alzheimer's Disease?

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What is Alzheimer's Disease? Alzheimer's Disease is an existential form of Dementia. Alzheimer's is a gradually crippling disease that affects an individual’s mental and physical capabilities over time. The disease develops predominantly within aged individuals. It is unknown as to what factors contribute to the etiology, or cause, of Alzheimer's Disease. In order to better understand Alzheimer's Disease, medical research and theories have helped shed a light as to how Alzheimer's occurs. By understanding what events lead to the cause of the disease, a specific treatment can then be developed that can hopefully stop or even reverse this debilitating disease that affects the elderly.

Alzheimer's Disease is the result of what occurs when nerve cells in the brain begin to deteriorate and die. A neuron's primary role in the brain is to communicate with other neurons, transmitting information to different regions of the brain and body. Neuron cells are also responsible for creating memories, both short-term and long-term memories. The hippocampus, which is a small area in the brain that holds a key role in the formation of memories (Mandal). As provided by Dr. Ananya Mandal, the association between the hippocampus and Alzheimer's Disease is that the neurons located in the hippocampus are suggested to be the first cells to be damaged in the way of the disease (Mandal). It is unknown at what point in time that neuron cells begin to degenerate. Nevertheless, when neurons do deteriorate within the brain, the occurrence of plaque and tangles - abnormal proteins - begin to appear as a result of a weakening in the connection between neurons. According to information gathered by Richard Mayeux, a Professor of Neurology at Columbia University ...

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... the progression of Alzheimer's Disease.

Works Cited

Alzheimer's Association. (2014). 2014 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures. Retrieved
March 23,2014, from http://www.alz.org/downloads/Facts_Figures_2013.pdf
Alzheimer's Disease International. (ADI). (n.d.). Research. Retrieved March 23, 2014, from http://www.alz.co.uk/adi-research Berger, P. (Alz. Weekly). (2013, December 4). Alzheimer's & Dementia Weekly: 7 Stages of
Alzheimer's. [Web blog post]. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://www.alzheimersweekly.com/2013/01/7-stages-of-alzheimers.html Mandal, A. (n.d.). Hippocampus - What is the Hippocampus? Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://www.news-medical.net/health/Hippocampus-What-is-the-Hippocampus.aspx
Mayeux, R. (2007, March). Alzheimer’s Disease — The Dana Guide. Retrieved
March 25, 2014, from http://www.dana.org/Publications/GuideDetails.aspx?id=49989

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