Living With Alzheimer's Research Paper

1630 Words7 Pages
Living with Alzheimer’s When you hear the word Alzheimer’s what comes to your mind? Most of us see Alzheimer’s as a simple memory loss disease that elderly people get, however it is much more than that. It affects many people in numerous ways that we all should become aware of. It is an epidemic that is silently sweeping across our nation taking lives daily and tearing families apart. For Orangeburg County, Alzheimer’s is killing many elderly people due to genetics and age because people are not aware of the causes, symptoms, treatments, and preventions, they do not know how to function with it and do not know the effects it has on your body, and family members do not get the help or support that they need. Educating yourself on…show more content…
Alzheimer's disease, a type of Dementia, is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain's nerve cells, or neurons’, resulting in loss of memory, thinking and language skills, and behavioral changes. Alzheimer’s disease is ultimately fatal. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 80,000 people were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in South Carolina in 2010. Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report, states that 1,492 people died in South Carolina due to Alzheimer’s in 2008 (2012). Checking for early detection can never hurt anyone. People are being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s too late and miss opportunities for the best possible help. First, you must be aware of your family’s medical history. Scientists know that genes are involved in Alzheimer’s. These two genes are risk genes and deterministic genes. Risk genes increase the likelihood of developing a disease, but do not guarantee it will happen. Deterministic genes directly cause a disease, guaranteeing that anyone who inherits them will develop the disorder. Genetic testing is available for anyone who wants to know there likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s or any other Dementia disease. Although genetics play a major role in developing Alzheimer’s, advancing…show more content…
As I have stated before, Alzheimer’s is most common in people ages 65 and older. Scientists are still trying to figure out why your risk increases with age. Race also plays a role in having Alzheimer’s. African Americans 71 years and older are twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s than Caucasians in the same age group. There are 7 stages of Alzheimer’s and life expectancy can vary. Some people will argue that there cannot be a set life expectancy due to diagnosis. Medical Doctor, Eric B. Larson said that “On average, patients with AD live for 8 to 10 years after they are diagnosed. However, some people live as long as 20 years” (2007). Regardless of age or race, Alzheimer’s affects many people in the same ways that make it hard to function on a daily basis. The main thing that is affected due to Alzheimer’s is your brain. We all know that the brain is the most complex and powerful organ in our bodies. An adult brain contains about 100 billion neurons. Neurons are the chief type of cell destroyed by Alzheimer’s. Signals that form memories and thoughts move through nerve cells as tiny electrical charges. Alzheimer’s disrupts the way that electrical charges travel through these nerves and because of this, memory and the thought process is damaged. Alzheimer’s leads to nerve cell death and tissue loss inside the

More about Living With Alzheimer's Research Paper

Open Document