Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease attacks the brain with gradual memory loss and difficulties with language and emotions. About 5-6% of US population has AD or related dementia (4 million people). AD ranks fourth in the cause of death among adults as about 100,000 people die per year as a result. It is a progressive disease of the brain which cause thinking and memory to malfunction. It is the most common form of dementia which symptoms are loss of memory, judgment and reasoning and changes in mood, behavior and communication. The basic symptom of AD is memory loss, especially of recent and new information. Alzheimer’s disease was identified by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1906 who described the two hallmarks of the disease : “plaques” and “tangles”. He also found out that when brain cell degenerate and die, the some regions of the brain shrink. AD affects different areas of the brain causing various abilities to shut down. Plaques are composed of protein called beta-amyloid. Proteins are vital in body but as one age, there are too much formation of these molecules that accumulate in the brain. Plaques cause nerve deaths. Hippocampus and medial temporal lobe in the brain are first to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease. 

The video, “The Forgetting”, explained the realistic social affects of the Alzheimer’s Disease. There were few clips of different people who had Alzheimer’s Disease. I could see the suffering of the patient and the loved ones who had to watch their friend or family slowly die. It’s very depressing because the loved ones not only have to watch the patient die but gradually lose their everyday life abilities. They also have to watch them forget and lose themselves. I was sad after watching the video because memory loss didn’t only affect the person with AD but friends and families around them. The person can also not be able to recognize friends or families. Personality change as one lose their identity. This was the saddest part because losing what you are is tragic.