Alzheimer's Disease

Essay # 60326

Aging > Gerontology
Psychology > Disorders

Alzheimer's Disease

This paper discusses Alzheimer's disease and dementias, neurological disorders involving problems with memory and thinking, which affect emotional, social and physical functioning.

1,005 words () | 2 sources | MLA | 2005 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Alzheimer's and other dementia characterized by gradual deterioration of memory and personality, is not part of the normal aging process and is marked by plaques of B-amyloid protein and tangles in the brain. The author points out that Alzheimer's is more likely to occur during the later years; but, when Alzheimer's disease begins in middle-age, it usually progresses quickly, reaching the last phase within 3-5 years. The paper relates that Alzheimer's disease progresses through a series of five developmental stages characterized progressively by absentmindedness, confusion, severe memory loss, need for full time care and, finally, complete withdrawal emotionally and physically leading to death.

From the Paper:

"People with Alzheimer's disease are unable to care for themselves and to communicate their needs. They become very confused when it comes to the most simple activities and often alienate their family members because they accuse them of stealing the possessions that they have misplaced due to their inability to remember where they put them last. Eating becomes a problem because the person may eat multiple meals or forgot to eat entirely. Therefore, their meals need to be supervised. The personality that dominated during earlier life is likely to become more dominant at this time. Therefore, they are capable of having angry outbursts and/or becoming very dependent and clingy to others. Depression is also common in this population. Researchers are still struggling to find out the causes of Alzheimer's disease and there is always the hope that a cure is not far away. There has been some evidence for genetic factors involved in Alzheimer's disease; however, this does not apply to all cases."