Alzheimer Disease
By: Mikki • Essay • 1,017 Words • February 20, 2010 • 1,178 Views
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In 1901, Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist, identified the first case of what became known as Alzheimer's disease, he studied his patient who within five years of study died from it, that is when the disease was announced publicly. The Alzheimer’s disease was only linked to those of a certain age about 45-65 and only later was it discovered that the disease itself could be linked to all ages. Eventually, the term Alzheimer's disease was formally adopted in medical nomenclature to describe individuals of all ages with the characteristic common symptom pattern, disease course, and neuropathology.
There is no particular cause that would cause the disease, at least not to this day. There are several believes of how this disease might manifest itself. That is aluminum contamination, viruses such as herpes simplex I virus (HSV1), head trauma as well as defective DNA repair. In familial-inherited AD, genetic defects identified include mutations on Chromosomes 14 (in gene coding for Presenilins),[5] 19 (in gene coding for Apo E),[6] 21 (in gene coding for the Amyloid precursor protein or APP)[7] APP and Presenillin proteins in particular are associated with early-onset AD which forms about 5% of total Alzheimer's cases.
The fist symptoms of Alzheimer disease start with as simple as forgetting what you had for lunch last weak to a point where everything around you becomes unknown and you feel disoriented and completely lost. This would probably be one of the last stages of the disease where people spent a lot of time going back and forth, one minute you would remember everything that’s ever happened and the next minute it is gone and you would not even remember your own name.
The pros about this research is the hope and believe that one day there will be a cure for this Alzheimer’s; hopefully very soon. The hope that people are going to be that advanced in genetic research that it would open doors to other genetic ideas and solution to more than just Alzheimer’s.
The new research has given hope to those with Alzheimer’s and their families. Researchers are trying to find a way to get rid of the one protein buildup called amyloid plaque. Things like caffeine and smoking marihuana have been linked to improving Alzheimer’s disease, there are components of marihuana that get rid of the amyloid plaque which is one of the biggest links to the disease. Studies also show that a lot of diabetes medicine can help with the disease and it might be linked to it as well. Scientist are very hopeful in this case.
They have also gotten the idea from statins which are given to those who have high cholesterol. What that does is stop the fat from entering any blood vassals that will block the flow of blood and cause heart problems. They have found a way to get rid of the amyloid plaque and therefore a possibility to get rid of Alzheimer’s, since the disease has also been associated with the blood from to and through the brain. In a way scientist are trying to detoxify the brain from the amyloid plaque. This is an amazing step towards the cure, if this is possible; just think what else you would be able to do. What other genetic cures and transformation are going to come your way, the possibilities will soon be endless; one by one you can encounter them all.
There is only one problem with that; the actual testing. There is no guarantee that any of the things being tested would work, people are being used as lab rats because who else will test the product but those with the disease. You have to ask yourself if you