Alzheimer's Research Paper

Alzheimer’s Disease affects millions of people every single day, whether that be the patient, family and even friends. Alzheimer’s has shown to be a complex illness that is still being thoroughly studied as many are still trying to find a cure by various procedures. This disease directly affects the brain tissue and withstands gradual memory and behavioral changes over time, which can make it difficult to diagnose. It is known to be the most common form of dementia and has so far proven to be irreversible to all that have had this disease. Over four million older Americans have Alzheimer’s, it is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States today (website). There is still no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, but over …show more content…
In order to maintain mental functioning several medications have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Some of the drugs consist of Donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine. These medications are used to only treat mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. To treat moderate to severe Alzheimer’s the medication Memantine is used. These drugs have proven work by regulating neurotransmitters where the chemicals transmit messages between neurons. They can help maintain thinking, memory, and communication skills, and even help with certain behavioral problems. However, these drugs are not a cure and don’t change the underlying disease process. They are effective for some but not everyone, and they may only help for a limited …show more content…
Moderate is when the disease progresses and people experience greater memory loss and many other cognitive difficulties, most people are diagnosed in this first stage. Problems can include wandering and getting lost, trouble handling money and paying bills, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, and behavioral changes. Next is moderate, throughout this stage damage occurs in areas of the brain that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and conscious thought. Memory loss and confusion have shown to grow worse in this stage, and patients begin having problems recognizing family and friends. Most have shown to be unable to learn new information, carry out multistep tasks such as getting dressed, or even be able to cope with new situations. In addition, people in this stage may have hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia and may behave impulsively. Then there is the severe stage where plaques and tangles spread all throughout the brain, and brain tissue shrinks significantly. People with severe Alzheimer’s cannot communicate with others adequately and are completely dependent on others for their care. Near the end, the person may be in bed most or all the time as the body continues shutting

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Alzheimer's Disease Research Paper