Alzheimer’s Disease Research Paper Psychology is an applied as well as an academic field that studies both the human mind and behavior. The research in psychology attempts to explain and understand behavior, emotion and thought. The subject of psychology was created when Wilhelm Wundt opened up the very first psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany. Wilhelm Wundt believed that individuals who are appropriately trained would most likely be able to recognize the mental processes that are accompanied with feelings, thoughts and sensations (Wagner , 2009). Although psychology is a very broad topic, there are many sub-topics that make up what psychology is and it’s contents. Some of those sub-topics include abnormal psychology, …show more content…
Although some kinds of memory loss are very normal in the aging process, the changes that are caused by aging are not that extreme enough to conflict with it. A number of certain diseases and conditions can cause dementia. These conditions and diseases consist of Parkinson’s disease, strokes, brain tumors, blood clots and Multiple Sclerosis, but the most common disease to cause this is Alzheimer’s disease (Crystal, 2009). Alzheimer’s disease is a very slowly progressive disease that occurs inside the brain in which is characterized by damage of memory. Also this type of disease can lead into interruption in language, problem solving, planning and perception. The chance of a person developing Alzheimer’s disease increases enormously after the age of 70 (Crystal, 2009). Also people who are over the age of 85 have over a 50 percent chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This type of disease is not at all normal in the aging process and is also not something that happens out of no where in a person’s life. For people developing Alzheimer’s disease, there is no actual test to diagnose a person with it. Doctors will diagnose a person with Alzheimer’s disease when they have a severe cognitive decline that will meet the standards of dementia, dementia is very consistent that it will turn in to Alzheimer’s disease and that no other
There is no specific test for Alzheimer's disease. The doctor will have to decide if your symptoms are caused by Alzheimer. However, the doctor will perform a physical and neurological exam. Which tests your reflexes, muscle tone and strength, ability to perform an everyday action, sense of sight and hearing, coordination, and balance. Other exams are lab test, mental status, and brain imaging.
Diagnosing Alzheimer’s may not always be easy for physicians since there are many diseases and disorders that closely relate to Alzheimer’s. Physicians and specialists can diagnose Alzheimer’s by asking the family questions about past health, conducting memory and problem solving tests, and performing a Computed Tomography (CT), a Positron Emission Tomography (PET Scan) or a Magnetic Resonance Imaging test (MRI). Conditions that are related to Alzheimer’s include dementia, psychosis, Parkinson’s, major depression, and insomnia. Since Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, there are many changes that occur in the brain. Abnormal deposits of proteins form plaques and tangles throughout the brain. Once the healthy neurons stop functioning, they lose connections with other neurons and eventually die. The damage mostly appears in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is essential for forming memories. There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s but medications can improve symptoms. Cognition-enhancing medications are used to improve mental function and balance
There is no test that is a grantee to determine if you have Dementia. Doctors first test for Alzheimer’s and other common dementia on a family medical history, a physical examination among other things but it’s incredibility difficult to tell what kind of Dementia your looking at, which is why it’s common for doctors to diagnose you with “Dementia” but not a specific type.
There is a one percent of adults at the age of 60 that have been diagnosed with dementia. Patients being diagnosed for dementia but be seen by a doctor and receive a physical exam This exam will include blood and urine samples, chest x-ray, brain scanning, electroencephalogram, and spinal fluid analysis by lumbar puncture procedure,
Once the tests are completed, the diagnosis is then made by a process of elimination of other diseases that may have some of the same symptoms as Alzheimer’s disease (Glass, 2009).
One of the most common forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder which impacts activities of daily living through cognitive changes and memory loss. This is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease which is characterized by language deterioration, poor judgment, confusion, restlessness, mood swings, memory loss, and the inability to mentally manipulate visual information. The onset of Alzheimer’s disease generally begins around the mid-60s, but early signs may occur as early as in the early 40s. Some initial symptoms appear as memory decline, but as the illness progresses it starts to destroy cognition, personality, and the individual’s ability to function, along with restlessness and confusion. The severity, type, sequence,
Many tests are involved in diagnosis, and even then, the tests are designed more to rule out other possible diseases. Doctors will look at your medical history, including illnesses you have had before, your medications, and if any family members have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Next, a psychical test will be performed; this consists of questions about your diet and use of alcohol, your temperature, pulse, and blood pressure will be recorded, your heart and lungs will be listened to, and, if necessary, blood and urine tests will be performed. The neurological test will assess reflexes, muscle tone, overall strength, coordination, speech, sensation, and coordination. Mental status tests, such as MMSE or the mini-cog, are fashioned to test a spectrum of everyday mental skills. Brain imaging, such as a MRI or CT, are also sometimes used to rule out other causes of Alzheimer-like
Alzheimer’s disease, one type of dementia, is a degenerative disorder of the brain that is slowly progressive. Eventually this disease will result in abnormal brain function that will lead to death. Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of the aging process; symptoms lead to a loss of mental abilities and skills, including the ability of taking care of themselves. Though it is very rare, some people do develop this disease as young as the age of forty. However, the most common age to develop this disease is over the age of sixty-five. Although changes in the brain are similar in different people, the psychological and behavioral symptoms that present may differ from person to person.
I will begin by explaining the difference between Dementia and Alzheimer 's disease. Dementia is not a disease, it is a term used to describe Neurological conditions that involves some form of serious mental disorder such as memory loss, confusion, and impaired judgment. Alzheimer 's is an actual disease, which is a form of Dementia and the most common type of Dementia; it is accountable for 60% - 80% of all cases of Dementia. Dementia has been around for many years dating back to the 1900 's. Dementia refers to a group of symptoms that can be caused by many different brain disorders. It is characterized as an impaired functioning that can affects a person’s daily life. Dementia can include memory loss, language difficulty, impaired
Alzheimer's disease is a brain deteriorating disease. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. Dementia is a term used to categorize memory loss and other intellectual abilities that affect the quality of life. There is no true reason why people acquire Alzheimer's but there are many things that can lead a patient to contract it. Alzheimer's disease may occur when there is a loss of neurons and when beta plaques form on the outside of neurons. This can interfere with the commutation of neurons which give the brain ability to coordinate with the human body. Scientists believe that people with Alzheimer's disease have acquired the disease from a combination of their genes, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain over
It is estimated that between 4.5 and 5.4 million Americans are affected by Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) (Vanmeter. P. 376). AD is a progressive disease that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Changes with Alzheimer’s Disease are degenerative and results in gross atrophy of the cerebral cortex. The disease destroys brain cells which causes two types of abnormalities; neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques (orange book p. 212). Neurofibrillary tangles cause death of neurons, which contributes to the development of dementia. Amyloid plaque disrupts transmission of nerve impulses. It is not clear if the plaque causes AD or a by-product of the AD process causes it. (212 orange).
Everyone has occasional moment when we can’t seem to remember something.It’s a normal things in life to forget and lose track of stuff. For example, not remember where we placed our key or forget the name of someone we met before. But some memory loss are more serious than we think. The one that associated with Alzheimer’s Disease are persistent and worsen over time, affecting your daily routines and life. Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting more than five million Americans. Alzheimer's also ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. It causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. The main symptoms of alzheimer's are memory loss and confusion, it develop slowly and worsen over time.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, irreversible brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out daily tasks. For most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear in their mid-60s.
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative brain process that develops slowly over time. It is also known as senile dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is most widely thought to be caused by an increase in the production or accumulation of a specific protein (beta-amyloid protein) that leads to nerve cell death. This disease is thought to be inherited, though it does not mean that because either parent has it that the child will automatically have it. There is also a correlation that persons with limited formal education – less than eight years – are at an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease doubles every 5.5 years from age 65 to 85. The onset of Alzheimer’s disease can occur as early as 45 years
Alzheimer’s disease is known for “ robbing the patient's state of awareness” which happens in the older years (Willet 8). As life expectancy has increased, the disease primarily affects one in five people aged 75 to 84 which might seem like a small percentage but the number of cases has doubled over the past decade. Alzheimer’s is difficult to diagnose because there is no test to confirm whether the patient has the disease or not. Although plaque is the most dangerous type of the disease, dementia is a side effect that causes the patient to appear to be in a normal state of mind but it is more likely that a stroke or any other type of brain injury will occur that will cause death.Most people believe that the cause of death for someone over