I used to think Alzheimer's disease was something that only
happened to people who suffered a stroke or to people that had that gene in
their family. I never thought it could just happen to anyone. But it can.
Alzheimer’s disease can happen to anyone. About half of all patients with
late-onset Alzheimer’s disease have no known relatives with the disease. This
fact to me is frightening to say the least. I can’t imagine myself going
through such troubling and debilitating symptoms. My grandmother has Alzheimer’s
disease and I’m not saying this to gain sympathy but to show a real life
example. It’s been more than difficult these past 7 years to deal with
something as tragic as this. From forgetting simple words or stumbling over a
few, to loosing motor functioning in both her legs and arms, to not having any
recollection of a simple birthday party. It’s a constant struggle to help her
walk or to even have a regular conversation with her, which has more than
become impossible in the past 2 years. A protein called amyloid-b that
accumulates both inside and outside neurons causes this disease. The net effect
is to damage dendritic spines, decrease synaptic input, and decrease
plasticity. As amyloid-b damages axons and dendrites, the damaged structures
cluster into structures called plaques. As these plaques accumulate, the
cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and other areas waste away. Another protein
called tau separates from microtubules and clumps together to form tangles that
accumulate inside the neuron and disable the transport system then
destroying the cell. Neurons then disconnect and die which causes memory loss.
The brain then shrinks and looses function. The most common treatment is to
give drugs that stimulate acetylcholine receptors or prolong acetylcholine release.
This increases arousal. Increased arousal improves memory; and people who drink
3-5 cups of coffee per day are less likely than average to develop Alzheimer’s.
I always knew that Alzheimer's was a very serious disease I just never realized to what extent. For instance, I didn't realize that Alzheimer's led to death within about 10 yrs. Not only does it lead to death but it pretty much strips away everything that makes you who you are before, without our memories we are basically babies, our memories make us who we are. I can only hope that soon there will be not only treatment for this terrible death sentence but also a cure.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I've come to notice is that many people also see Alzheimer's the same way you described. For example, I had never taken the time to think about what exactly Alzheimer's is. To me it was just forgetting stuff. I would have never guessed it was so much more than that. Alzheimer's is not just about forgetting. Its a whole lot more. Alzheimer's is the loss of motor functions, and the memories that shaped us to who & what we are. How I see it Alzheimer's is similar to a parasite. It takes & takes & takes from its victim.
ReplyDeleteI also heard that 3-5 cups of coffee a day adds in lessening the likelihood of Alzheimer's. I had a couple of questions about this. How do you think coffee could help? I know I am no expert, but isn't 3 to 5 cups of coffee A DAY a little too much for a person? Think about all that caffeine intake. Think about how coffee dehydrates the body. Sure your lessening the chances of Alzheimer's but wouldn't you also be causing harm in some other aspect?
All in all, splendid blog!