Understanding Alzheimer's Disease: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Running head: ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
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1ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
Introduction:
One of the most common causes of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. It is irreversible and
progressive brain disorder that causes damage to memory and thinking skills. Eventually,
patients with Alzheimer disease fails to carry out simple tasks. Alzheimer’s disease is the most
common cause of dementia that is observed among older adults. In this paper, the main focus
would be to understand the concept of Alzheimer along with causes and the way patients with
Alzheimer can be assisted.
According to researches the number of individuals with dementia is expected to increase
to 65 million from 35 million by the year 2030. In order to understand the numbers of people
with Alzheimer disease (AD) in a better way, the United States’ report will be efficient. In the
United States, in every nine people one is living with AD. The most common cause of AD is
dementia. Along with time, it is only expected to grow, and there will be need of primary
physicians and specialists who would encounter people with AD.
The history of the AD
According to Korolev (2014), the AD was described as a dementing condition by the
German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Dr. Alois Alzheimer, and later it became known as
AD. For the first time, the disease was recognized in a 51 years old woman named Auguste D.
she was found with a strange disease of the cerebral cortex and obtainable with progressive
language in addition with memory impairment, behavioral symptoms including hallucinations,
delusions, and paranoia, disorientation and psychological deficiency. Although the clinical
observation and pathological findings have a history consisting of the time of a century, it is
central to understanding even today in medical science.

2ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
Introduction to Dementia:
As discussed above, the major cause of AD is Dementia which is a clinical syndrome
involving progressive deterioration of intellectual function. Dementia can be the cause of various
cognitive abilities impairment such as language, decision making, memory, attention,
orientation, and visuospanied function. Also, people with dementia are common to face cognitive
impairment along with changes in personality, social behavior, and emotional regulation. Social
behavior and cognitive behavior changes that are associated with dementia come in the way of
work, social activities and relationships. Combining all the behaviors issues, it creates an
obstacle for the individual to perform daily routine activities. The causes of dementia can be
several factors including reversible and irreversible causes. Although reversible causes are rare,
it can be a potentially treatable disease. It is also called pseudo-dementia for it can be treated and
a much lesser chance of causing AD. Irreversible dementia is more severe for it involves a
neurodegenerative and vascular process in the human brain. For AD, it is irreversible dementia
that is the most common cause that accounts for up to 70 percent of all the cases of dementia in
the United States.
Epidemiology of AD
According to Korolev (2014), it is not only in the United States but also in many other
countries that consider AD as a critical public health issue. It has significant health, social as well
as financial burden on society. It is the 5th leading cause of death observed in the aged
population in united states with about $200 billion spent annually on the direct care of an
individual that live with dementia.