Alzheimers Disease Essay - 2168 Words

Alzheimer’s disease or AD is an incurable disorder of the brain that results in loss of normal brain structure and function. In an AD brain, normal brain tissue is slowly replaced by structures called plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The plaques represent a naturally occurring sticky protein called beta amyloid and in an Alzheimer’s brain, sufferer’s tend to accumulate too much of this protein. Neurofibrillary tangles represent collapsed tau proteins which, in a normal brain along with microtubules, form a skeleton that maintains the shape of the nerve cells. In Alzheimer’s disease, the tau proteins break loose from their normal location and form tangles. Without the support of these molecules, nerve cells collapse and die. As normal†¦show more content†¦There are few people who do not worry about getting AD as they get older. Indeed, the incidence of AD increases with each successive year of life after age 60. Currently, scientists estimat e that â€Å"4.5 million people have AD in America alone and 22 million worldwide† (Willett 63). The disease affects about â€Å"five percent of people ages 65 to 74 and nearly half the population of people 85 and older† (â€Å"Alzheimer† 1). Disturbingly, the disease is becoming even more common. Statistics now show that the number of people with the disease doubles every five years among older people. Using this as a rule, Dr. Robert Katzman of the University of California â€Å"estimates the total could be 45 million worldwide by 2050† (qted in Willett 13). With these future projections of the incidence of AD, the financial cost of supporting the afflicted will be exorbitant as well. Lifetime societal costs for an individual afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease are â€Å"$174,000 in the United States† (Willett 13). The cost to businesses that â€Å"lose productivity of their employees who must care for their relatives afflicted with AD is 26 billion†(Willett 13). Economists also state, â€Å"the total cost to the United States per year for the care of AD patients is estimated to be 100 billion† (Willett 13). With these kind of costs financially, it is mandatory that public health programs be instated to decrease theShow MoreRelatedAlzheimers Disease945 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive neurological disease; it often attacks the brain tissues causing memory loss of one’s identity and regular behaviors. Statistics indicates that the rate of predicted people to get Alzheimer’s will increase briskly as time goes on. There are currently no cures for such disastrous disease, but there are currently approved treatments available that can help people within the early stages of Alzheimer’s. 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