Dear Journal -
I want to post my short essay that I had to write for my neuroscience class. Writing it, took me about 4 hours. It took me that long, because when I get into a topic I become so fascinated by it that I can't just read one research article on it, I have to read on and on. So, what should have taken 2 hours, took 4. I enjoyed writing it, I learned from it and I hope that you will enjoy it and find it informative as well, or at the very least interesting!
You see! you can learn stuff on my journal! YAY!
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerate brain disorder that causes individuals to have memory loss. This memory loss slowly progresses to the point where it begins to affect all aspects of the individual’s life. Slowly the person suffering from this disease, forgets situations, people, and eventually due to the loss of connection between nerve cells and the brain, the decrease in active neurons begin to deteriorate the brain causing it to shrink which ultimate results in death. To date, there is no known cure for this disease, however there is ongoing research being conducted on many different aspects of the disease, some of the research includes research on cholinesterase inhibitors which temporarily improve and stabilize the decrease of memory loss.
Sources:
Ministry of Health. (2013). Cholinesterase Inhibitors. Retrieved July 7, 2013 from http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharmacare/adti/clinician/cholinesterase.html
Lahiri, Debomoy K. (2009). Current Alzheimer Research. US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health; 6(1): 1-3
National Institute of Aging. (2011, November 18). Retrieved July 7, 2013 from http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/part-2-what-happens-brain-ad/hallmarks-ad
I chose this pic to put on this post, because trying to understand it was very difficult to me. But.... by gosh I think i've got it! FINALLY! sheesh!
I want to post my short essay that I had to write for my neuroscience class. Writing it, took me about 4 hours. It took me that long, because when I get into a topic I become so fascinated by it that I can't just read one research article on it, I have to read on and on. So, what should have taken 2 hours, took 4. I enjoyed writing it, I learned from it and I hope that you will enjoy it and find it informative as well, or at the very least interesting!
You see! you can learn stuff on my journal! YAY!
Behavioral Neuroscience
Summer 2013
Alzheimer’s disease brain disorder
Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerate brain disorder that causes individuals to have memory loss. This memory loss slowly progresses to the point where it begins to affect all aspects of the individual’s life. Slowly the person suffering from this disease, forgets situations, people, and eventually due to the loss of connection between nerve cells and the brain, the decrease in active neurons begin to deteriorate the brain causing it to shrink which ultimate results in death. To date, there is no known cure for this disease, however there is ongoing research being conducted on many different aspects of the disease, some of the research includes research on cholinesterase inhibitors which temporarily improve and stabilize the decrease of memory loss.
There are three major things that happen to the brain which cause the Alzheimer’s disease, and although it is not known how the disease begins, what is known is that there are abnormal deposits of proteins that form amyloid plaques. As the disease progresses fibers begin to tangle in a process called neurofibrillary tangles. Eventually there is a loss of connection in the synapse between the normal nerve cells and the brain, as the healthy neurons begin to die, the disease begins to spread first in the hippocampus and eventually all other parts of the brain. This causes the decline in memory, eventually it also causes motor deficits and eventually death.
Currently, there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s disease but there is on going research on such things as cholinesterase inhibitors. Cholinesterase inhibitors help improve the effectiveness of acetylcholine. When acetylcholine effectiveness is stronger on the nerve cells, it helps them communicate more effectively with one another which help the disease from advancing in the rate which it would otherwise advance without the assistance of the cholinesterase inhibitor. The medication works best in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and moderate stage as well. The medication however does not work on all patients unfortunately. While some patients will improve, others will not and continue to deteriorate.
I chose this topic because it is fascinating to me how the miscommunication of neurons which on the surface seem like a very simple physiological process, is such a complex one that I can’t completely grasp. Taking this class has really opened my eyes on how fascinating, scary and complex the human body is and I think I prefer not to know so much about it as it makes me very anxious to understand how it all comes together and how the simplest malfunction of one system can completely destroy our very existence. I am interested in Alzheimer’s also, because it saddens me how someone can have known you all of their life and then due to the disease the next minute not know who you are. It is extremely sad and although I have never met anyone with the disease, I have heard many sad stories from individuals who’s life was greatly affected due to someone in their family suffering from this type of dementia.
Ministry of Health. (2013). Cholinesterase Inhibitors. Retrieved July 7, 2013 from http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/pharmacare/adti/clinician/cholinesterase.html
Lahiri, Debomoy K. (2009). Current Alzheimer Research. US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health; 6(1): 1-3
National Institute of Aging. (2011, November 18). Retrieved July 7, 2013 from http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/part-2-what-happens-brain-ad/hallmarks-ad
I chose this pic to put on this post, because trying to understand it was very difficult to me. But.... by gosh I think i've got it! FINALLY! sheesh!
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