Alzheimer’s Disease

1. Alzheimer’s Disease Christina Boyd Seminar Presentation

2. What is Alzheimer’s ? • Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive brain disorder, there are more than 5 million people with this disease. Ultimately, Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells, which causes memory, thinking, and behavioral issues. • “Alzheimer’s is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.”

3. What is Alzheimer’s? • It’s the most common form of dementia, which is the leading cause of memory loss. • Vascular Dementia is reduced blood flow to the brain. • In mixed dementia, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia occur together.

4. What is Alzheimer’s? • Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. There is no way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease from occuring. • Some drugs may help these symptoms from getting worse for a limited time.

5. The Role of Plaques and Tangles • The two prime abnormal structures that kill nerve cells are known as plaques and tangles. • Plaques: Build up between nerve cells • Tangles: form inside dying cells. • They block communication between nerve cells and disrupt activities that cells need to survive.

6. Symptoms of Alzheimer’sDisease • Memory loss • Difficulty performing tasks • Problems with language • Disorientation of time and place • Poor or decreased judgment • Misplacing things • Change in personality

7. ApoE gene • The ApoE gene is one of the risk genes for this disease • ApoE e4- is one of the three common forms of the ApoE gene • ApoE gene provides the blueprint for one of the proteins that carries the cholesterol in the bloodstream. • Everyone inherits a copy of the ApoE gene from each parent. • Those who inherit two or more copies of the ApoE gene are at more risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease • The ApoE-E4 gene will tend to make the symptoms appear at a younger age.

8. Genetics • Deterministic genes that directly that cause this disease, do guarantee the person will develop this disorder. • Familial Alzheimer’s disease is caused by deterministic genes and many family members in multiple generations are infected.

9. Stages of Alzheimer’s • Alzheimer’s occurs gradually over a span of ten years. • There are three different stages of Alzheimer’s which are mild Alzheimer’s disease, moderate Alzheimer’s disease, and Severe Alzheimer’s disease.

10. Cholinesterase Inhibitors • The neurotransmitter Acetylcholine, there is a relative lack of this neurotransmitter. • Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers produced by nerves used to communicate with each other in order to carry out their functions. • Acetylcholine is important to form new memories and cholinerase inhibitors block the breakdown of Ach. • As a result, more acetylcholine is available in the brain, and it may be easier to form new memories.