Alzheimer's disease Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Alzheimers disease - Research Paper ExampleAs of 2006, at that place were 26.6 million Alzheimers sufferers in the world it is predicted that roughly one in every eighty-five people will suffer from Alzheimers by the yr 2050 (Alzheimers Disease Fact Sheet).There is no definite cause of Alzheimers. Many scientists believe that the disease can be caused by genetics, environment, and lifestyle, though even these have not been definitely pinpointed. It is believed that whatever it is that does cause Alzheimers gradually happens over a long period of time, especially if the aforementioned factors are part of the cause of the disease. However, the effect that the disease has on the brain interweave, the starting point of the catalyst for the symptoms of Alzheimers, is very clear. The disease damages and kills brain cells and the brain tissue deteriorates. Since doctors and scientists have been unable to determine the exact cause of the disease, they instead focus on what happens before and after a mortal has been diagnosed with Alzheimers.There are twain types of neuron damage that have been seen most in people with Alzheimers plaques and tangles. Plaques are masses of a normally harmless protein known as beta-amyloid that has the mightiness to interfere with communication between brain cells (Feng et al). The abnormal processing of this protein has shown to effect functions of the brain. Tangles involve the protein known as tau. This protein is important for the brain to function properly, but when they sustain alterations they become twisted. During the twisting, the neurons become damaged, causing them to die. When these two proteins react the way they do, they slow down or completely destroy vital components of the brain, thus negatively effecting the performance of the brain and the memory.Another possible cause of Alzheimers is a breakdown of myelin in the brain, an event that usually takes place as a person gets older. When myelin breaks down, there