The Role of Genetics In Alzheimer’s Disease Essay example

Introduction: Memory plays a significant role in the everyday lives of people of all ages. It allows them to recall information and remember skills that were learned in the past. Memory also organizes past information to help people make current and future decisions. However, imagine forgetting the names of close family members or not having the ability to find your keys every time you want to leave the house. These are some of the struggles that people with Alzheimer’s disease face daily. Alzheimer’s disease was first identified by German neurologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906, and was discovered to have an overpowering effect on explicit memory loss (Gruetzner, 1988). There are two types of Alzheimer’s disease – early onset and late†¦show more content†¦Therefore, the microtubules are no longer able to transport nutrients from one part of the neuron to the other. The lack of sufficient support results in the death of acetylcholine neurons. Neuron l oss first occurs in the hippocampus, which is why memory loss is the initial symptom of Alzheimer’s disease (Petersen, 2002). The disease then spreads to the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes of the cerebral cortex. The amygdala and other parts of the limbic system are also attacked, resulting in damage to other cognitive functions. One particular neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, is rich in an area of the brain called the basal nucleus of Meynert. Destruction of the basal nucleus causes a decrease in acetylcholine levels, which makes the formation and retrieval of memories more difficult. As Alzheimer’s disease becomes more severe, the hippocampus and cortical regions of the brain shrink and the ventricles become larger as a result of neuronal death. Symptoms and Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease: Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia so it is characterized by damage in brain functioning. Therefore, some of the symptoms include defective thinking and remembering (Gruetzner, 1988). As Alzheimer’s disease develops further, explicit memory loss results in personality changes and difficulty in performing familiar activities. New learning andShow MoreRelated The Role of Genetics in Alzheimers Disease Essay3019 Words   |  13 PagesThe Role of Genetics in Alzheimers Disease The call came at 9:05 p.m. on January 20, 2004. Mom had just finished telling the news about the girls grandfather. He had Alzheimers Disease and was not doing well at all. The ruling was that he probably would not make it through the night. She knew exactly what the news was the moment her mom said, No. After the news came, the decision was made they would leave the next day to attend the funeral. 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