Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease also known as senile dementia was discovered by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1906. Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects the brain. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. It is the most common cause of premature senility. Alzheimer’s Disease is caused by plaques and tangles built up in the brain. Typically, Alzheimer’s affects people over the age of 65 but some people develop early onset Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is caused by brain cell death.

Alzheimer’s is a type of progressive dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease but it is used to describe a specific group of symptoms. There are many different types of dementia including: Alzheimer's disease, Vascular dementia, Dementia from Parkinson's disease and similar disorders, Dementia with Lewy bodies, and Frontotemporal dementia (Pick's disease).

Vascular dementia is a decline in thinking skills caused by conditions that block or reduce blood flow to the brain, depriving brain cells of vital oxygen and nutrients. Parkinson's disease dementia is an impairment in thinking and reasoning that eventually affects many people with Parkinson's disease. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a type of progressive dementia that leads to a decline in thinking, reasoning, and independent function because of abnormal damage brain cells over time. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) or frontotemporal degenerations refers to disorders caused by some cell deterioration in the brain's frontal lobes (the areas behind your forehead) or its temporal lobes (the regions behind your ears).

Alzheimer’s disease or progressive mental deterioration can occur in the middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain. It is the most common cause of premature senility. Alzheimer’s Disease normally affects people 65 and older but has occurred as early as age 27.

Alzheimer’s Disease was discovered by Alois Alzheimer. He was a German psychiatrist who discovered the condition of dementia and later diagnosed the disease that is named after himself. Dr. Alzheimer was born in Germany on June 14, 1864. Alois always excelled in his schooling so it was no surprise that he went to medical school. He graduated from medical school in 1887. Alois did his residency at a hospital for the mentally ill. He worked there for 7 years and eventually became the senior physician. While working in the hospital, he met a 51-year-old woman, suffering from progressive short-term memory loss. He eventually discovered the causes of progressed dementia and gave it the name of Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr.Alzheimer began working with Franz Nissl, a well-renowned neurologist, together they further investigated the disease. They did extensive research and began to learn how it affected the brain. Auguste Deter was his first patient