Question:
What are the causes of Alzheimer's and what are its effects?
Thesis:
Alzheimer's is a deadly disease that affects many US citizens. This paper will cover what it is, who it affects, diagnosis, possible treatments and hidden victims.
What is Alzheimer's?
Definition: According to Mayo Clinic, Alzheimer's disease “is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions” it also destroys the ability to think clearly(National Institute on Aging). It is not only that, it is difficult on not only the patient and caregiver, but also the family members who witness the patient, their loved one, forget who they are, how to do simple everyday things, such as bathing and getting dressed, and they see the disease slowly taking away who the patient is. Alzheimer’s disease was named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1906 after he discovered that a patient who had an “unusual mental illness” whose symptoms included memory loss, issues with speaking, and unusual and erratic behavior had “amyloid plaques” which
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More symptoms include decreased judgement and changes in personality.
Statistics
Approximately 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s today, but as the population continues to rise, so will the number of people with this deadly disease(National Institute on Aging).
Most common form of Dementia-60-80%(Alzheimer’s Association).
Affects 1 in 10 people over the age of 65(National Institute on Aging).
It is the sixth leading cause of death in the united states overall, but may be third in the elderly population(Alzheimer’s Association).