Alzheimer’s Disease -> The Disease of Darkness

Varun Doshi

Alzheimer’s Disease

• Alzheimer’s Disease is a FATAL progressive degenerative disorder that attacks brain nerve cells, or neurons, resulting in the loss of memory, thinking, language skills, and behavior.

Alzheimer’s – Who is Affected?

• Older people are affected. Chances of getting Disease increases with 65 + age.

• Family history plays a big role in disease development

• Comes in three stages, diagnosed second most of the time.

Inside the Human Brain

To understand Alzheimer’s disease, it’s important to know a bit about the brain…

The Brain’s Vital Statistics• Adult weight: about 3 pounds

• Adult size: a medium cauliflower

• Number of neurons: 100,000,000,000 (100 billion)

• Number of synapses (the gap between neurons): (100 trillion)

Inside the Human Brain

The Three Main Players

1.Cerebral Hemispheres

2.Cerebellum

3.Brain Stem

Inside the Human Brain

Neurons

• To stay healthy, neurons must communicate with each other, carry out metabolism, and repair themselves.

• AD disrupts all three of these essential jobs.

Stages of AD

Stage One:

Warning Signs!- Difficulty with familiar tasks

- Memory Loss ( most commonly known)

- Language Difficulty

- Disorientation

- Mood/Behavioral/Personality change

- Misplacing objects, & cannot trace their steps

- Difficulty of harder thinking

- Poor Judgment

Stage Two : NURSING HOME

- Increase in memory loss

- Shortened Attention Span

- Difficulty in recognizing Loved ones

- Difficulty learning new things

- Difficulty organizing thoughts

- Reduced Impulse control ( walking, eating, etc.)

Stage Three

BACK TO INFANCY- Entire Loss of language, memory, bladder, bowel,

and physical coordination

- Difficulty Swallowing

- Noise Making, CANNOT SPEAK

- Weight Loss. Usually severe…cannot eat!

- Increased Sleeping

* DEATH RESULTS IN THE INABILITY TO EAT, USE THE BATHROOM, AND BREATHE.

Plaques and Tangles: The Hallmarks of AD

The brains of people with AD have an abundance of two abnormal structures:

An actual AD tangle

• beta-amyloid plaques, which are dense deposits of protein and cellular material that accumulate outside and around nerve cells

• neurofibrillary tangles, which are twisted fibers that build up inside the nerve cell

AD and the Brain

Slide 16

Beta-amyloid Plaques

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the precursor to amyloid plaque.

1. APP sticks through the neuron membrane.

2. Enzymes cut the APP into fragments of protein, including beta-amyloid.

3. Beta-amyloid fragments come together in clumps to form plaques.

1.

2.

3.

AD and the Brain

In AD, many of these clumps form, disrupting the work of neurons. This affects the hippocampus and other areas of the cerebral cortex.

Neurofibrillary Tangles

Neurons have an internal support structure partly made up of microtubules. A protein called tau helps stabilize microtubules. In AD, tau changes, causing microtubules to collapse, and tau proteins clump together to form neurofibrillary tangles.

AD and the Brain

TREATMENT OF ALZHEIMERS

• ACHIEs-Donepezil 38 weeks– Rivastigmine 38–42 weeks– Galantamine 52 weeks

DRUGS USED

INTRANSAL INSULIN

NANOTECHNOLOGY

STEM CELLS

Stem cells could, can be genetically modified so as to deliver substances to the Alzheimer brain, to stop cells from dying and stimulate the function of existing cells. A recent clinical trial (Phase I) has shown this approach to be of some benefit to patients with Alzheimer’s disease, by slowing down the progression of the disease.

REFRENCES

• BOOKS- K.D Tripathi , Rang and Dale• WEBhttp://www.alz.org/

alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp

www.HealthyYears.org ,www.alzheimers.org

www.alz.org/10signshttp://www.medicinenet.com/

alzheimers_disease_causes_stages_and_symptoms/article.htm