Alzheimer's Disease

1. AD was discovered in 1906 by a German doctor named Dr. Alois Alzheimer • AD a progressive and fatal brain disease. • As many as 5.3 million Americans are living with AD. • AD destroys brain cells, causing memory loss and problems with thinking and behavior. • AD gets worse over time, and it is fatal. • Today it is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. Alzheimer's Disease

2. Brain • Hippocampus: where short-term memories are converted to long-term memories • Thalamus: receives sensory and limbic information and sends to cerebral cortex • Hypothalamus: monitors certain activities and controls body’s internal clock • Limbic system: controls emotions and instinctive behavior (includes the hippocampus and parts of the cortex)

3. The brain has 100 billion nerve cells (neurons). • Each nerve cell communicates with many others to form networks. • Nerve cell networks have special jobs. • Some are involved in thinking, learning and remembering. • Others help us see, hear and smell. Still others tell our muscles when to move. • In Alzheimer’s disease increasing numbers of brain cells deteriorate and die. Neurons

4. Two abnormal structures called tangles and plaques are prime suspects in damaging and killing nerve cells. • Tangles form inside the cells. • Plaquesbuild up between nerve cells. What Goes Wrong

5. Tau proteins which are abundant in neurons stabilize the microtubules. • When they become defective the microtubules fall apart and neurons can no longer process information correctly. • AD sets in and the brain begins to shrink. Neurofibrillary Tangles

7. The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is cleaved by two enzymes: beta and gamma secretase. In Alzheimer's, it is believed that something goes wrong with these enzymes resulting in a larger than normal amyloid beta protein (42 rather than 40 amino acids), which leads to plaque formation. Amyloid Plaque

9. Normal Brain vs. Alzheimer Brain

10. Early - Stage • Short term memory loss • Mood swings • Decreased judgment Stages and Symptoms

11. Mid-Stage • Personality change • Long term memory loss • Restlessness • Insomnia • Wandering Stages and Symptoms

12. End – Stage • Loss of ability to do daily activities • Loss of motor skills • Incontinence Stages and Symptoms

13. Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease and scientist are even unsure if the neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaque are the cause or a result of Alzheimers.

14. 1. Memory changes that disrupt daily life. • 2. Challenges in planning or solving problems. • 3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks. • 4. Confusion with time or place. • 5. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps. • 6. Decreased or poor judgment. • 7. Changes in mood and personality. Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease

15. National Institute on Aging • Alzheimer’s Disease Center • Alzheimer’s.org • Mayo Clinic References

16. Created byRonald Abell and posted with his permission