Alzheimer's disease Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Alzheimer's disease - Research Paper Example As of 2006, there were 26.6 million Alzheimer’s sufferers in the world; it is predicted that roughly one in every eighty-five people will suffer from Alzheimer’s by the year 2050 (â€Å"Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet†). There is no definite cause of Alzheimer’s. Many scientists believe that the disease can be caused by genetics, environment, and lifestyle, though even these have not been definitely pinpointed. It is believed that whatever it is that does cause Alzheimer’s gradually happens over a long period of time, especially if the aforementioned factors are part of the cause of the disease. However, the effect that the disease has on the brain tissue, the starting point of the catalyst for the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, is very clear. The disease damages and kills brain cells and the brain tissue deteriorates. Since doctors and scientists have been unable to determine the exact cause of the disease, they instead focus on what happens before and after a person has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. There are two types of neuron damage that have been seen most in people with Alzheimer’s: plaques and tangles. Plaques are masses of a normally harmless protein known as beta-amyloid that has the ability to interfere with communication between brain cells (Feng et al). The abnormal processing of this protein has shown to effect functions of the brain. Tangles involve the protein known as tau. This protein is important for the brain to function properly, but when they undergo alterations they become twisted. During the twisting, the neurons become damaged, causing them to die. When these two proteins react the way they do, they slow down or completely destroy vital components of the brain, thus negatively effecting the functioning of the brain and the memory. Another possible cause of Alzheimer’s is a breakdown of myelin in the brain, an event that usually takes place as a person gets older. When myelin breaks down, there