Unpredictable Impacts Of Alzheimer s Disease And Their...

Unpredictable Impacts of Alzheimer’s disease and Their Effects on Social Institutions Wesley Scott Miami University â€Å"It s paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn t appeal to anyone.† – Andy Rooney Imagine what it is like to forget a loved one’s face. Consider the possibility of being lost in a once familiar place. Although these actions could be symptomatic of old age, they might also suggest the onset of a much more sinister situation. It is difficult to understand the erratic behavior of those who were once lucid and transparent in their dealings. However, their odd and exhibited behaviors may not be intentional. There must be a cause identified in relation to such†¦show more content†¦The sickness was first discovered in 1906 by a German physician named Dr. Alois Alzheimer. â€Å"One of Dr. Alzheimer s patients died after years of severe memory problems, confusion and difficulty understanding questions. Upon her death, while performing a brain autopsy, the doctor noted dense deposits surrounding the nerve cells (neuritic plaques). Inside the nerve cells he observed twisted bands of fibers (neurofibrillary tangles).† (Bright Focus Foundation, 2014) Several societies celebrate their elderly population. These cultures include Native Americans, Koreans, and African Americans. (Huffington Post, 2015) Conversely, there are distinct changes to this paradigm once an individual is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. These individuals may be made to feel inferior, treated like children, or ignored altogether. A derivative type of protein, Aï  ¢Ã¯â‚¬ ´Ã¯â‚¬ ²Ã¯â‚¬ ¬Ã¯â‚¬   has been shown to be present in the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. This presence of this element is thought, â€Å"†¦to initiate a pathogenic cascade ultimately leading to neuronal loss and dementia.† (Doody Allsop, 1991) Though this explanation is vastly oversimplified, it represents a complex disease progression that, although continually researched, is still not entirely understood. There are several significant statistics regarding Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. †¢ Of the 5.3 million Americans with Alzheimer s, an estimated 5.1 million people are age 65 and older, and