The Role of Genetics in Alzheimers Disease Essay -- Alzheimers Disea

The Role of Genetics in Alzheimers DiseaseThe call came at 905 p.m. on January 20, 2004. mom had just finished telling the news about the filles grandfather. He had Alzheimers Disease and was not doing well at all. The ruling was that he probably would not make for it through the night. She knew exactly what the news was the moment her mom said, No. After the news came, the decision was made they would leave the next day to attend the funeral. This girl began wondering, If grandpa had Alzheimers do I have a chance of getting it too? What can I do to avoid getting it? He suffered so much, I dont want to go through that. What if a persons genetics have something to do with whether or not they will get Alzheimers? What atomic number 18 possible ways to prevent the onset of Alzheimers disease? Genetics might have something to do with whether or not one will get Alzheimers but their chances of avoiding the disease are better if they take care of themselves. Let us start with some gen eral history and facts and then proceed to the specifics. Alzheimers Disease (AD) is named after a German doctor, Alois Alzheimer. He discovered the disease in 1906, while doing an autopsy on a woman who had died from an unusual mental illness. Dr. Alzheimer noted unique changes in the consciousness tissue (U.S 1995). His findings included clumps, which are also known as plaques, and tangled fibers, also called neurofibrillary tangles. These findings have become hallmarks of AD (U.S. 1995). AD is now considered the most normal form of dementia (Travis). Researchers from New York State did autopsies on 87 people who were seen at a dementia clinic to find out if any of them showed signs of a cerebrovascular disease. They all did and 87% of them also ... ...1 December 2003). Alzheimers in the Family. Time. P 86-87National Institute of Aging. (2002). Alzheimers Disease Unraveling the Mystery. National Institute of Mental Health (1994). Alzheimers Disease ex of the Brain. P. 12-13. N ational Institute of Health.Nolan KA, Lino MM, Seligmann AW, et al. (August 1998). Alzheimers may play a Greater role in vascular dementia. Geriatrics. V. 53 Issue 8, p81, 2p.Shenk, D. (2001). The Forgetting Alzheimers Portrait of an Epidemic. New York Doubleday. Travis, J. (20 September, 2003). A surprise Role For Alzheimers Proteins? Science News. V.152, Issue 12, p182, 2pU.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1995). Alzheimers Disease. National Institutes of Health.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1997). Alzheimers Disease Genetics. National Institutes of Health