Alzheimer's+disease-Megan+Atkinson

Alzheimer’s disease **Description: **Alzheimer’s is a disease of the brain which affects the memory, thought, and language. Clumps of cellular debris and protein collapse the microtubules, malfunctioning the protein called tau (which normally stabilizes the microtubules) causing the microtubule disintegration. Tau forms tangles and plaques which damage healthy cells around them. The brain produces smaller amounts of chemicals that allow the nerve cells to communicate. **Inheritance: ** Multifactorial disorder (mostly autosomal dominant) **Punnett Square : **

**Pedigree Chart: **

**Symptoms: ** -loss of ability to think clearly -forget (words or names) -have trouble fining things - (worse) forget how to do simple things, such as brushing hair, etc. - (some) feel nervous or sad **Diagnosis: **Alzheimer’s is diagnosed with multiple testes that rule out other disorders. By process of elimination doctors check memory, language skills, and problem solving abilities to decide whether a patient has Alzheimer’s. **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Treatment: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">(There is no cure) some medications slow symptoms.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Aricept-increases amount of chemicals allowing nerve cells to communicate
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Namenda-protects brain cells from harmful chemicals
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Antidepressants
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Anti-anxiety
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Some Alzheimer’s patients need care givers to help them

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Interesting Facts: ** **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px;">- **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Alzheimer’s disease was named after German doctor (Alois Alzheimer) who named disorder in 1906 <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">- <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">about 4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">- <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that destroys memory, thinking skills, and the ability to do simple tasks. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 14.25pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">-most symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease appear over the age of 60. - <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in older people.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">media type="custom" key="9659268" <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">-Alzheimer’s association (alz.org) <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">-Alzheimer’s community (webMD)
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Support Groups: **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Sources: **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; line-height: 115%;">http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/disorders/whataregd/
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Pictures: **