Alzheimer's Disease Pathology

Alzheimer`s disease is a degenerative disorder. People suffering from Alzheimer are reported to have memory loss and declining of thinking skills. This disease leads to behaviour changes such as confusion, disorientation, irritability creating a dependable relationship between patient and family members. Until today scientists still haven't managed to find a cure for the Alzheimer`s disorder. Yet, they try to understand and to explain the pathology of this disease.

Scientists have elaborated many theories regarding the causes which lead to Alzheimer`s disease. Many believe that factors such as environment and genetic structure have a great contribution over the human brain, leading to changes which represent the base of the disorder. It is said that people who were not engaged in activities that require mental effort are more likely to have the disease than others. Such a theory develops the idea of exercising the brain especially at old ages in order to avoid the disease. On the other hand a family history of dementia may contribute to having the disorder.

The Alzheimer affected brain is different from the normal one. The general cortex it's atrophied. Thus if the outer surface of the brain which is responsible for the intellectual functioning gets affected, the normal activities of a patient get damaged too. The autopsy reveals tow factors: in affected brains, the amount of the substance which is present in the folds is decreased. On the other hand the space between the folds gets larger. The proteins which are believed to cause neurons damage called amyloid plaques are part of a larger protein called amyloid precursor protein. The breakdown of the amyloid precursor protein leads to changes determining Alzheimer's.

Another theory explains the role of the tau proteins over the human brain. Neurofibrillary tangles also known as tau proteins represent the second cause of the Alzheimer's disease, as they have a very important role in the structure of a neuron. In patients with Alzheimer's this protein has overactive enzymes which is abnormal. Neurofibrillary causes death of the cells.

In order to determine the presence of the Alzheimer's disorder, specialists must take several tests to eliminate other possibilities that might be similar with the normal brain functions. Unfortunately in most cases the presence of Alzheimer's is diagnosed post mortem with the help of a brain tissue test.

By studying the anatomy of the brain, scientists are one step closer in finding a cure for this death ending disorder.

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