History and Effects of Alzheimer's Disease
History and Effects of Alzheimer's Disease
A terrifying disease indeed, Alzheimer's has to this date caused confusion and much speculation in the medical world. What is Alzheimer's? How does it occur? How can it be detected? Who is most susceptible to contract it? All of these are common questions doctors and medical researchers ponder on; questions that are investigate the fundamental roots of Alzheimer's [as well as other diseases]. With these questions being unanswered, it can be only known that Alzheimer's exists and takes over the lives of approximately 4% of US ‘s elderly population every year with the number on the rise.
Alzheimer's is a terrible disease that is growing in numbers every single year. People over the age of 65 are the ones that need to worry most about getting it, yet some people that are younger can still get it. This disease is a terrible disease and can be scary and frustrating. Doctors have a very difficult time diagnosing it because there are so many things that are similar to this disease. This disease not only destroys the lives of the victims, but also can ruin the lives of the people that take care of them. At this time there is not a cure, but many scientists are working very hard to find a cure for this terrible disease. Today there are almost 4 million Americans that suffer from Alzheimer's disease. It is estimated that this disease will claim 14 million victims by the year 2050. Experts believe this because of greater life expectancy (Beck 36). Meanwhile, almost 4 percent of Americans between the ages of 65 to 74 will get this disease. For the people between the ages of 75 through 84 it is expected to strike ten percent, and people over the age of 85 have a 17 percent chance of contracting this horrifying disease (Larson 517). It can also strike the lives of people in their forties or fifties, although this is not that common (Fish 19). Undeniably, Alzheimer's is an extremely terrible disease to get because one loses memory, self-pride, and independence to care for one's self. Because so little information is known about this disease by the public and even medical experts, it is described as a "silent disease" (Frank 13).
In 1906 a German psychiatrist and neuropathologist by the name of Dr. Alois Alzheimer discovered and named this disease. He had a...