Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD), a brain disease, is the most common cause of dementia. AD has four distinct stages, there are different ways to diagnosis AD, and there are different treatments that can be used. Alzheimer's was first described and named after a German psychiatrist and neuropathologist by the name of Alois Alzheimer in 1906. It is usually diagnosed in people that are 65 years old or older. In 2006, there were 26.6 million sufferers worldwide and it is predicted to affect 1 in 85 globally by 2050 (Wikipedia).
Alzheimer's has four distinct stages. The first stage of AD is called the early stage and in this stage AD is often mistaken for age-related concerns or stress. In this stage the most common symptom is not remembering recent events but, the sufferer can still remember things from years ago. In stage two the sufferer has more trouble processing and remembering new information. They are confused, irritable and aggressive, and they also have mood swings. During the third stage the symptoms becomes more pronounced and the disease becomes fully evident to family and friends (Nekola 2). The sufferer may go for a walk outside without a coat even though it is cold outside or they may put the remote in the freezer. They may not recognize family or friends or they may confuse them with someone else, for example: they may think there son is there brother. In the fourth and final stage the sufferer no longer recognize themselves and they don't recognize their
family members or friends. They are unable to express pain or feelings. They forget to chew their food so they have to have it blended up for them and sometimes they may have to have a feeding tube, and they also lose their bodily functions. As the disease progresses the sufferer becomes bedridden and sometimes they revert to the fetal position. Their brain slowly shuts down and eventually they pass away. The length of time a person can live with AD can...