Background
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most prominent neurodegenerative memory disorders in the world affecting more than five million people in the United States alone. The rapid progression in people who acquire AD is important since it is estimated that by 2033, there will be at least 15 million cases of AD in the U.S. This is a significant issue since the human population may longer be able to take proper care of themselves due to the effects of cognitive impairment, leading to a decline in language and motor skills. Alzheimer’s was first discovered by Alois Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist, in 1906. Although he believed it was a rare disorder, it has become of the most common neurodegenerative diseases today. With the use of recent technology, it is now known that neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques are the main characteristics present in a patient with Alzheimer’s disease There are different types of Alzheimer’s; late-onset Alzheimer’s is considered the genetic form of AD in which the gene, APOE ε4, is a major risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s.
What is Alzheimer's Disease? |
How is it Diagnosed? |
The Ted-Ed animated video below will help you understand these key facts about Alzheimer's disease, preparing you for the new information you will learn in this website to increase your knowledge of Alzheimer's disease.
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The Khan Academy video below gives a thorough explanation of how Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed, along with the types of testing used to reaffirm this diagnosis.
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