The human brain is considered to be the most important and complex organ of the human body. It comprises more than 100 billion nerve cells that send and receive signals from all over the body. It is still fascinating to know how a single organ is responsible for all mental activities such as hearing, thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, breathing and so much more. It can simply be called the command center of the human body. Being a critical part it can be affected by various diseases which can hamper or stop its growth.
Alzheimer’s – A Major Concern: Latest News!
One such disease about which we will study is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a disease that affects the brain and its functioning. It usually destroys neurons and their connections in parts of the brain, many neurons stop functioning, lose connections with other neurons.
Many molecular and cellular changes take place and can be observed in the brain tissue of the dead. Simply, Alzheimer’s disease slowly destroys memory and thinking skills along with the ability to carry out the simple tasks of dementia.
It was discovered by Dr. Alois Alzheimer, in 1906 when he noticed some abnormal changes in the brain cells of a lady who dies of an unusual mental disease. To date, scientists have been performing various different research and tests and it is surprising to know that no such reason for the cause of Alzheimer’s disease is known. It is well known that it affects greatly older humans and hence scientists are working efficiently to understand how age-related changes in the brain and brain cells may harm neurons and affect their functioning to contribute to Alzheimer’s damage.
Genes control the function of every cell, some are responsible to determine basic characteristics whereas some develop certain diseases. No specific gene directly affects the brain and causes late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. One can inherit the APOE ε4 gene from their families as well. Many theories have been brought up that it is related to gene theory. Having even a single APOE e4 gene in the body can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, however, this does not hold true in every case. It is said that carrying the APOE ε4 form of the gene increases a person’s risk to develop Alzheimer’s and hence APOE ε4 is called a risk-factor gene.
Alzheimer’s disease usually appears between ages 30 and 60 years. Most experts suggest genetic testing for early-onset of Alzheimer’s as they may provide more certain results. TREM2, CD33, and CR3 are microglial receptors that are strongly associated with an increased risk of developing AD. CD33 strong genetic locus linked to AD and higher levels of CD33 in the brain can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and top-ranked AD risk factors.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are:
- forgetting recently learned information
- less energy and interest in work
- Language and coordination problems
- Decreased judgment or decision-making skills
These are some symptoms of the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Just like the rest of our body, our brains start aging as we age, but in Alzheimer’s disease aging at a faster rate. Beginning with memory loss and confusion, the disease leads to disorientation, mood and behavior changes, and so on. People with Alzheimer’s may find it hard to recognize they have a problem and may treat it normally. Researchers are working to uncover as many aspects as possible for the treatment of this disease.
AD begins slowly, it starts affecting the human brain and causes more memory problems than normal for people of the same age. AD has no specific treatment but never the fewer scientists and researchers are working to ways to find its cure.
