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What Happens in the Brain of an Alzheimer's Patient? By Pauline Go |
| Friday, March 6, 2009 |
What happens in the brain of the patient to the Alzheimer's cause of all the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of the disease? Alois Alzheimer was the first to find the strange plaques and tangles, characteristic of the disease in the brain of one of his patients during an autopsy. For years, Alzheimer's disease can only be diagnosed with high accuracy post mortem. Now researchers are learning more about what exactly is happening in the brains of Alzheimer patients to cause disease.
The brains of Alzheimer's patients contain neurofibrillary tangles in neurons and groups of fibers called neurotic plaques outside the neurons. These plaques and tangles, first described by Alois Alzheimer in 1907, are the leading cause of Alzheimer's disease. Brain damage occurs as a result of neurons that become clogged with microscopic filaments, which consist of an abnormal form of tau protein. Clog the neurons are no longer able to do its job and pass along the impulses they receive from the environment. Therefore, disabled neurons are one cause of cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease. Brain damage due to neurofibrillary tangles is also found in associated diseases such as Parkinson's disease.
However, the plaques and tangles are not unique to the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Now studies indicate that dementia in Alzheimer's patients is caused by the contraction and death of neurons and synaptic loss, rather than plaques and tangles themselves. However, according to a leading hypothesis, early amyloid deposits play a role in the initiation of a cascade of biochemical events that cause the cells to shrink and die.
Experts also believe that lower levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, a chemical that bridges the synapses between neurons memory effect, also contributes to memory loss in Alzheimer's disease.
About Author:
Pauline Go is an online leading expert in the medical industry. It also offers first-quality items such as:
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posted by neptunus @ 3:51 PM  |
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