Free Essays on Alzheimers

Who am I?: Alzheimer’s Disease and the loss of personality Each and every human being dreams of living a regular, normal life, watching their children grow up and have families of their own. But for some people, this dream along with all their memories can be erased by an ageless disease that affects more then four million Americans today (Evans). Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive disease that varies from person to person, robbing its victim of their past and future. Alzheimer’s Disease is known as the "Great Eraser" because it turns everyday normal people into helpless, lifeless individuals (Rice). This horrible disease raises a very critical philosophical question: Does the loss of memory mean the loss of personal identity? Although most individuals who have considered this dilemma hold that forfeiture of memory equals a change or even loss of personal identity, this essay will show that this is not necessarily true. In order to fully understand how this lesser held view is, in fact, true one must first comprehend both the biological and psychological effects of Alzheimer’s. Therefore, this paper will be divided into two parts. The first part will display the causes, consequences, and treatments for Alzheimer’s. In the second section, supporting evidence will be put forth in order to show that a partial or even complete loss of autobiographical memory does not constitute a change in or the destruction of personal identity. Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is one of the most common of the dementia-inducing illnesses. Alzheimer's is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain; causing impaired memory, thinking and behavior. A person with Alzheimer’s Disease may experience personality and behavior changes, impaired judgment, confusion and difficulty finishing thoughts, following directions or even finding the right word to say in a conversation (Evans). Once in the advanced stages of the disease, t... Free Essays on Alzheimers Free Essays on Alzheimers Who am I?: Alzheimer’s Disease and the loss of personality Each and every human being dreams of living a regular, normal life, watching their children grow up and have families of their own. But for some people, this dream along with all their memories can be erased by an ageless disease that affects more then four million Americans today (Evans). Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive disease that varies from person to person, robbing its victim of their past and future. Alzheimer’s Disease is known as the "Great Eraser" because it turns everyday normal people into helpless, lifeless individuals (Rice). This horrible disease raises a very critical philosophical question: Does the loss of memory mean the loss of personal identity? Although most individuals who have considered this dilemma hold that forfeiture of memory equals a change or even loss of personal identity, this essay will show that this is not necessarily true. In order to fully understand how this lesser held view is, in fact, true one must first comprehend both the biological and psychological effects of Alzheimer’s. Therefore, this paper will be divided into two parts. The first part will display the causes, consequences, and treatments for Alzheimer’s. In the second section, supporting evidence will be put forth in order to show that a partial or even complete loss of autobiographical memory does not constitute a change in or the destruction of personal identity. Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is one of the most common of the dementia-inducing illnesses. Alzheimer's is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain; causing impaired memory, thinking and behavior. A person with Alzheimer’s Disease may experience personality and behavior changes, impaired judgment, confusion and difficulty finishing thoughts, following directions or even finding the right word to say in a conversation (Evans). Once in the advanced stages of the disease, t... Free Essays on Alzheimers Alzheimer’s disease I. I intend to increase my audience’s knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease. A. Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia among older people. Alzheimer’s disease affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. About 4 million Americans suffer for Alzheimer’s disease. On average the disease begins after age 60 and the risk goes up with age. About 3 percent of men and women ages 65 to 74 have Alzheimer’s disease, and almost half of those age 85 and older. II. Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that affects over 4 million people. A. I am going to talk about three aspects of Alzheimer’s disease. 1. Causes 2. Symptoms 3. Treatment B. What causes Alzheimer’s disease? 1. Scientist do not yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer’s disease. 2. There is no one single cause, but several factors that affect each person differently. a. Family history is a risk factor. b. Genetics may play a role in some cases. 3. Scientist also are studying education, diet, environment, and viruses to learn what role they might play in the development of Alzheimer’s. C. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s and the stages of the disease patients go through. 1. At the start of Alzheimer’s the only symptoms may be mild forgetfulness. a. People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble remembering recent events, activities or the names of familiar people or things. b. Simple math problems may become hard to solve. 2. As the disease goes on, symptoms are more easily noticed and may become serious enough for family members to seek medical help. a. For example, in the later stages of Alzheimer’s people forget how to do things like brushing their teeth or combing their hair. b. They may no longer be able to think clearly and may have ...