Research shows that many people are affected by Alzheimer's disease.
When researching YouTube one of the videos stated that every 70 seconds a new
diagnoses is made. The book shares that there is still a lot to discover in
regards to what causes Alzheimers and how to treat and eventually cure it. I
thought the connection between Alzheimer’s and Down Syndrome was very
interesting. I thing that connection makes a very strong argument that there is
a genetic predisposition or a chromosomal chain that is responsible for Alzheimer’s.
Researcher Chang shares that most research shows that almost all Down Syndrome
individuals are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s after the age of 45. As a result of
this they believe that Chromosome 21 probably has something to do with the
disease. She stated the problem is that there are over 250 genes related to
that area and to be able to identify the exact gene will take time. Researcher
Chang shares that because they know so much about what causes Down Syndrome
that they can take that knowledge and use it when studying the general
population of Alzheimer’s patients. I think that the part that is so
encouraging is because they have a large population that shares a disease it
may make it quicker to be able to find medications that are successful in
treating or at least managing the different problems that are associated with
having Alzheimer’s. However, I think a
challenge might be when looking at some of the cognitive issues that come with Alzheimer’s
such as memory loss, confusion, depression, and restlessness to decide if that
is a result of the disease or of the Down Syndrome.
I find it very interesting on how researchers were able to link these two diseases to each other. Rather, I mean they found a link. It seems like the biggest issue of this research is time. But, I guess time is universal enemy. The video you chose was very informative. Finding out that there are 250 genes to examine and study is a bit discouraging when you first here her say that. However, obstacles have never stopped science in the past so I am sure that like stated previously time will be the issue but, it will be overcome.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most common forms of dementia would be Alzheimer's. What I did not know was the strong relationship between Alzheimer's and Down Syndrome, and that gives me the impresion that we can get some type of treatment hopefully soon. When I saw the pictures of the a brain with Alzheimer's disease it gave me a better understanding of what really happens inside of a person getting sicker every day. Personally, I have never been in contact with a person with Alzheimer's, nor in my family or circle of friends, but I can only imagine what it most be like having a family member going thru this process.
ReplyDeleteI went and look into the web page of Alzheimer's Association, www.alz.org, and it saiys that Alzheimer's disease account for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases, that is a big number. Great posting, check the web page any time and you'll find more interesting information related to the disease.