Question

At the level of nervous tissue three very prominent degenerative disease exist Huntington Pakistan and Alzheimer in explaining what is presently known in research field outline affected respective areas?

Answer 1

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys
memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In
most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear in their mid-60s. Estimates vary, but
experts suggest that more than 5 million Americans may have Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s disease is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United
States, but recent estimates indicate that the disorder may rank third, just behind heart
disease and cancer, as a cause of death for older people.
Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. Dementia is the
loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral
abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities.
Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a
person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely
on others for basic activities of daily living.
The causes of dementia can vary, depending on the types of brain changes that may be
taking place. Other dementias include Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal disorders,
and vascular dementia. It is common for people to have mixed dementia—a combination
of two or more disorders, at least one of which is dementia. For example, some people
have both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed
changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her
symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. After
she died, he examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps (now called amyloid
plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary, or tau, tangles). These
plaques and tangles in the brain are still considered some of the main features of
Alzheimer’s disease. Another feature is the loss of connections between nerve cells
(neurons) in the brain. Neurons transmit messages between different parts of the brain,
and from the brain to muscles and organs in the body.

Signs and Symptoms
Memory problems are typically one of the first signs of cognitive impairment related to
Alzheimer’s disease. Some people with memory problems have a condition called mild
cognitive impairment (MCI). In MCI, people have more memory problems than normal for
their age, but their symptoms do not interfere with their everyday lives. Movement
difficulties and problems with the sense of smell have also been linked to MCI. Older
people with MCI are at greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s, but not all of them do.
Some may even go back to normal cognition.
The first symptoms of Alzheimer’s vary from person to person. For many, decline in non-
memory aspects of cognition, such as word-finding, vision/spatial issues, and impaired
reasoning or judgment, may signal the very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers are studying biomarkers (biological signs of disease found in brain images,
cerebrospinal fluid, and blood) to see if they can detect early changes in the brains of
people with MCI and in cognitively normal people who may be at greater risk for
Alzheimer’s disease. Studies indicate that such early detection may be possible, but more
research is needed before these techniques can be relied upon to diagnose Alzheimer’s
disease in everyday medical practice.
Mild Alzheimer’s Disease
As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, people experience greater memory loss and other
cognitive difficulties. Problems can include wandering and getting lost, trouble handling
money and paying bills, repeating questions, taking longer to complete normal daily
tasks, and personality and behavior changes. People are often diagnosed at this stage.
Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease
In this stage, damage occurs in areas of the brain that control language, reasoning,
sensory processing, and conscious thought. Memory loss and confusion grow worse, and
people begin to have problems recognizing family and friends. They may be unable to
learn new things, carry out multistep tasks such as getting dressed, or cope with new
situations. In addition, people at this stage may have hallucinations, delusions, and
paranoia and may behave impulsively.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease
Doctors use several methods and tools to help determine whether a person who is having
memory problems has “possible Alzheimer’s dementia” (dementia may be due to another
cause) or “probable Alzheimer’s dementia” (no other cause for dementia can be found).
To diagnose Alzheimer’s, doctors may:
o Ask the person and a family member or friend questions about overall health,
past medical problems, ability to carry out daily activities, and changes in
behavior and personality
o Conduct tests of memory, problem solving, attention, counting, and language
o Carry out standard medical tests, such as blood and urine tests, to identify other
possible causes of the problem
o Perform brain scans, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET), to rule out other possible
causes for symptoms.
These tests may be repeated to give doctors information about how the person’s memory
and other cognitive functions are changing over time.
Alzheimer’s disease can be definitively diagnosed only after death, by linking clinical
measures with an examination of brain tissue in an autopsy. People with memory and
thinking concerns should talk to their doctor to find out whether their symptoms are due
to Alzheimer’s or another cause, such as stroke, tumor, Parkinson’s disease, sleep
disturbances, side effects of medication, an infection, or a non-Alzheimer’s dementia.
Some of these conditions may be treatable and possibly reversible. If the diagnosis is
Alzheimer’s, beginning treatment early in the disease process may help preserve daily
functioning for some time, even though the underlying disease process cannot be stopped
or reversed.
An early diagnosis also helps families plan for the future. They can take care of financial
and legal matters, address potential safety issues, learn about living arrangements, and
develop support networks. In addition, an early diagnosis gives people greater
opportunities to participate in clinical trials that are testing possible new treatments for
Alzheimer’s disease or other research studies.

Treatment of Alzheimer ’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is complex, and it is unlikely that any one drug or other intervention
will successfully treat it. Current approaches focus on helping people maintain mental
function, manage behavioral symptoms, and slow or delay the symptoms of disease.
Researchers hope to develop therapies targeting specific genetic, molecular, and cellular
mechanisms so that the actual underlying cause of the disease can be stopped or
prevented.
Maintaining Mental Function
Several medications are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat
symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Donepezil (Aricept®), rivastigmine (Exelon®), and galantamine
(Razadyne®)are used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer’s (donepezil can be used for
severe Alzheimer’s as well). Memantine (Namenda®) is used to treat moderate to severe
Alzheimer’s. These drugs work by regulating neurotransmitters, the brain chemicals that
transmit messages between neurons. They may help maintain thinking, memory, and
communication skills, and help with certain behavioral problems. However, these drugs
don’t change the underlying disease process. They are effective for some but not all
people and may help only for a limited time.
Managing Behavior
Common behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s include sleeplessness, wandering,
agitation, anxiety, and aggression. Scientists are learning why these symptoms occur and
are studying new treatments—drug and nondrug— to manage them. Research has shown
that treating behavioral symptoms can make people with Alzheimer’s more comfortable
and makes things easier for caregivers.
Looking for New Treatments
Alzheimer’s disease research has developed to a point where scientists can look beyond
treating symptoms to think about addressing underlying disease processes. In ongoing
clinical trials, scientists are developing and testing several possible interventions,
including immunization therapy, drug therapies, cognitive training, physical activity, and
treatments used for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.