Zero Draft

Throughout my research, I learned the many ways of preventing and even potentially obtaining Alzheimer’s disease. I found many studies considering genetics and heredity as a heavy component to the disease as well. There is not necessarily a cure or a treatment for patients with Alzheimer’s which makes these topics common to study. However with all of this, I feel that I failed to find more sources that asked more in depth questions about the potential treatments and social issues concerning the disease.

Starting with caregiver abuse and neglect in senior living quarters (I had one source on this), I have to ask myself what the legalities are when it comes to assisted living homes and the protocol for dealing with those who have Alzheimer’s and dementia. I would be really interested to study any state or Supreme Court cases that deal with neglect in senior living and their commonality in society. The relationship between caregivers and patients intermixed with stress and hallucinations would be an interesting topic of study. I had a couple articles on emotions, behavior, therapy, and medication.

Behavioral therapy and techniques to overcome the challenges and struggles of dementia and Alzheimer’s was a clear theme in my research and proved to be one of the most successful studies in dealing with the disease. By returning the patient to a rehabilitation stage of learning a certain area of basic skills, patient’s Alzheimer’s side-effects slowed and many of their everyday skills stayed intact.

Another source I found was an article on a musical inspired by the Alzheimer’s disease and the effect the disease has on patient’s and family member’s emotions. I found it interesting that even Alzheimer’s is connected to society by art and was hoping I could delve more into that subject and see what other art pieces are linked.

With Alzheimer’s disease, elderly people are not able to pay bills, upkeep personal hygiene, or even cook for themselves and not many service projects or awareness in the communities across the nation address this issue. These people can become homeless if no family member takes care of them or any home care is provided for them. Elderly persons with diseases and no money for care is a serious social issue in itself.

The themes I have really noticed in my sources and my research is the neglect and lack of attention this disease has from the community and the public. With people literally losing their minds, memories, capabilities, and lives, I feel like that Alzheimer’s disease is not something commonly known or supported in society. The amount of money that goes in senior care and the things caregivers have to do should be more publicized. The emotions of these patients and family members are something that takes heavy precedence in the disease. With this being said, finding a safe place for people of this disease and looking deeper into what senior care looks like for those with AD would be, personally, a serious area for research.

20. "Genetics Of Alzheimer's Disease"

Summary: This study sheds light on the idea that Down's Syndrome, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease may have related neuropathical changes.

Key Facts:
"While there are many studies establishing the validity and reliability of clinical assessment in the distinction between Alzheimer's disease and other causes of prehensile dementia."
"This is particularly relevant to the problem presented by patients over the age of 60 when Alzheimer's neuropathological changes may be present without clinical evidence of a dementia."
"Universal development of Alzheimer's neruopathological changes in Down's syndrome and erroneously links this with a report of six cases of Down's syndrome among the 777 relatives of 30 patients with AD."
"When chromosomal abnormalities have been directy observes in AD they are indistinguishabble from those seen with aging and are not specific for AD or related to any abnormality or chromosome 21."

Whalley, L. "Genetics Of Alzheimer's Disease." JSTOR. British Medical Journal, 22 May
1982. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/29506546>.

19. "Untangling the Brain"

Key Facts:
"An enzyme prevents brain cells in aging mice from developing knots of proteins resembling those that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease."
"Most neuro-scientists favor the hypothesis that beta-amyloid triggers the brain-cell loss in Alzheimer's disease, but some argue that tau is equally, if not more, important."

Travis, John. "Untangling the Brain." JSTOR. Society for Science & the Public, 2 Aug. 2003. Web.
31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3982185>.

18. "Ibuprofen Cuts Alzheimer Protein Build-up"

Summary: In so much technical jargon, Travis summarizes the beta-amyloid protein. When this protein fragment builds up, Alzheimer's is directly related and a probable outcome of this build up. The way ibuprofen affects the brain could fix these build ups and ultimately change the way Alzheimer's is related. It would be able to protect the brain and potentially fight against Alzheimer's.

Key Facts:
"A leading theory proposes reducing in-brain buildup of a protein fragment known as beta-amyloid."
"Ibuprofen, the common nonprescription drug, may lessen abnormal accumulation of beta-amyloid." "While this finding supports previous data indicating that ibuprofen and other nonsterodial anti-inflammatory drugs slow or prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease, researchers say it also open up a new way to think about how ibuprofen protects the brain."
"There's plenty of evidence that inflammation within the brain, prompted by amyloid deposits, activates immune cells and elicits harmful substances that destroy nerve cells."

Travis, John. "Ibuprofen Cuts Alzheimer Protein Build-up." JSTOR. Society for Science
& the Public, 12 Aug. 2000. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3981212>.

17. "Study suggests sleeping drugs can increase risk of Alzheimer’s"

Summary: The Guardian online describes sleeping medications and they could be linked chemical possibility and cause of some cases of Alzheimer's. The study shows that different drugs with the chemical transmitter acetylcholine block the nervous system and could ultimately lead to permanent damage in the long term. The chemical transmitter is being studied and is thought to be directly linked to cases of Alzheimer's disease.

Key Facts:

"The sleeping medication Nytol and anti-allergy pills Benadryl and Piriton all belong to a class of drug highlighted in a warning from researchers."
"Anticholinergic drugs block a nervous system chemical transmitter called acetylcholine, which can lead to side-effects including drowsiness, blurred vision and poor memory."

"The scientists tracked the health of 3,434 men and women aged 65 and over for around seven years while monitoring their use of anticholinergic drugs. Of those, 637 developed Alzheimer’s and 160 were afflicted by other forms of dementia."

"People with Alzheimer’s disease are known to lack acetylcholine."

"Study Suggests Sleeping Drugs Can Increase Risk of Alzheimer's." The Guardian. The
Guardian, 26 Jan. 2015. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/27/sleepi ng-drugs-increased-risk-alzheimers>.

16. "History of Depression as a Risk Factor for Alzheimer's Disease"

Summary: Speck says that if a person has deep rooted depression, there is a high risk that chemical imbalance will affect the possibility of getting Alzheimer's as a result. However, as a rebuttal, the study did find that if patients with AD did not have depression within 10 years prior of being diagnosed, the risk and rate of getting Alzheimer's was not directly correlated.

Key Facts:
"Depression sometimes coexists with Alzheimer's disease and may cause difficulty in diagnosis in the early stages of AD."
"Depression could be the result of chemical changes in the brain; medications have been developed that modify brain chemistry and alleviate depression."
"For depression reported to have occurred 10 or fewer years before the reference year, and for 'depression limiting activities,' we found little or no increase in risk for AD."
"The finding the depression occurring 10 or more years before the onset of AD increases the risk is generally consistent with earlier studies that found a positive association between AD and depression."
"Among more aged persons, the experience of loss and grief is likely to be more common and may activate normal coping mechanisms. Occasionally, however, persistent major depression may follow these grief reactions."

Speck, Carl, Walter Kukull, Daniel Brenner, James Bowen, Wayne McCormick, Linda
Teri, Meredith Pfanschmidt, Jill Thompson, and Eric Larson. "History of Depression as a Risk Factor for Alzheimer's Disease." JSTOR. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 1 July 1995. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3702081>.

15. "Stopping Alzheimer's"

Summary: By pursuing the idea of injecting antibodies into Alzheimer's patients in order to attack amyloids that cause issues, it's possible that if these vaccines are administered early enough in the disease, the antibodies can attack the disease and prevent it.

Key Facts:

"Now, scientists working with mice report that antibodies tailor-made to attack amyloid can wipe it out and reverse an experimental version of Alzeimer's disease if the intervention begins early enough."

"The course of events suggest that there is an ongoing cycle of manufacture and disposal of amyloid in the brain, and that this cycle becomes imbalanced in Alzheimer's patients."

"Even so, the vaccination might have had some benefit. Swiss researchers reported at an Alzheimer's meeting in Philadelphia in July that some patients who had been given the vaccine developed high antibody concentrations. Two years after receiving injections, these people showed less cognitive decline than did patients who had received inert injections."

Seppa, Nathan. "Stopping Alzheimer's." JSTOR. Society for Science & the Public, 7 Aug.
2004. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/4015559>.

14. "Experimental Drug Targets Alzheimer's"

Summary: In this really short article, the author talks about how mice were injected with a drug named AF267B and through this, their emotional memory was paralyzed just as those with Alzheimer's disease. The opposing drug titled NGX267 reduces beta-amyloid plaques and affects the hippocampus for spatial learning is now being tested in humans.

Key Facts:
"An Alzheimer's affected brain area that's associated with emotional memory didn't benefit from the drug."

S., N. "Experimental Drug Targets Alzheimer's." JSTOR. Society for Science & the
Public, 8 Apr. 2006. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/4019180>.

13. "Parkinson's Disease And Alzheimer's Disease As Disorders Of The Isodendritic Core"

Summary: Rossor predicts that both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease are disorders of the isodendritic core and that persons then become vulnerable to environmental injury. Neuron activity through the terminal areas may increase or deplete the functional reserve of the brain. Loss of secondary cells will counteract effective treatment of these illnesses.

Key Facts:

"The wide dispersal of the isodentritic projection systems affected in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease and the possibility that they are tonically active create an opportunity for neurotransmitter replacement therapy which may be denied to disorders in which spatially specific, phasically active cells are lost."

Rossor, M. "Parkinson's Disease And Alzheimer's Disease As Disorders Of The
Isodendritic Core." JSTOR. British Medical Journal, 12 Dec. 1981. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/29504608>.

12. "Detecting Alzheimer's Disease"

Summary: Through tests of pupil dilation and cornea behavior, the authors were able to use data analysis to discover those who were probable to have Alzheimer's disease and/or dementia. By using measurements of pupils and range of motion, pupillary responses show notable differences and predict the sicknesses.

Key Facts:
"Even if the reported difference between patients with AD and normal subjects proves to be a result of non-pharmacological factors, it may still represent a potentially valuable diagnostic tool."
"Several letters suggest that our finding may have been a result of an increased permeability of the cornea in patients with probable AD. We agree that a change in permeability is one possible
mechanism."

Marx, Jeffrey, Sanjiv Kumar, Allen Thach, Tien Kiat-Winarko, Donald Frambach,
Adrian Treloar, Mandy Assin, Alastair Macdonald, Barrett Katz, Nunzio Pomara, Natraj Sitaram, L. Scinto, K. Daffner, D. Dressler, B. Ransil, D. Rentz, S. Weintraub, M. Mesulam, and H. Potter. "Detecting Alzheimer's Disease." JSTOR. American Association for the Advancement of Science, 17 Mar. 1995. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/2886714>.

11. "Preventing Alzheimer's: A Lifelong Commitment?"

Summary: It is possible to limit the possibility of getting Alzheimer's outside of the chance through genetics. By being mentally and physically active, the decline of the likelihood for AD is fairly severe.

Key Facts:
"People who engage in physical exercise and intellectual activities such as reading, solving crossword puzzles, and playing cards or chess may be able to slow down the development of Alzheimer's disease, perhaps delaying it long enough that incapacitating symptoms won't appear during a person's lifetime."
"Over the years, several studies have shown that formal education seems to protect against AD."
"Each year of education reduces a person's risk of AD by 17%."
"Might protect against AD by increasing the number and strength of neuronal connections in the brain, thus improving an individual's so-called cognitive reserve."
"Genes are the driving force, but it's highly likely that diet and lifestyle influence risk."
"Each additional hour of watching per day increased the Alzheimer's risk by a factor of 1.3."

Marx, Jean. "Preventing Alzheimer's: A Lifelong Commitment?" JSTOR. American
Association for the Advancement of Science, 5 Aug. 2005. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3842573>.

10. "Alzheimer's Disease as a Cause of Death in the United States"

Summary: Alzheimer's isn't necessarily the direct cause of death, but also commonly the underlying factor that ultimately perceives death. Also many a time, even if the person does have Alzheimer's, it is not listed on the death certificate whatsoever, which may adjust numbers for those who had passed away from a discerning relation of AD.

Key Facts:
"In 1995, Alzheimer's disease was reported as the underlying cause of 20,606 deaths, with 20,230 of these deaths to people 65 years of age or older. Multiple cause data indicate that in 1995, Alzheimer's disease was listed as one of the causes of death on a total of 41,419 death certificates for all ages and 40,836 for people 65 years of age and older."
"Age-adjusted death rates for AD tended to be greater for states in the Northeast and Northwest than for the United States overall; however, the differential between states diminished somewhat over time."

Hoyert, Donna, and Harry Rosenberg. "Alzheimer's Disease as a Cause of Death in the
United States." JSTOR. Association of Schools of Medical Health, 1 Dec. 1997. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/4598195>.

9. "Researchers Hunt for Alzheimer's Disease Gene"

Summary: Kolata discusses studies attempting to find the gene that causes Alzheimer's and whether or not this is the reason behind the common genetic relation. Some conflicting information says that if this was fully genetic, there would be more people contracting the disease. However it is believed that are different classifications of the types of AD. For example, there are classical signs versus non-classical signs. Classical signs are more severe but both cases would be considered AD. Perhaps the difference is owed to different genes.

Key Facts:
"Some doctors speculate that Alzheimer's is caused by environmental factors or infectious agents such as slow viruses."
"Nevertheless, researches agree that Alzheimer's can be inherited."
"Eleven percent of the population over age 85 has Alzheimer's."
"Again, they found that the classical Alzheimer's cases were in the majority and that the disease sees to be inherited in these patients as though it were caused by a dominant gene."
"They do not question that some cases of Alzheimer's are inherited, but do question whether the vast majority are."
"If a gene is found, it will most likely lead to a fundamental understanding of what causes the disease."

Kolata, Gina. "Researchers Hunt for Alzheimer's Disease Gene." JSTOR. American
Association for the Advancement of Science, 26 Apr. 1986. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1696410>.

8. "CAREGIVER BURDEN, ELDER ABUSE AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: TESTING THE RELATIONSHIP"

Summary: Gainey and Payne write about Alzheimer's Disease and their studies on whether or not dementia proclaims the reasoning behind abuse of the elderly and mentally ill. The conclusion of the study was that dementia and Alzheimer's was not necessarily directly associated with misguided caregivers, but more of the fact that the mental illness and instability cause an amount of stress that then causes abuse and aggression.

Key Facts:

"Among others, those who have a drug problem and those who suffer from a mental health problem have been found to be more like to be abusive."

"The abuse group was less dependent on the caregiver group than the non-abused group was."

"The trans-generational violence explanation refers to the possibility that abusers learned how to be abusive from their parents or other role models."

"The caregiver burden explanation is traced to research on the relationship between dementia and elder abuse. Indeed, research shows that individuals living with Alzheimer's and related diseases are 2.25 times more likely than other older persons to be physically abused."

"An early explanation of this type of elder abuse was that the victim suffered from some form of impairment which made him or her dependent on an overburdened caregiver."

"Essentially, it's not the situational context that necessarily causes burden, but something else."

"What this suggests is that alternative interventions may be needed for elder abuse victims."

GAINEY, RANDY, and BRIAN PAYNE. "CAREGIVER BURDEN, ELDER ABUSE
AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: TESTING THE RELATIONSHIP." JSTOR. SPAEF, 1 Jan. 2006. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/25790690>.

7. "The Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease: The Number of Genetic Risk Factors Associated with This Disorder Is Increasing Steadily"

Summary: Through much technical and scientific jargon, Edwardson and Morris talk about the e4 allele of apolipoporotein E and how so far in the studies of Tanzi's work it is the only for sure genetic linking factor to Alzheimer's Disease. However until disease slowing treatments are developed, there is not enough justification to test whether or not there are other genetic links with late onset Alzheimer's Diesease.

Key Facts:
"In contrast to early onset Alzheimer's disease, there is to date only one genetic factor indisputably linked with late onset forms of this disorder, and that is the e4 allele of apolipoporotein E."
"However, the statistical analysis of this work used an as yet unpublished family based association method which, though it measures relative risk for the actual families studied, does not indicate the general population risk."

Edwardson, Jim. "The Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease: The Number of Genetic Risk
Factors Associated with This Disorder Is Increasing Steadily." JSTOR. British Medical Journal, 8 Aug. 1998. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/25180033>.

6. "Love and Music Are the Last Things to Go" Robert S. Cohen and Herschel Garfein's "Alzheimer's Stories"

Summary: This article is full of insight and sheet music on this musical dedicated to the hardships and struggles of Alzheimer's. The author uses parts of lyrics and explanations of roles in the musical to help demonstrate the theme of "keeping faith." The characters are people living with AD and believe they lead different lives than those of their sickness. The play reaches out to families members and their experiences with the disease. The music deeply relates and coincides with the disease itself.

Key Facts:
"Find those you love in the dark and light.
Help them through the days and nights.
Keep faith. They sense what they cannot show.
Love and music are the last things to go.
Sing anything."
"The soloists assume the roles of different patients, while the chorus tells the story form the family members' perspective."
"The bewilderment that accompanies Alzheimer's Disease is illustrated musically in the opening of the movement."
"The chorus's text is based on more testimonials about loved ones' final moments; the end of their battle. The pedal tone reminds one of the steady drone of a heart rate monitor, but it also indicative of one of the key themes of the movement - love never ides. Additionally, it is representative of the chorus's constant encouragement of "keep faith" and "find those you love in the dark and light.""
"This wide array of emotions is sensitively and successfully portrayed in both the music and the text, a union that serves as a beacon of light and hope to both performers and audiences."

Cutsforth-Huber, Bonnie. ""Love and Music Are the Last Things to Go" Robert S. Cohen
and Herschel Garfein's "Alzheimer's Stories"" JSTOR. American Choral Director's Association, 1 Aug. 2013. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/23561341>.

5. "DISABILITY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES, AND ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS"

Summary: The cost of Alzheimer's Disease, in addition to the amount of people accumulating the disease, is becoming a substantial social issue. The correlation between these two problems creates an entirely new social problem and burden for families and those with AD.

Key Facts:
"Risk factors for AD include advanced age, genetics, as well as female gender and possibly previous head trauma."
"About 10% of the US population has AD at age 70, but this number increased to roughly 40% by age 90."
"Hallucinations were negatively correlated to and significant predictors of two different measures of activities of daily living in individuals with probable AD."
"Give the significant disability in many individuals with AD, it is not surprising that the attendant costs, both economically and socially, are enormous."
"Nonetheless, when direct and indirect costs are totaled, the estimated economic burden of AD is huge; a variety of studies using different economic approaches have estimated that the annual cost of caring for a patient with AD int he US to be roughly $40,000 to $50,000 per year in 2000."
"Given the aging of the US population, the prevalence of AD will increase in the future, as will the burden of caring for millions of individuals with significant cognitive and behavioral limitations."

DEMAKIS, GEORGE. "DISABILITY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: CAUSES,
CONSEQUENCES, AND ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS." JSTOR. SPAEF, 1 Jan. 2007. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/25790710>.

4. "Smoking and Alzheimer's Disease: An Alternative Hypothesis"

Summary: As opposed to most articles that say smoking and nicotine may be a contributing factor to Alzheimer's Disease, the authors here say that Alzheimer's Disease occurs less in those that do smoke cigarettes.

Key Facts:
"The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease was significantly lower in smokers than non-smokers."
"Alzheimer's diease could be due in part to the anti-inflammatory effects of these drugs."

Cox, Brian, and Margaret Whichelow. "Smoking and Alzheimer's Disease: An Alternative Hypothesis." JSTOR. BMJ, 1 Oct. 1997. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/25568546>.

3. "Memory Implants"

Summary: Author John Cohen talks about how Theodore Berger is in the process of developing a technology that will be able to trigger people's memories into remembering the long-term. By inserting this piece into the brain, it works with the neutrons in order to process information to generate memories. A highly scientific article, Cohen goes in depth with Berger's experiments. For example, they used a monkey to perform a specific task, drugged the monkey with cocaine (eliminating that memory and the same part of his brain), and then used the technology to revive his memory of the past task just taught. This is still highly a work in progress and Berger is collaborating with associates at USC.

Key Facts:
"A day in the not too distant future when a patient with severe memory loss can get help from an electronic implant."
"Berger has designed silicon chips to mimic the signal processing that those neurons do when they’re functioning properly—the work that allows us to recall experiences and knowledge for more than a minute."
"We’re not putting individual memories back into the brain," he says. "We’re putting in the capacity to generate memories."
"Cochlear implants now help more than 200,000 deaf people hear by converting sound into electrical signals and sending them to the auditory nerve."
"Berger has developed mathematical theorems that describe how electrical signals move through the neurons of the hippocampus to form a long-term memory, and he has proved that his equations match reality."

Cohen, Jon. "Memory Implants." Technology Review. 23 Apr. 2013. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/513681/memory-implants>.

2. "Behavioral Symptoms Hit Early in Alzheimer's"

Summary: Alzforum, a website dedicated to the research of Alzheimer cures, published an article talking about behavioral systems and their presence in those with and without dementia. Issues concerning dressing ones self, holding a job, and paying bills and emotions regarding depression, anxiety, and depression all come to those with the disease, however they are obtained faster in those with dementia.

Key Facts:

"Irritability and depression are common and tend to develop in a particular order, they occur sooner in people who progress to dementia."

"According to the functional activities scale, people en route to cognitive problems struggled with daily living activities such as paying bills, shopping, and preparing meals, while people who remained cognitively normal did not. "

"Behavioral Symptoms Hit Early in Alzheimer's | ALZFORUM." Alzforum, 21 Jan.
2015. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/behavioral-symptoms-hit-early-alzheimers>.

1. "Alzheimer's Treatments that Work Now"

Summary: In this article, Barinaga talks about the use of behavioral strategies for those suffering from Alzheimer's. By putting them into an age category and using infantile strategies to communicate with them, skills are better retained and their emotions are far less aggressive.

Key Facts:
"Experts have learned that every patient goes through a predictable decline."
"Patients may lose some abilities faster than necessary because their caregivers underestimate what they can still do for themselves."
"Anti psychotic drugs or physically restraining them can cloud the patients' minds even further or increase their agitation."
"Find the causes of the troubling behaviors and avoid triggering them."
"By providing training appropriate to those ages, they can help the patients retain longer some of skills they would otherwise lose."
"Patients who had been dependent on aides to dress them could now dress themselves with guidance."
"Infantile reflexes appear in Alzheimer's patients are they decline."

Barinaga, Marcia. "Alzheimer's Treatments That Work Now." JSTOR. American
Association for the Advancement of Science, 6 Nov. 1998. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/2897327>.

Alzheimer Research Sources

1. Barinaga, Marcia. "Alzheimer's Treatments That Work Now." JSTOR. American
Association for the Advancement of Science, 6 Nov. 1998. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/2897327>.


2. "Behavioral Symptoms Hit Early in Alzheimer's | ALZFORUM." Alzforum, 21 Jan.
2015. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/behavioral-symptoms-hit-early-alzheimers>.


3. Cohen, Jon. "Memory Implants." Technology Review. 23 Apr. 2013. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/513681/memory-implants>.


4. Cox, Brian, and Margaret Whichelow. "Smoking and Alzheimer's Disease: An Alternative Hypothesis." JSTOR. BMJ, 1 Oct. 1997. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/25568546>.


5. Cutsforth-Huber, Bonnie. ""Love and Music Are the Last Things to Go" Robert S. Cohen
and Herschel Garfein's "Alzheimer's Stories"" JSTOR. American Choral Director's Association, 1 Aug. 2013. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/23561341>.


6. DEMAKIS, GEORGE. "DISABILITY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: CAUSES,
CONSEQUENCES, AND ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS." JSTOR. SPAEF, 1 Jan. 2007. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/25790710>.


7. Edwardson, Jim. "The Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease: The Number of Genetic Risk
Factors Associated with This Disorder Is Increasing Steadily." JSTOR. British Medical Journal, 8 Aug. 1998. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/25180033>.


8. GAINEY, RANDY, and BRIAN PAYNE. "CAREGIVER BURDEN, ELDER ABUSE
AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: TESTING THE RELATIONSHIP." JSTOR. SPAEF, 1 Jan. 2006. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/25790690>.


9. Hoyert, Donna, and Harry Rosenberg. "Alzheimer's Disease as a Cause of Death in the
United States." JSTOR. Association of Schools of Medical Health, 1 Dec. 1997. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/4598195>.


10. Kolata, Gina. "Researchers Hunt for Alzheimer's Disease Gene." JSTOR. American
Association for the Advancement of Science, 26 Apr. 1986. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1696410>.


11. Marx, Jean. "Preventing Alzheimer's: A Lifelong Commitment?" JSTOR. American
Association for the Advancement of Science, 5 Aug. 2005. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3842573>.


12. Marx, Jeffrey, Sanjiv Kumar, Allen Thach, Tien Kiat-Winarko, Donald Frambach,
Adrian Treloar, Mandy Assin, Alastair Macdonald, Barrett Katz, Nunzio Pomara, Natraj Sitaram, L. Scinto, K. Daffner, D. Dressler, B. Ransil, D. Rentz, S. Weintraub, M. Mesulam, and H. Potter. "Detecting Alzheimer's Disease." JSTOR. American Association for the Advancement of Science, 17 Mar. 1995. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/2886714>.


13. Rossor, M. "Parkinson's Disease And Alzheimer's Disease As Disorders Of The
Isodendritic Core." JSTOR. British Medical Journal, 12 Dec. 1981. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/29504608>.


14. S., N. "Experimental Drug Targets Alzheimer's." JSTOR. Society for Science & the
Public, 8 Apr. 2006. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/4019180>.


15. Seppa, Nathan. "Stopping Alzheimer's." JSTOR. Society for Science & the Public, 7 Aug.
2004. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/4015559>.


16. Speck, Carl, Walter Kukull, Daniel Brenner, James Bowen, Wayne McCormick, Linda
Teri, Meredith Pfanschmidt, Jill Thompson, and Eric Larson. "History of Depression as a Risk Factor for Alzheimer's Disease." JSTOR. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 1 July 1995. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3702081>.


17. "Study Suggests Sleeping Drugs Can Increase Risk of Alzheimer's." The Guardian. The
Guardian, 26 Jan. 2015. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/27/sleeping-drugs-increased-risk-alzheimers>.


18. Travis, John. "Ibuprofen Cuts Alzheimer Protein Build-up." JSTOR. Society for Science
& the Public, 12 Aug. 2000. Web. 31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3981212>.


19. ---. "Untangling the Brain." JSTOR. Society for Science & the Public, 2 Aug. 2003. Web.
31 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3982185>.


20. Whalley, L. "Genetics Of Alzheimer's Disease." JSTOR. British Medical Journal, 22 May
1982. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/29506546>.

Why Alzheimer's Disease

For my semester topic, I was hoping to delve into research on Alzheimer’s disease. A disease that commonly effects the elderly, Alzheimer’s is something close to me because my Grandpa had both Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Being around someone with Alzheimer’s and Dementia can be difficult for family members to grasp emotionally, as the diagnosed person will often stop remembering anything from their short term memory. With the disease worsening over time, they may: forget names of friends and family members, ask a same question multiple times, have difficulty with speaking clearly and formulating sentences, have loss of motivation and hygiene, and also suffer from disorientation.
All of these downfalls are effects that my Grandpa, and the rest of our family, saw during the time of his sickness. On October 31^st of 2014 at the age of 80, he passed away after suffering cardiac arrest. A few days prior, my uncle (his son) had taken Grandpa to a doctor’s appointment and then to a fast-food lunch afterwards. While sitting and eating in the car, my Grandpa starting coughing, spitting up phlegm, and passed out. My uncle then immediately headed for the hospital, running several red lights in the process. Only afterwards did doctors discover that my Grandpa’s heart had been stopped for a duration of the car ride, plus the time it took to get him into the hospital. The doctors resuscitated his heart but this only brought him back into a coma. The severity of this cardiac arrest and the 8-10 minutes his heart was stopped caused great damage to his brain. He was hooked up to a ventilator for tests over several days, and during this time his heart stopped again and again, stroke after stroke. Doctors told us they weren’t sure how long he would live after being taken off the ventilator. They weren’t sure if his brain stem was strong enough to keep his brain alive, even though his organs were still functioning.

Unfortunately, I was not able to be present for any of this. As my family lives in Orange County, California, my home town, there was no way for me to fly back in time in order to say my goodbyes. My mom called me while I was at work and told me everything that had happened. She had been at the hospital for several hours already and continued to stay there throughout that first night. Knowing there was nothing I could do or say destroyed me. My Grandpa ended up holding on for just about three days. I called every day to check in and make sure I was up to date on what was happening. Eventually, my mom was the one to call me and tell me that he had passed away in the night. As peaceful as it was, it was emotionally damaging to me that I did not get to be there with the rest of my family and even more, that I was separated from them and had to deal with the situation on my own.

When I came back home for Thanksgiving break, my family and I held a memorial service at my Aunt’s house. My Grandpa was a singer who modeled his style after Frank Sinatra, and so the theme of the service collaborated all of his favorite things, including his recordings of Sinatra’s records. Hearing his voice sing so happily at his service was hard to hear, but made me think of the good memories. I’ve never had anyone in my family pass away before him and although it was a peaceful passing, I still am emotional over not having been able to say goodbye to someone who had been there all the years of my life.
In this, I hope to find the answer on several questions I have about Alzheimer’s. I want to know more about this disease in general, but I also wonder if it is genetic, if it can be prevented and how it is caused. Because it accounts for so many deaths among the elderly (2010: 486,000 deaths, Wikipedia) it’s a social and medical issue that’s very prevalent today. It’s also one of the most financially costly diseases. Alzheimer’s and Dementia are common in the elderly community and any developed research or change could help the state of these diseases in the future.