Alzheimers May Be Consequence Of Aging Process
Exactly what is Alzheimer's and why are people so worried about it? Today, we are living longer than previous generations and while this is attributed to the advancements of medicine, there are definite consequences to the aging process. Everyone ages and as we grow older, our bodies change in many ways. When we think about getting old we normally think about the graying hair, the weight gain, diminished hearing or eye sight, and a gradual slowing down of our bodies when it comes to moving around. While this is all a normal part of the aging process, there are also other aspects that may affect us.
The lifespan has been increased because medical advances have removed or eliminated many life-threatening diseases. They can now be treated, cured and in some cases even prevented. While our grandparents may have died in their early 50s, we have a projected lifespan of 80 years. With this increased lifespan also comes some negative aspects and one of them is Alzheimer's. We can remember back to when our older relatives were forgetful or were called senile. They just did not remember where they put the car keys or people's names-we laughed and joked about this with them and knew that one day, we would also be forgetful. Today, the early signs of forgetfulness can indicate the early signs of Alzheimer's. The discovery that Alzheimer's is more than being senile shook the foundation that many of us took for granted-that we would age and become forgetful. Not that there was the possibility of getting a degenerative brain disease that might permanently cripple our minds and put us into a controlled care situation because we could not take care of ourselves. Alzheimer's is a common form of dementia. Dementia is a gradual loss of intellectual and social abilities that is severe enough to get in the way of normal daily functions. This loss always happens in people with Alzheimer's because their healthy brain tissue dies, creating a slow but steady decrease in their ability to recall minor details. Alzheimer's has become a word that is feared. We see the television specials that talk about the medical advances but they are slow in coming and there appears to be no way to stop this degenerative disease once it starts. Even the experts are not sure whether Alzheimer's is heredity or caused by environmental factors that we may be exposed to. Scientists can not accurately project who will get Alzheimer's but they are definitely working hard to find a way to help prevent it. Early detection seems to be helping somewhat and they are working with individuals that have a family history of Alzheimer's. It will take years before they know whether or not the methods they are experimenting with will work. |
