ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Gregor Alfonsin C. Pondoyo

 What is it?

 Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that

is progressive and is accompanied by
“profound effects on memory, cognition, and
ability for self-care” (Smeltzer et al, 2008).
 most common form of dementia among 65
years old and above
 constitutes at least half of all dementias
 progressive decline in two or more areas of
cognition:
 memory and language
 calculation and visuospatial perception
 constructional praxis
 judgement, abstraction, or personality (Black and
Hawks, 2004)
 Epidemiology
 in 1996 4 million people were diagnosed with
the disease in the US (Tavee and Sweeney,
2010)

 more women are affected than men in a ratio of

2:1

 Age is a very important risk factor

 As of 2006, Alzheimer’s disease in the US is
considered the 7th leading cause of death and
the primary cause of it are intercurrent illnesses
such as pneumonia for those who have
suffered advanced Alzheimer’s disease hence
immobility and difficulty swallowing
(Anderson, 2010).
 In a worldwide prevalence, DOH estimated
that 11 million people suffer and about 5% of
people reaching 65 are affected while 15-25% of
people reaching 85 are affected.
 “Today more than 5.5 million Americans have
Alzheimer’s...” (Barglow, 2010)
Essential Anatomy and Physiology
 Human nervous system
 major conductor of the body as it governs its varied
functions like exerting control over glands, organs
and muscles
 controls, the urination, defecation, sleeping and
waking time, the osmotic concentration of the blood,
the rate of breathing and heart beat, and even the
blood pressure
Important Higher Function of the Nervous
System
 processing of information that helps us to
remember, think, and judge, making us
humans highly superior from other species

I think; therefore I am

Rene Descartes
Nervous system consists of two divisions
 central nervous system or the CNS
 peripheral nervous system or the PNS

ZOOM
Two Divisions of PNS
 To be specific, the nervous system has three major functions
to wit: sensory, integrative, and motor (Herlihy and Maebius,
2000)


The sensory nerves gather information
from the environment (either internal or
external) and carry them to the CNS.
 Integrative (processing of information like
thinking)
 Motor
 There is conversion of the previously planned
action into actual action and this function is the
motor function.
 What makes up the Nervous System?
 Neurons
 Neuroglia
 Neurotransmitters
 The Human Brain
 Cerebrum
 Diencephalon
 Cerebellum
 Brain Stem
 Limbic system
 Hippocampus
Etiology
 Important Predisposing Factors
 Age
 the frequency of the disease increases to 20-40% of
the population over 85 years of age (Fauci et al, 2009)

 Positive health history of Alzheimer’s disease

in the family
 Genetic Links
 Sporadic AD (most common)

 genetic and environmental factors

 Familial AD (FAD)

 autosomal dominant form of disease which means

that it needs 1 parent to let the gene be passed on to
the next generation
 ...”Diabetes Mellitus, high cholesterol, elevated
homocysteine, low exercise are risk factors of
AD” (Fauci et al., 2009).

(Morhan, 2008)
It is important to remember
that the precise cause of this
condition however is still not
thoroughly known.
Plaque Formation
Pathogenesis
Neurofibrillary tangles
PET scan
The Progression
 Predisposing Factors Precipitating factor
Age
Genetic Factor (family history)
Alzheimer’s Disease Stroke (brain attack)
Head Injury
Gender (women)
DM
Diagram Prolonged loss of consciousness (as
in drowning)
Down syndrome Low exercise and cigarette smoking
Small head size Lower levels of education
High blood pressure
High cholesterol levels
High homocysteine levels

Increased ROS (free

radicals) and RNS

VITAMIN
Lipid Peroxidation E
Damages proteins,
lipids, DNA

Hyperlipidemia Hyperglycemia

(Further) insulin Oxidative Stress

Cardiovascular resistance
Diseases

Cellular starvation

Alpha and Gamma APP will then be cut

Secretase either by:
 Harmless P3 Protein Beta and Gamma
fragment Secretase

40 Amino Acid 42 Amino Acid Tau hyperphosphorylation

Cleared in the brain Not cleared in the Tau protein pair up

brain

Form helical shape

Clings between nerve Continuous production

Clump together
synapse
Microscopy
but only after
death or Neurofibrillary
Clumping effect tangles formed
AUTOPSY
Cholinesterase Nerve Impulse Blocking
Inhibitors Plaque build up (esp. In
Disrupts microtubules
hippocampus and cerebral
cortex)
Nutrient transport
Acetylcholine not system goes awry
transported

Non-usage of neuron
(Chronic) Inflammation Depletion of intrinsic
antioxidants
PET will show
Atrophy hypomebolism
CT scan and/ MRI Generation of more
will show reduction free radicals
in size of brain,
widened
indentations, Amplification of
enlarged cerebral oxidative stress
ventricles

CELL DEATH
 Motor neuron
involvement

From mild forgetfulness to inability to

generate short term memory to inability
to perform ADL to loss of long term
memory and the capability to do
Paralysis
abstract thinking, reason, do
arithmetical procedures, to inability to
talk, move and recognize place, time,
and person around.

Susceptibility to other
complications

Death

 
Legend: Phenomenon

 
 
Manifestation

 
 
Management

Consecutively: Direction of Pathogenesis; Manifestation; Management; Direction of a Possible Phenomenon

What's good for your heart is good
for your head! Choosing to eat
well and exercise can help
reduce your risk for developing
Alzheimer's (Alzheimer Society
Columbia, 2010).
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 Additional Reading Materials
 Adams, Amy (2000, September 8). Genes Can Cause Alzheimer’s Disease. Genetic Health. Retrieved on December 8, 2010 from
http://www.genetichealth.com/alz_genetics_of_alzheimers_disease.shtml
  
 Aluminium and Alzheimer’s Disease (September 2008). Alheimer’s Society. Retrieved on December 8, 2010 from
http://alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=99
  
 Alzheimer’s Disease (n.d.). DNA Learning Center Home. Retrieved on November 23, 2010 from
http://www.yourgenesyourhealth.org/alz/whatisit.htm
 Campbell, Denis (2009, August 4). Middle-aged smokers at higher risk of dementia. The Guardian. Retrieved on December 7,
2010 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/aug/04/middle-aged-smokers-risk-dementia
 Champeau, Rachel (2006, May 22). UCLA Study Finds that Simple Lifestyle Changes May Improve Cognitive Function and
Brain Efficiency. UCLA Newsroom. Retrieved on December 7, 2010 from http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/UCLA-
Study-Finds-that-Simple-Lifestyle-7062.aspx?RelNum=7062
 George, Kelly (2010, October 26). New study: Smoking can lead to Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Examiner.com Retrieved on
December 8, 2010 from
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 Healthy Brain (2010). Alzheimer Society Columbia. Retrieved on December 8, 2010 from
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 Lowe, Derek (2010, March 16). Beta-Amyloid: An Antibiotic? In The Pipeline. Retrieved on December 7, 2010 from
http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2010/03/16/betaamyloid_an_antibiotic.php
  
 Mayo Clinic Staff (2010, August 5). Alzheimer’s Disease, Alzheimer’s genes: Are you at risk? Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research. Retrieved on December 7, 2010 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-genes/AZ00047
 Sample, Ian (2009, September 6). Alzheimer’s research links three genes to disease. The Guardian. Retrieved on December 7,
2010 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/sep/06/alzheimers-disease-genes-research