Facing The Reality Of Alzheimers

11 Pages 2662 Words

the neuron that exchange messages with one another. Figure One (right) illustrates the neuron, synapses, and dendrites of three communicating neurons in a healthy human brain. Looking at the figure, you can see that the dendrites are the slender extensions off the neurons. The synapses are the space between dendrites; they are clear passageways on the brain. Messages pass through these clear passageways as electrical impulses, which the brain uses to control every move the body makes, from the heartbeat to telling the feet to walk. It is also important to note that microtubules are the purple areas on the neuron outside of the off-white oval. They are used to transport nutrients and other substances within the neuron itself, which keep the neuron healthy.
The neurons in an Alzheimer patient’s brain cannot process messages easily because of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Amyloid plaques prevent the neurons from the outside, by blocking the electrical impulses, which prevents them from effectively doing their job. Neurofibrillary tangles damage the neuron on the inside, also preventing them from effectively doing their job. Both shown in figure two (Next Page) and described in detail to the right of and below the figure.
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Amyloid plaques prevent information from being sent from one neuron to the next. As shown in the figure, they create a block in the synapses. Amyloid is the term for protein particles naturally created in the brain. Beta-amyloid is the main protein that amyloid plaques consist of. In the normal healthy brain these protein particles are broken down and disintegrated, in an Alzheimer patient’s brain they accumulate and form the plaques that block messages from being passed on. The body cannot break down these plaques, and there is no treatment available for them to date. They are not unique to Alzheimer’s disease, but in Alzheimer’s patients they become so numerous that it eventually becom...