Via Week 16: Alzheimer's Disease

What is dementia?

Dementia is not a single disease, but it is the general term for loss of memory, language, and other life-functioning abilities. 

Types of dementia.

One of the most common diseases under this umbrella is Alzheimer's. 

Like most diseases, it is very unfortunate to have Alzheimer's. The thought of being unable to recognize the people you've been surrounded by for years, your most treasured memories disappearing, and going through the challenge of doing simple tasks due to them being easily forgotten, is truly hard to imagine. 

One of my loved ones is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Some symptoms I've noticed as her dementia progressed were short-term memory, confusion, and personality and behavior changes. Gradually watching her symptoms worsen was not easy to witness. 

There are many causes of this disease. Genetics, alcohol misuse, sleep problems, immune system problems, head injury, cardiovascular disease, unhealthy diet, aging, and environmental factors all play a role in developing Alzheimer's. 

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's. However, there are two treatments: Aduhelm and Leqembi. These treatments reduce cognitive and functional decline in patients. Others temporarily slow down the worsening of the symptoms, while others alleviate them.

As someone who knows a loved one with this disease, I have learned to cherish my memories, whether it is memories with people or memories at a certain place. Every second of our life, every memory we make, every emotion we feel is worth remembering. I hope one day that the world will discover a cure and protect humans' most precious quality. Our memories.






Comments

  1. Pranay KrishnaMay 19, 2024 at 11:24 PM

    Hey Via,
    I can empathize with your anger and sadness regarding Alzheimer's. It is a horrible disease that takes away our loved ones in the most horrible way, because we cannot say goodbye to them even though they are physically present. My own grandfather passed away due to Alzheimer's a year and a half ago. It was an extremely difficult time for me as him and I were very close. He was the person who inspired me to be creative and sparked my interest in engineering. It was hard to see him go from being a brilliant man to someone who could hardly recognize his own family. It was because of his disease that I became passionate about biomedical engineering and neural networks. It became my passionate to research Alzheimer's and potentially help find a cure for it in the future. This summer, I am doing research regarding glymphatic clearance in the brain, which is where amyloid accumulates and starts the process of Alzheimer's. If there is one lesson I learned from watching my grandfather with the disease, it is to enjoy the moments you have with family and cherish your memories.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sanika YadavMay 22, 2024 at 10:34 PM

    Hi Via. Memories are one of the most integral parts of being human. They shape us into who we are, allow us to form connections with others, and ensure that we learn and grow. So it is heartbreaking to see how a disease like Alzheimer’s and others that fall under dementia can take all these precious memories away from someone. It is, of course, difficult for the individuals who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s to experience its symptoms but it is also difficult for the individuals who have to see their loved ones with Alzheimer's change and forget who they may be close to. Therefore, it is so important to cherish our memories especially with our loved ones, and to live in the present moment as these memories are what make up who we are.

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