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Plaques & Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's is a disabling disease that develops the characteristics of memory loss and declining mental capabilities. The chances of developing the disease increase as you age. The Mayo Clinic says that nearly 5 percent of individuals aged between 65 and 74 will get Alzheimer's, while almost half of people over the age of 85 have the disease. Various contributing factors may trigger the onset of Alzheimer's.

  1. Theories/Speculation

    • The onset of how people develop Alzheimer's isn't completely understood. Genetics, lifestyle choices or environmental causes may contribute to the disease, but what triggers Alzheimer's can remain a mystery. What is known is that the disease will destroy brain cells. The destruction of the brain cells will subsequently lead to the symptoms experienced by Alzheimer's sufferers.

    The Brain

    • Brain cells die due to plaques and tangles.

      People who have Alzheimer's will develop what is known as plaques and tangles. These structures are anomalies and are responsible for killing the brain cells. Normally the body produces a protein called tau. In people who have Alzheimer's this tau protein will become tangled. Plaques form due to the hardening of neurons. Once plaques and tangles develop in the brain, communication within the nerve cells is disrupted. As a result of blocked communication, brain cells begin to die.

    Amyloid Plaques

    • One of the biggest contributors to Alzheimer's disease is the build up of amyloid plaques. According to Alzheimer's Disease Research, amyloid plaques gather within nerve cells. An amyloid is a protein that t hebody naturally creates. Within neurons is an amyloid precursor protein (APP). A beta amyloid is a snippet of protein cut from an APP. In people who have Alzheimer's the fragments of beta amyloid accumulate in the brain, forming hard, permanent plaques.

    Appearance

    • Plaques can develop in the brain for years before someone begins to present with Alzheimer's symptoms. As the beta amyloid begin to develop in the neurons, it can release toxic substances. The neurons come under attack. Beta amyloid can also cause holes to develop in the neuron membranes. This allows calcium to accumulate within the neurons. As a result of this influx of calcium, the body is incapable of disposing of the excess.

    Diagnosing

    • Identifying plaques can only be done postmortem.

      To truly diagnose Alzheimer's, doctors look for the tale-tale signs of plaques in the brain after a victim has passed from the disease. According to Scientific American, brains that are viewed after death will shows signs of plaque development within the brain.

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