Common usage of the word ‘evolution’ conveys the idea that living things in our world have come into being through processes starting from a primeval mass of subatomic particles and radiation, over approximately 20 billion years.
Continue reading Stress Relief: Introduction to the Theory of Natural Selection
This widely-used proverb in Marathi is cited often to show how futile it is to pursue riches. The implication is clear: Poor people with a clear conscience are healthier and lead better lives than the rich folk who spend their time amassing their fortune and suffer from poor health. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Misplaced keys. Forgotten names. The frantic search for a car in a parking lot. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, many of us have experienced these mental lapses at one time or another. We shrug them off and move on, chalking up our forgetfulness to fatigue, stress, or our busy, harried lives.
The smooth, well-coordinated yet complex functioning of the brain is truly a marvel of nature. Like a well-organized corporate office, your brain is divided up into different sections, each with its own set of responsibilities and tasks. The brain is comprised of several main parts:
Everything we do—from making a grocery list to climbing stairs, from creating a work of art to navigating a car—relies on the proper functioning of our brain. This amazing three-pound organ, which rests within our skull, orchestrates our body’s autonomic responses, such as breathing, digestion, and the dilation of our pupils, and continuously processes information we receive from our environment. It alerts us to danger, tells us we’re hungry, and governs our emotions. It is also the center of all our cognitive processes, allowing us to learn, remember, and to make decisions based on what we have learned.
Alzheimer’s is an irreversible age-related form of dementia that slowly erodes the brain. It robs the person of memory and cognitive skills, and causes changes in personality and behavior. On average, people who have Alzheimer’s live eight to ten years after they’re diagnosed, though the disease can in some cases linger for up to twenty years.
No one knows exactly what triggers the disease process in Alzheimer’s, but most experts would agree that genetics play a role. In fact, approximately 30 percent of all people with AD have a family history of dementia. On the other hand, that leaves 70 percent of people who do not have a family history of dementia, which suggests that other factors are at work as well in the develop¬ment of Alzheimer’s.
Many parts of your body change as you age. Your bones become more brittle as the production of bone-building osteoclasts slows.
It isn’t easy to distinguish the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s from the normal forgetfulness we all experience from time to time. You enter a room and can’t recall why you went there. You’re in the middle of a conversation, and you lose your train of thought. You run into a familiar face, but can’t figure out how you know the friendly person who is greeting you by name.
Continue reading Alzheimer’s: What Alzheimer’s Looks Like As It Progresses
Genetics may influence your predisposition toward getting Alzheimer’s and they may even be involved in the development of plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. But at the moment, no one knows exactly what causes the brain to deteriorate in the person with Alzheimer’s. Some experts believe that beta-amyloid plaques themselves are the cause of Alzheimer’s Disease, while others point to neurofibrillary tangles as the culprit behind the disease process.
Continue reading Alzheimer’s: Other Possible Causes of Alzheimer’s Disease