Unraveling the Mysteries of Alzheimer's: Early-Onset & Late-Onset - Essay Sample

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is a gene inherited irreversible brain disorder that destroys memory and thinking skills. A person with this disorder is unable to think clearly and even to perform simple tasks. The disease consists of two types, that is, the early onset and the late-onset. The rapid onset occurs to people between the age of 30 and mid 60 but is rare compared to the late-onset that happens to those in the mid 60 upwards. The late-onset is typical compared to the early onset. The disorder begins slowly, and it's difficult to notice since people believe that old age is related to memory loss and general body weakness. Alzheimer's disease has a close relationship with the DNA since it is genetic. The DNA consists of chromosomes that carry the genetic information in all the bodies of living things. Chromosomes are inherited from parents and are identical. Once a child inherits the chromosomes from the parent, all the genes that are in these chromosomes are inherited. Therefore, if a parent is carrying the proteins that cause this disorder, then it's likely that the biological mother or father will transmit the disease to the child. As old age catches up, the more the disease continues to worsen. The individual will experience problems while speaking and even carrying out daily activities. At times the victim may also forget to comb the hair or even brush his or her teeth. Another symptom is that the victims tend to be aggressive, forcing the family member to give them total care. No treatment can be administered, only some drugs to control but not to heal.

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Introduction

Alzheimer's disease has been a crucial concern to the scientists as they are always researching about it. Scientists have done several studies on how the disease begins and the changes it makes to a person's body. The more research is done about this disease, the more the scientists realize that genes play a role in it. The national institutes of health are among the top researchers researching this disease. The institute researchers concluded that Alzheimer's disease is generic. In this essay, the relationship between Alzheimer's disease and DNA will be discussed. Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible brain disease. It occurs when the amyloid plaques and the neurofibrillary disconnect from the nerve cells and the nerve cells. It occurs in two types, that is, the early onset and the late-onset, where both of them are genetic components.

The DNA is a self-replicating material that is present in all living things. The main constituents are the chromosomes making the deoxyribonucleic a carrier of the genetic information. The DNA is mostly referred to as the blueprint and is found in every nucleus in the human cells. The DNA, if stretched from one end to another, it can go up to six feet. The compact structures that are packed together in the DNA are referred to as chromosomes. In a human being, each cell has 46 chromosomes that are grouped in pairs of two, making them 23 pairs. The chromosomes are inherited from the biological parents, and they are identical. The chromosomes contain segments referred to as genes. In case the gene experiences a change despite it being slight, it produces a protein that will lead to disease. Different changes in the genes in an individual's body will either increase or decrease the chances of a person developing an infection.

Some diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, are inherited from the parents. The process of inheriting these genes is referred to as gene mutation. If a parent is having one of the genetic diseases, then there is a high chance that the parent will transfer the disease to the children. Some of the most common genetic disorders include sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, and early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease has both the early onset and the late-onset. According to the scientist, the early onset is the one that is likely to be transmitted through genes since there is no generic variant. In the late-onset, the symptoms start to show in the mid-60s and above. The Alzheimer's disease and the DNA are closely related since the disease is inherited through genes, and genes are found in the DNA as experienced earlier (Nagata).

Early-Onset of Alzheimer's Disease

The early onset occurs mostly to people who are between the mid-30s up to mid-60. The group of people only represents a small percentage of people with this disease. The disease is caused as a result of inheriting three genes that have the protein that, in return, causes the disease. The three genes because of the early-onset Alzheimer's while the rest of the people who develop the disease from other genetic components that are strictly related to the disease. The researchers have given a situation where both the mother and the father have the genetic mutation that has Alzheimer's disease. In such a case, the child to be born has a high chance of inheriting the mutation.

As said earlier, each DNA has 23 pairs of chromosomes. Among the 23 pairs of chromosomes, number 1, 14, and 21 are known to cause early-onset FAD. The three mutations are identified to produce certain chemicals that lead to the formation of abnormal proteins. For example, the modification on chromosome number 21 causes the creation of the protein abnormal precursor protein, which is known for creating Alzheimer's disease. The other two mutations in chromosome 14 and one are known to produce the presenilin proteins 1 and 2, respectively. All three proteins produced are known to provide the amyloid precursor protein abbreviated as the APP, whose function in the mutation is yet to be discovered. The protein is responsible for processing the harmful plaques that cause Alzheimer's disease.

Findings by scientists have been made that helped people understand the relationship between Alzheimer's disease, DNA, and the brain. Most people do not know why the disease only affects the brain and not any other body organs. The genetic disorder occurs in steps, and each stage has different symptoms. However, there is no clear explanation that has been given to explain why the early-onset Alzheimer's disease affects the brain and the common symptoms. In most conditions, for example, HIV and AIDS, all the stages have different traits that the patients can detect easily. However, when it comes to this genetic disease, the only symptom that one can identify is memory loss, and cognitive issues appear. Researchers are still researching to come up with more symptoms that are likely to help individuals in detecting the disease in both the early onset and the late onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Late-Onset of Alzheimer Disease

There is no much difference with the early onset only that in the late-onset, it occurs to individuals with the age of mid 60 upwards. Apart from the genetic components, other causes are yet to be established, but the researchers claim that it is a result of environmental and lifestyle factors. The specific gene that causes the disease is yet to be discovered through some scientists argue that chromosome 19 has a high chance of producing the protein that causes the disease. However, it is yet to be proven. Thus, no conclusions have been made. Chromosome 19 is said to contain an apolipoprotein that is commonly known as an allele. The protein is said to have the allele that causes the disease at the early stage of the onset.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Alzheimer's disease can be detected through a process referred to as genetic testing. As much as the process will help one to identify the presence of these proteins in the genes, it is difficult to tell which onset that one will suffer from. A medication of the disease is available in specific hospitals since people are yet to understand several things about the condition. What researches have proven about is that the illness and DNA have a close relationship since it is inherited. There are no other primary causes that have been identified hence the reason as to why it is referred to as a generic disease since it is inherited from the biological parents carrying the gene

Work Cited

Nagata, Tomoyuki, et al. "Association between DNA methylation of the BDNF promoter region and clinical presentation in Alzheimer's disease." Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders extra 5.1 (2015): 64-73.