BIOS 101- Introduction to Human Anatomy

Diseases Paper # 1
Alzheimer Disease

Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease is progressive neurodegenerative disease that means it

cause the degeneration, or loss of neurons on the brain particularly in the cortex. It’s the
most common form of dementia that leads to memory loss and other mental functions,
including hallucinations, poor judgement and incomitance. 1 Alzheimer accounts 60 to 80 %
of dementia cases in America alone that’s affects people of all ages. 2

Disease Overview: Alzheimer’s disease is split into two groups the sporadic type for later
onset that accounts up to ninety percent and familial group that unusually start early age.
Either way both have same sequence of symptoms and increasing impairments. The
symptoms and severity varied as it progresses to later stage such as confusion to difficulty
in day to day activities, decision making and until the patient become bedridden and
severely impaired mentally. Alzheimer’s is incurable and irreversible however; early
diagnoses can help to slow progression and may help patients and family prepare and plan
to deal with the disease as it progresses in the future.
Researchers found two major causes of Alzheimer’s, the accumulation of certain protein
fragments called beta-amyloid plaques outside the neurons which also triggers the
abnormal formation of tau protein called Tau tangles inside the neurons. These plaques
and tangles interferes the communication of neuron to neuron at the synapses and block
the nutrients and essential molecules transport inside to neurons. Thus, contribute the cell
death of neurons and lead to slowly but surely devastating effects.
Risk factors of late Alzheimer’s are generally due to older age, usually occurs at mid-sixty to
85 years old, family history, genetics, lifestyle, injury and the carrying of certain gene called
apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene on chromosome 19.
Alzheimer’s cannot be easily diagnosed unless the patient start showing the symptoms of
dementia. The diagnostic tests are usually clinical-neuropathologic assessment and
includes physical and neurological exam, lab test, mental status testing, neurophysiological
testing, brain imaging and Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Given the effort of researchers and scientist, there is still no cure available for Alzheimer’s
disease. The medications exist in the market are meant to slow the memory loss and
cognitive change but no clear and definite result to halt the progression of the disease.
It is estimated 5.6 million Americans living with these types of disease which is prevalence
in older people. According to Alzheimer’s Association,” the average life expectancy for a
person age 65 year or older diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease is about four to eight years
after a diagnosis is made. However, some individuals with Alzheimer's live up to 20 years
after the first signs emerge”3.
For aging population, Alzheimer’s disease could be the most feared neurological problem,
knowing it embodies losing the quality of being an individual person.
Conclusion: Because Alzheimer’s is not completely understood yet, the treatment option
is therefore only for symptoms based and that is generally to manage the progression of
the disease. However, an education and support from family and caregivers might the best
approach so that the patients can still enjoy a good quality life throughout the process.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is potentially fatal and contagious disease that can affect almost any part of
the body but mainly affects in the lungs. About One-third of the world population is affected
by the disease and is considered top ten cause of death worldwide 4. People who suffer from

1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1161/
2
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers
3
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-causes-alzheimers-disease
4
http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tuberculosis
the disease are going thru unintentional weight loss, fatigue, chills, and chronic coughing
and if it’s in late stage a blood in sputum can be seen.

Disease Overview: The infection of tuberculosis or TB varies depending on the immune

system of person. Some person specially children can be initially exposed, fortunately,
during the exposure only 30 percent of those can gets infected. For people who gets
infected only five percent of infection progress to active disease and possible transmit to
other people. This is called Active TB. The rest will maintain the bacterium in the body and
remain dormant without symptoms this is called latent stage.
Tuberculosis is caused by rod shaped bacterium or a bacillus called mycobacterium
tuberculosis. An infection is initiated following inhalation of mycobacteria in aerosol
droplets atmosphere present in the aerosol droplets discharge into the atmosphere by a
person with an active infection. Once in the lung, the bacteria meet the first-line defense
which is the alveolar macrophages. The bacteria are ingested by the macrophages but can
manage to survive inside but will be internally enclosed by the body’s defense mechanism.
The strength of the body’s immune response determines whether an infection is arrested
completely by immunity or progress to the next stage. For healthy people the infection may
completely stops but for people with compromised immune system like HIV, aging,
malnourished, diabetes, tobacco smoker can most likely of get infected or if they have
dormant bacteria, there is a greater risk it can gets activated. This reactivation may occur
months or years after the initial infection. In some cases, the bacteria may also spread to
other organs via lymphatic systems or in the bloodstream and can affects the brain, kidney
and spine. This widespread form of TB disease is called dessimated TB or miliary TB can
occurs in early and latent infection or with HIV.
Testing for Tb often starts with a purified protein derivative or PPD intradermal skin test,
also known as tuberculin test or Mantoux test. This process involved in injecting tuberculin
between layers of the dermis. Because tuberculin is a component of the bacteria, it will
react to immune system if the person has previously been exposed to TB, by producing
wheal bigger than 5mm in the skin. If tested positive it won’t determine if the infection is
latent or active so different criteria to diagnose could be done like chest x-ray and sputum
analysis.
The treatment available for Tb varies depends on the infection. For latent infection a
therapy of Isoniazid for nine months is the best approach. For active infection, a
combination of antibiotics would be given to kill the bacteria. However, at this period a
patient is infectious to others so to avoid spreading the disease the patients are kept or
reside in a negative pressure room. It is also advisable to wear protective mask for
everyone who get in contact with the patient to avoid infection. Typically, even the patients
are no longer contagious, they would still be given a medication to successfully get rid of
the bacteria in the system.
Untreated tuberculosis