This horrible disease raises a very critical philosophical question: Does the loss of memory mean the loss of personal identity? Although most individuals who have considered this dilemma hold that forfeiture of memory equals a change or even loss of personal identity, this essay will show that this is not necessarily true. In order to fully understand how this lesser held view is, in fact, true one must first comprehend both the biological and psychological effects of Alzheimer’s. Therefore, this paper will be divided into two parts. The first part will display the causes, consequences, and treatments for Alzheim

First, let us investigate how the brain changes in dimensia causing diseases, specifically AD. A good method of comparison is seen when examining a normal man of age 65, call him Bob, and a man of the same age struck with Alzheimer’s, call him John. The normal individual will be in the beginning stages of synaptic and dendritic degradation. What the previous statement means is that the neurons present in the Bob’s brain will be beginning to die off. As a result of this, Bob will be unable to recall certain events that occurred in his life. Does this mean that Bob is a completely different person each and every time a neuron dies? Obviously, everyone can agree that Bob is not a different person after each neuronal death.

Evidence points toward the protein amyloid as one of the main causes for the occurring cytotoxic processes. Researchers have found that degeneration appears to be caused by interference with intracellular calcium homeostasis via activation of calcium channels, intracellular calcium stores, and further production of free radicals by calcium-sensitive enzymes. The glutamatergic system, in particular, seems to be involved in mediating the toxic processes. In the brain, the nerve cells in the area that controls memory and thinking are damaged, this interrupts the passage of messages between communicating cells. The cells undergo distinctive changes, these are called neuritic plaques (groups of degenerated nerve cell ends) and neurofibrillary tangles (groups of twisted filaments that accumulate in previously healthy nerve cells). The spaces in the center of the brain become enlarged causing a shrinking of the cerebral cortex (used for thinking) and an overall reduction of the surface area in the brain (Feldman).

Symptoms of AD usually occur in senior citizens, although people in their 40s and 5Os may also be affected. The manifestations of this disease include a severe decrease in intellectual capacity, loss of language skills that may include having trouble finding words, poor or decreased judgment, problems with abstract thinking, time and location disorientation, changes in mood or behavior, as well as changes in personality (Rice). AD does not discriminate; it affects members of each and every race, socio-economic background and sex equally.

Although the following estimations are from American literature, as explained earlier we know that AD has a more or less universal effect across the world, ratio wise. Alzheimer's afflicts approximately 4,000,000 Americans and it's estimated that one in three of us may have a relative that will suffer from this degenerative disease. More than 100,000 die annually which makes AD the fourth largest cause of adult death in the US (Evans). In addition to the emotional costs of this disease, It is also a very costly monetarily wise. An estimated $80 billion is spent annually on the care of, diagnosis, and treatment of this horrible disease of the mind (Rice).

There is no single clinical test for AD. It is usually diagnosed by ruling out all other curable or

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