The Correlation Between Down Syndrome And Alzheimer s...

The Correlation between Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease Anna Lister Biology Honors, P. 3 Mrs. Creech 25 November 2015 Introduction: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a disease that slowly and progressively causes memory impairment. It will eventually inhibit abilities, such as language, planning, and perception. AD is prevalent in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), a condition where those affected had acquired three additional chromosome 21 before birth (emedicinehealth, 2014). Michael Rafii, director of the Memory Disorders Clinic at UCSD, says that â€Å"people with Down syndrome represent the world s largest population of individuals predisposed to getting Alzheimer s disease† (Hamilton, 2014). There is no cure for either, and scientists are still lacking the knowledge of a complete story. Beta Amyloid, Plaques, and the Destruction of Nerve Cells: There is a large supply of amyloid plaques in the cells of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid plaques are clustered pieces of protein that build up between nerve cells. They speed up the production of beta amyloid, which are polypeptides of about thirty-six to forty-three amino acids long (emedicinehealth, 2014; Stanford Medicine, 2013). Amyloid precursor proteins (APP), when split into specific pieces, are producers of beta amyloid. They are found in tissues and organs, such as the brain. Amyloid precursor proteins pass through a fatty membrane on the outside of a cell. This allows them to extend from theShow MoreRelatedAlzheimer s Disease : Symptoms, Probable Causes, And Stages Of The Disease1605 Words   |  7 PagesThis paper reviews studies about Alzheimer’s disease, the symptoms, probable causes, and stages of the disease, duration, and its treatment options. 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