Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative and progressive disorder that attacks brain cells and causes them to degenerate and die. Thus, the disease starts and worsens over time (Mendez, 2012). Moreover, it has been established that Alzheimer's causes about 70% of dementia, a disorder that results in continuous deterioration of social skills, behavior, and thinking, causing a person to lose their ability to operate independently (Birks & Harvey, 2018). Among the symptoms that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease include disorientation, poor self-care management, mood swings and reduced motivation (Mendez, 2012). Progression of the disease causes a person to lose their body functions and eventually causes their death. Regardless, the progression speed of Alzheimer’s disease varies, but the affected parties have a life expectancy of about 3-9 years after diagnosis (“Alzheimer's Association,” 2018).
The cause of Alzheimer’s is not well understood, but many scientists agree that the disease results from a combination of environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors, which impact the brain negatively over time. Among the environmental and lifestyle factors that are thought to predispose an individual to the disease are hypertension, head injuries and depression (Weinstein, 2018). Alzheimer’s disease attacks brain proteins and inhibits their normal functioning. The said effects hinder neuron operation, resulting in a series of disruptive events. Initially, the disease damages neurons but over time causes them to lose connection with each other and finally, they die. Hence, research indicates that Alzheimer’s is associated with both neurofibrillary tangles and plaques in the brain (Rubenstein, 2017). The probability of Alzheimer’s diagnosis is based on cognitive testing with both blood tests and medical imaging as well as the establishment of disease history. Regardless, initial symptoms of the disease may be disregarded as aging, necessitating the examination of brain tissue to make a definite diagnosis. Moreover, no supplement or medication has been shown to decrease the risk of getting Alzheimer’s, but some research suggests that physical and mental exercise, as well as avoiding obesity, can help minimize the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (Hsu & A Marshall, 2017).
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According to Romans 8: 18-25, humanity endures strain that was placed on it because of the original sin. The stress is characterized by suffering, frustration, and pain, all of which are expected to make humankind hope for what it does not have, and is waiting for patiently; assent to heaven. Alzheimer’s characterizes the said strain because the disease is associated with symptoms that make life unbearable and results in death, the gateway through which humanity must go through to reach the promised afterlife.
Alzheimer’s initially begins with minor memory loss, which may result in frustration as the disease progresses. The affected party is unable to plan, organize, find the right words in conversations or remember the names of new people they meet. Moreover, the said frustration is further heightened when the person loses their ability to manage their personal lives effectively and even forgets some bits of their history. If a person does not remember who they are, their sense of identity is lost. If the latter does not frustrate them, it must frustrate their loved ones and causes suffering as a result of losing a family member or friend before they die. In more advanced stages of the disease, the affected parties completely lose their functional ability including bowel control and may require assistance with daily living activities like toileting and bathing (Binnewijzend et al., 2016). The pain of watching a loved one lose their functionality and become unable to interact their environment is undeniable and is likely to cause one to hope for the better life that is promised in Romans 8: 18-25. Despite the lack of association of Alzheimer’s disease with physical pain and suffering, the same are experienced in a mental capacity, making the condition a source of the strain placed on humankind.
References
Alzheimer's Association. (2018). 2018 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures. Alzheimer's & Dementia , 14 (3), 367-429.
Binnewijzend, M. A., Benedictus, M. R., Kuijer, J. P., van der Flier, W. M., Teunissen, C. E., Prins, N. D., ... & Barkhof, F. (2016). Cerebral perfusion in the predementia stages of Alzheimer’s disease. European radiology , 26 (2), 506-514.
Birks, J. S., & Harvey, R. J. (2018). Donepezil for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Cochrane Database of systematic reviews , (6).
Hsu, D., & A Marshall, G. (2017). Primary and secondary prevention trials in Alzheimer disease: looking back, moving forward. Current Alzheimer Research , 14 (4), 426-440.
Mendez, M. F. (2012). Early-onset Alzheimer's disease: nonamnestic subtypes and type 2 AD. Archives of medical research , 43 (8), 677-685.
Rubenstein, R. (2017). Possible Causes of Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Amyloid-β Plaques and Neurofibrillary Tangles. The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences , 10 (2), 3.
Weinstein, J. D. (2018). Alzheimer ’s disease: Multiple Causes Requiring Multiple Therapies. Acta Scientific Medical Sciences , 2 , 16-20.
