Bauman 1

Caila Bauman

Kevin Kelleher

EN 102

9 March 2019

Annotated Bibliography on Researching Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s is defined as a type of dementia that causes problems with memory,

thinking, and behavior. It affects millions of people across the world every year. The worst part

of this disease is that a person who is healthy their whole life, has the possibility of getting

diagnosed with this disease. With Alzheimer’s there is no cure, since it directly effects the brain,

but there is always research being done. Dementia and Alzheimer’s affects so many people

around the world. The sources from this annotated bibliography will help supply information on

the effects of Alzheimer’s, how it affects patients and their families, and what it does to the

brain.

"Alzheimer’s Disease." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2015. Opposing

Viewpoints in Context,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/PC3010999265/OVIC?u=tusc49521&sid=OVIC&xid=a0b87

07e. Accessed 26 Feb. 2019.

In an article by Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, it discusses everything from the

risks to the costs and living with Alzheimer’s. It was initially discovered in 1906 by a German

physician, Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who noticed abnormalities in parts of the brain. One of the first

known symptoms of Alzheimer’s is memory loss. It is a difficult disease to diagnose at an early

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stage, because everyone’s brain progresses at different rates. The author states that there is not

yet a known cause for AD, but it is believed that Alzheimer’s results because of complex

interactions in the brain over a long period of time. As the disease progresses, people experience

many changes to their daily life and will later have to receive consistent care. As the level of care

increases, so does the price of living. The author writes about how it causes a financial burden

for anyone being affected. Because Alzheimer’s causes a lot of stress on the patient, it leaves an

emotional burden with the caregivers, families and friends. This source can help with research

because it investigates the beginnings of Alzheimer’s and dementia and how it affects families as

the disease progresses. Also, it discusses the different levels of care and financial concerns

patients must pay for once they get to a certain stage.

"Caffeine May Delay the Onset of Alzheimer's Disease." Caffeine, edited by Amy

Francis, Greenhaven Press, 2016. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010963208/OVIC?u=tusc49521&sid=OVIC&xid=d2d1f

3be. Accessed 26 Feb. 2019. Originally published as "Caffeine and Alzheimer's," Speech-

Language-Pathology-Audiology.Advanceweb.com, 29 Aug. 2012.

The article, “Caffeine May Delay the Onset of Alzheimer's Disease,” discusses ways to

delay the onset symptoms of Alzheimer’s. This article’s editorial was done by Amy Francis, a

publisher from the Greenhaven Press. One benefit she found for slowing down symptoms of

Alzheimer’s is caffeine. She includes research from the University of South Florida and the

University of Miami. In the case study, the university found direct evidence that caffeine intake

reduces the risk of dementia or delays it. Francis wrote that caffeinated coffee appeared to be the

main source of caffeine in the memory-protected mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients. Not

only can moderate caffeine intake positively impact Alzheimer’s, but it can also reduce the risk
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of other diseases including Type II diabetes, breast cancer, and stroke. Overall, this article is

helpful because it includes a case study that provides evidence that caffeine could potentially

help an Alzheimer’s patient. This is an interesting topic to investigate when researching this

topic further. The case study says it delays the risk, but it does not really specify how much it

delays dementia by.

Fotuhi, Majid. "Exercise May Help Prevent Alzheimer's." Alzheimer's Disease, edited by

Adela Soliz, Greenhaven Press, 2006. Contemporary Issues Companion. Opposing Viewpoints in

Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010386209/OVIC?u=tusc49521&sid=OVIC&xi

d=d2d1f3be. Accessed 10 Mar. 2019. Originally published in The Memory Cure: How to Protect

Your Brain Against Memory Loss and Alzheimer's Disease., McGraw Hill, 2003.

Another article, written by Majid Fotuhi, called “Exercise May Help Prevent

Alzheimer’s,” researches exercise with the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. In the scholarly

article, Fotuhi looks at how exercise can help patients by improving memory, which reduces

dementia later in life. He uses a case study from Richard Camicioli, a doctor at the University of

Alberta. In his case study, Camicioli monitored a group of 108 men and women, over a 6-year

period, performing several tests. In the article, Fotuhi includes, that with every extra daily mile

there was a noticeable 13 percent improvement compared to the women that walked less. Related

to the correlation between exercise and memory improvement, scientists from the University of

California focused their attention on a new protein called brain derived neurotrophic factor

(BDNF). It is a natural protein that helps with health and survival and it might be part of the

reason why exercise helps keep of dementia. Looking at this case study could be helpful to see if

there is a correlation between exercise and better memory. This article could be helpful for
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further research because it includes a case study and talks about how exercise can help prevent

dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Pence, Gregory. "Genetic Testing for Incurable Diseases Poses Risks to Consumers and

Families." Medical Testing, edited by Noël Merino, Greenhaven Press, 2014. Opposing

Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in

Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010895222/OVIC?u=tusc49521&sid=OVIC&xi

d=e1ebfb6b. Accessed 10 Mar. 2019. Originally published as "Should We Test for Diseases That

Can't Be Cured?" Birmingham News, 9 Jan. 2011.

In the article, “Genetic Testing for Incurable Diseases Poses Risks for Consumers and

Families,” George Pence researches the effects of getting tested for Alzheimer’s. Pence is a

professor and department chair at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In his research,

Pence discusses how 40 percent of Alzheimer’s patients have a gene variant in common, this

variant is known as APOE4, but it does not always mean that the patient will have Alzheimer’s.

Because it is an uncurable disease, many people like that they can now get tested for this gene to

know whether they could be at risk of having it. Although Pence found a common gene in his

research, he also found the negative effects to getting tested. If people were to take the test and

have the gene, it could cause problems, such as suicide. Although taking the test can spark some

positive and negative emotions in people, it sometimes may be better to take it earlier, so

families can make plans for the future. This article is helpful because it specifically states the

gene that is commonly found in Alzheimer’s patients and discusses what families can do to test

for the specific gene.

"Dementia on the Rise Worldwide." Tribune Content Agency Graphics, 2009. Global

Issues in
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Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CT3294261400/OVIC?u=tusc49521&sid=OVIC&x

id=9e5a8ebd. Accessed 10 Mar. 2019.

On the Graphic, “Dementia on the Rise Worldwide,” it shows how prevalent dementia

has become in recent years. The graph shows how many people had dementia in 2010 and

predicts what it is going to be in the years 2030 and 2050. The graph includes countries like

America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Right now, over 35 million people are living with

Alzheimer’s and dementia and that number is only expected to rise in the future. In 2050, that

number is predicted to be over 115 million. Given the information from the graph, the country

with the most dementia patients is Asia and the country with the least is Africa. Overall, this

graphic is helpful because it gives an overview on what future cases could look like. The

numbers of cases are expected to grow rapidly.

Alzheimer’s is such an awful disease that impacts so many people’s lives, whether it is

one patient or a whole family. When someone is affected by the disease, no one really thinks

about how it affects their whole life. It is very costly and can easily affect family members and

friends that are close to the patient. There are ways of slowing down dementia, such as exercise

and caffeine, but that cannot stop the disease from ever occurring. Although there is always

research being done, there has not been a cure, and Alzheimer’s and dementia is only supposed

to rise in the future, affecting millions.