SHREE RADHAGOVIND VIDYAMANDIR,NINAT

(CBSE AFFILIATED EMGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL:4301850)

BIOLOGY PROJECT

TOPIC : - ALZHEIMER DISEASE

PRESENTED BY : - Ahir Dhruvi P.
GUIDED BY : - Dhara Patel
STD. : - 12th Science

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 INDEX

S.N CONTENT PAG

O E
NO.
CERTIFICATE
1. 3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
2. 4
INTRODUCTION
3. 6
AFFECT OF ALZHEIMER
4. 8
GENES AND ALZHEIMER
5. 13
SIGNS AND SYMPTOM
6. 14
DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMER
7. 15
PREVENTION
8. 19
TREATMENT
9. 20
BIBLIOGRAPHY
10. 21

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 SHREE RADHAGOVIND VIDYAMANDIR,
NINAT

CERTIFICATE
This to certify that Ms.Ahir Dhruvi P. of Class 12
has successfully completed the biology project
Entitled
Alzheimer Disease
Herself using guidance.The process of the project
has been continuously reported and has been in
Knowledge consistently.

______________ _________________
__________

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Internal examiner’s External examiner’s
Principal’s
Signature Signature
Signature

ACKNOWLEDGEMEMT
It gives me great pleasure to express my
gratitude towards our biology teacher Mrs.Dhara
Patel for her guidance,support and
encouragement throughout the duration of the
project. Without his motivation and help the
successful completion of this project would not
have been possible. I owe my thanks to principal

Mr.Nilesh Jhala for providing laboratory facilities.

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Vansiya Shivrajsinh J.
12th Science

Alzheimer Disease

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INTRODUCTION:
 Alzheimer's disease is a progressive
neurological disorder that leads to memory
loss, cognitive decline, and behavioral
changes. It is the most common cause of
dementia, affecting millions worldwide.
 The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not
fully understood, but it is believed to involve
a combination of genetic, environmental, and
lifestyle factors. Abnormal protein deposits,
such as beta-amyloid plaques and tau
tangles, are characteristic features of the
disease.

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Key biological processes in the brain
Most neurons have three basic parts: a cell body,
multiple dendrites, and an axon.
 The cell body contains the nucleus, which houses
the genetic blueprint that directs and regulates the
cell’s activities.
 Dendrites are branch-like structures that extend
from the cell body and collect information from other
neurons.
 The axon is a cable-like structure at the end of the
cell body opposite the dendrites that transmits
messages to other neurons.

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Affect of Alzheimer’s on the
brain:

 Before the early 2000s, the only sure way to know

whether a person had Alzheimer’s or another form
of dementia was by viewing molecular and cellular
changes in brain tissue under a microscope after
death. Thanks to advances in research, diagnostics
including brain PET scan imaging and blood tests are
now available to help doctors and researchers detect
biomarkers associated with dementia in a living
person, enabling more precise and earlier diagnoses.
Investigations are underway to determine which
changes may cause Alzheimer’s and which may be a
result of the disease.
 Neurofibrillary tangles are abnormal accumulations of
a protein called tau that collect inside neurons.
Healthy neurons are supported internally in part by
structures called microtubules, which help guide
nutrients and molecules from the cell body to the
axon and dendrites. In healthy neurons, tau normally
binds to and stabilizes microtubules. In Alzheimer’s
disease, however, abnormal chemical changes
cause tau to detach from microtubules and stick to
other tau molecules, forming threads that eventually
join to form tangles inside neurons. These tangles
block the neuron’s transport system, which harms the
synaptic communication between neurons.

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 Emerging evidence suggests that Alzheimer’s-related
brain changes may result from a complex interplay
among abnormal tau and beta-amyloid proteins and
several other factors. It appears that abnormal tau
accumulates in specific brain regions involved in
memory. Beta-amyloid clumps into plaques between
neurons. As the level of beta-amyloid reaches a
tipping point, there is a rapid spread of tau
throughout the brain.

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Chronic inflammation :
 Research suggests that chronic inflammation may be
caused by the buildup and harmful secretions of
malfunctioning glial cells. Healthy glial cells help keep
the brain free of debris. A type of glial cell called
microglia engulfs and destroys waste and toxins in a
healthy brain. When microglia fail to clear away
waste, debris, and protein collections, including beta-
amyloid plaques, Alzheimer’s can develop.
Researchers are trying to discover the mechanisms
of how and why microglia malfunction.
 One study is focusing on a protein called TREM2,
which is essential for proper microglial function
during stress events, including neurodegenerative
diseases. When TREM2 does not function normally,
plaques build up between neurons. Astrocytes —
another type of glial cell — are signaled to help clear
the buildup of plaques and other cellular debris.
Faulty microglia and astrocytes then collect around
the neurons but don’t perform their debris-clearing
function. They can release chemicals that cause
chronic inflammation and further damage the
neurons they are meant to protect.

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Vascular contributions to Alzheimer’s

People with dementia sometimes simultaneously

experience a number of vascular issues — problems
that affect blood vessels, such as beta-amyloid deposits
in brain arteries, atherosclerosis (hardening of the
arteries), and mini-strokes — a combination that can
negatively affect brain health. Cardiovascular problems
such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke can
damage blood vessels and reduce the flow of oxygen
and nutrients to brain tissue, resulting in compounded
damage and increased risk of vascular forms of
dementia.
 Vascular problems may lead to reduced blood flow
and oxygen to the brain, as well as a breakdown of
the blood-brain barrier, which usually prevents
harmful substances from getting into the brain while
allowing in glucose and other necessary molecules.
In a person with Alzheimer’s, disruptions to
specialized transporter proteins in the blood-brain
barrier may keep glucose from reaching the brain
and prevent toxic beta-amyloid and tau proteins from
being cleared away. This leads to inflammation,
which may further worsen pathological changes in
the brain. Recent studies have underscored the
connection between glucose metabolism in the brain
and multiple aspects of Alzheimer’s, including gender
differences in risk and the severity of the disease.

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Fig: Showing affected brain with
plaque :

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Genes And Alzheimer :
 In most cases, Alzheimer’s does not have a single
genetic cause. Instead, it can be influenced by
multiple genes in combination with lifestyle and
environmental factors. Consequently, a person may
carry more than one genetic variant or group of
variants that can either increase or reduce the risk
of Alzheimer’s.
 Importantly, people who develop Alzheimer’s do not
always have a history of the disease in their
families. Still, those who have a parent or sibling
diagnosed with the disease have a higher risk of
developing Alzheimer’s than those without that
association.
 Having a parent,brother or sister with alzheimer’s
increases your risk but it doesn’t mean you will
develop Alzheimer’s
 It follows autosomal dominant inheritance.

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Signs And Symptoms

Early signs may include -

 Memory loss.
 Difficulty completing familiar tasks.
 Confusion with time and location.
 Personality changes
 Difficulty in performing daily activities..
 Poor judgment, leading to bad decisions.
 Loss of spontaneity and sense of initiative.
 Losing track of dates or knowing current location.
 Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks.
 Repeating questions or forgetting recently learned
information.
 Hearing loss
 Untreated depression
 Loneliness or social isolation.

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Diagnosis Of Alzheimer :
 An important part of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease
includes being able to explain your symptoms. Input
from a close family member or friend about your
symptoms and their impact on your daily life helps.
Tests of memory and thinking skills also help
diagnose Alzheimer's disease.

 Blood and imaging tests can rule out other potential

causes of the symptoms. Or they may help your
health care professional better identify the disease
causing dementia symptoms.

 In the past, Alzheimer's disease was diagnosed for

certain only after death when looking at the brain
with a microscope revealed plaques and tangles.
Health care professional and researchers are now
able to diagnose Alzheimer's disease during life
with more certainty. Biomarkers can detect the
presence of plaques and tangles. Biomarker tests
include specific types of PET scans and tests that
measure amyloid and tau proteins in the fluid part of
blood and cerebral spinal fluid.

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Tests to diagnose Alzheimer
:

Physical and neurological exam

A health care professional will perform a physical exam.

A neurological exam may include testing:
 Reflexes.
 Muscle tone and strength.
 Ability to get up from a chair and walk across the
room.
 Sense of sight and hearing.
 Coordination.
 Balance.

Lab tests

Blood tests may help rule out other potential causes of

memory loss and confusion, such as a thyroid disorder
or vitamin levels that are too low. Blood tests also can
measure levels of beta-amyloid protein and tau protein,
but these tests aren't widely available and coverage may
be limited.

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Brain imaging

Images of the brain are typically used to pinpoint visible

changes related to conditions other than Alzheimer's
disease that may cause similar symptoms, such as
strokes, trauma or tumors. New imaging techniques may
help detect specific brain changes caused by
Alzheimer's, but they're used mainly in major medical
centers or in clinical trials.
Imaging of brain structures include:
 Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI uses
radio waves and a strong magnetic field to produce
detailed images of the brain. While they may show
shrinkage of some brain regions associated with
Alzheimer's disease, MRI scans also rule out other
conditions. An MRI is generally preferred to
a CT scan to evaluate dementia.
 Computerized tomography (CT). A CT scan, a
specialized X-ray technology, produces cross-
sectional images of your brain. It's usually used to
rule out tumors, strokes and head injuries..

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Positron emission tomography (PET) can capture
images of the disease process. During a PET scan, a
low-level radioactive tracer is injected into the blood to
reveal a particular feature in the brain. PET imaging may
include:
 Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET imaging scans
show areas of the brain in which nutrients are poorly
metabolized. Finding patterns in the areas of low
metabolism can help distinguish between
Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.
 Amyloid PET imaging can measure the burden of
amyloid deposits in the brain. This test is mainly
used in research but may be used if a person has
unusual or very early onset of dementia symptoms.
 Tau PET imaging, which measures the tangles in
the brain, is generally used in the research setting.

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Prevention:
 While there is no known way to prevent
Alzheimer's disease entirely, certain lifestyle
choices may reduce the risk or delay its onset.
These include maintaining a healthy diet,
engaging in regular physical exercise, staying
mentally and socially active, managing
cardiovascular risk factors, and getting quality
sleep.
 Eating foods like blueberries, leafy greens, and
curcumin (found in the spice turmeric), These foods
have been thought to have anti-inflammatory,
antioxidant, or other properties that might help protect
the brain.
 Use of Memantine (Namenda) medicine
 Stopping smoking
 Keeping alcohol to a minimum
 Eating a healthy,balanced diet , including at least 5
portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

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Treatment:
 Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease.
Treatment aims to alleviate symptoms, slow the
progression of the disease, and improve quality of life.
Medications such as cholinesterase inhibitors and
memantine may be prescribed to manage cognitive
symptoms.
 There are some medications which can help patient to
perform the daily fucntions little longer than they would
without the medication.
 For example, memantine and N-methyl-D-aspartate
(NMDA) antagonist may help a person in the later
stages of the disease maintain their ability to use the
bathroom independently for several more months, a
benefit for both people with Alzheimer’s and their
caregivers.
 Sleep aids are used to help people get to sleep and
stay asleep. People with Alzheimer’s should not use

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 these drugs regularly because they make the person
more confused and more likely to fall. There are
lifestyle changes people can make to improve their
sleep. Learn more about getting a good night sleep.
 Anti-anxiety drugs are used to treat agitation. Certain
types of anti-anxiety drugs, such as benzodiazepines,
can cause sleepiness, dizziness, falls, and confusion.
For this reason, doctors recommend they only be
used for short periods of time, if at all.
 Anticonvulsants are drugs sometimes used to treat
severe aggression. Side effects may cause
sleepiness, dizziness, mood swings, and confusion.

BIBLIOGRAPHY :
 https://www.who.int
 https://www.mayoclinic.org
 https://www.alz.org
 https://en.wikipedia.org

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