Question

er 3 Chaptet er 3 SL Biops Biops ychol ogy Unit 1 Choice 3 Directions: Write a paragraph discussing a concept from the Biology and the Brain Module that you found to have some personal relevance or special meaning. Explain why learning about this topic is important to you. For example, my first husband had Parkinson's disease. So, 1 might write about the transmission of neuro-chemicals such as dopamine and how the inefficient transfer or lack of dopamine is the cause of Parkinson's.

Answer 1

Answer- My friend's father has been suffering from Alzheimer's since the past few years. Alzheimer's is a progressive disorder of the brain that causes the brain cells to degenerate and eventually dies. It results in a progressive and continuous decline in an individual's ability to think, interact (disrupts social skills), and moreover, function independently. It is believed that the causes of Alzheimer's are an amalgamation of genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect an individual's brain over a while. However, the exact cause of Alzheimer's is still unknown.

Alzheimer's heavily damages the neurons, causing them to disconnect with each other and ultimately die. It usually starts with the region of the brain that is responsible for memory, and then gradually spreads throughout the other regions of the brain. By the time it reaches the last stage, the brain has already shrunk significantly. Researchers believe that the involvement of plagues and tangles ( types of proteins) may have a role to play in this condition. Plagues cause clusters to be formed which convert into larger deposits known as amyloid plaques which have a toxic effect on the neurons, whereas tangles disrupt the transport system used to carry nutrients and other essential materials, therefore proving to be toxic to the brain cells.