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This is your brain.

MJ Chance
Oct 12, 2023
4 min read


Across the vast expanse of the United States, millions grapple with the devastating effects of degenerative brain diseases. Alzheimer's in particular casts a long and worrying shadow.


Imagine a woman bearing witness to the gradual decline of her mother or grandmother, fully aware that she might one day travel the same difficult path. Enduring the anxiety of a future diagnosis can be a colliding factor. The fear that she has in knowing that one day, she might become a burden on her family as well. It's all done while trying to help their own loved ones through the scary process of losing themselves.


It's an all too familiar scenario.

But what is Alzheimer's? While children endearingly mispronounce it as "old timers," many adults, too, remain unaware of the intricate mechanics of this disease and its impact on the brain.

The human brain, is a marvel of biology and evolution. It operates with an efficiency and complexity that, ironically, boggles the mind. It's capable of conjuring up rich, detailed memories from the hint of a familiar scent. It can flawlessly orchestrate the complexities of speech. The brain stem controls body functions first and foremost. Specifically, the medulla oblongata tells the intercostal muscles to contract in the diaphragm, while the heart pumps blood through the lungs, pulling in a lung full of air. The air is then expelled over the vocal chords (AANS.org, 2023).


This is all done while the posterior superior temporal lobe works with the left hemisphere or specifically the Broca's area, to control the facial muscles, jaw, lips and tongue. It must also work with the Wernicke's area to produce the semantics, grammar, and even social context of the words the person is using (Memory UCSF.edu, 2023).


All of this is done at a speed that is so fast, it happens largely without our conscious awareness.


Even the mere phenomenon of cognition, of 'thinking,' stands as a monumental achievement of nature.

However, Alzheimer's ability to strip away these very capabilities. It doesn’t merely diminish cognitive functions; it strips away the very essence of an individual’s identity (Time Magazine, 2022).


Watching a loved one as they grapple with the anguish of forgotten familial bonds is a heartbreak few can understand unless they have gone through it themselves.

At its core, Alzheimer's can be understood as a disease of disrupted connections (Time Magazine, 2022). Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain, communicate through intricate networks (Time Magazine, 2022). For instance, using again the example of simple speech, regions like our posterior superior temporal lobe become a flurry of electrical activity. This communication is, in essence, the manifestation of the brain's unique electrical signature. Tiny ion exchanges, initiated by voltage-gated ion channels, allow sodium ions to enter the neuron, causing it to 'fire.' Subsequently, potassium ions exit the neuron, restoring the negative membrane potential. (Science Direct, 2023) These tiny flickers of electricity, the sparks in our head, activate functions that move our bodies and sculpt our processes.


But over time, protein build-ups, often referred to as plaques and tangles, interfere with these channels, rendering them ineffective (Time Magazine, 2022). Think of the neuron pathways as pipes in a plumbing system, with water, which represents thoughts and memories, flowing freely. The protein buildups are like debris that clogs the pipes. Over time, the flow is first reduced to a trickle and then finally stopped. This disrupts the entire system of our brain.

Interestingly, memories, especially long-term ones, are among the first casualties of this interference. The reasons for this are still a topic of intense research. It might be due to the infrequency with which certain memories are accessed.


The brain's method of encoding, storing, and retrieving memories is intricate. For example, a joyous memory of adopting a puppy could later be overshadowed by a traumatic event involving the same dog. Emotions, especially potent ones like fear, can reshape our neural pathways causing involuntary physical reactions (Health Magazine, 2022). It is often referred to as being 'triggered' and is a part of the post traumatic stress disorder (Health Magazine, 2022).

This reshaping can be so profound that benign stimuli, like a distant dog bark, could evoke a sense of impending danger. The body reacts, neurons firing in the amygdala, which in turn floods the body with a demand for production in the adrenal glands (National Geographic Magazine, 2023).


The adrenal rush all triggered by the innocent chirp of a chihuahua.


However, as Alzheimer's progresses and protein build-ups become more pervasive, even these deeply etched emotional responses can become blunted. W


alking into the street during rush hour no longer seems dangerous. Gardening in the middle of the night suddenly makes sense. While these accidents aren't necessarily common place, it does happen, though the disease affects people differently. However, it is agreed on that Alzheimer's has the ability to return the the affected person back to the mindset of a toddler, unable to recognize danger.

One of the most insidious aspects of Alzheimer's is its silent progression. By the time its symptoms become overtly noticeable, considerable neural damage has often already occurred (Health Magazine, 2022).


This underscores the importance of prevention. Engaging in cognitive exercises such as reading, writing, and artistic pursuits, coupled with a balanced diet rich in beneficial fats and proteins, can potentially stave off or delay the onset of the disease (cite). But many doctors agree, getting a full eight hours of sleep every night is more important than ever, to ward off Alzheimer's (Time Magazine, 2022).

Yet, one cannot overlook the significant genetic factors associated with Alzheimer's. A family history of the disease significantly heightens a persons risk (Time Magazine, 2022). Generation after generation of families have watched the same decline in their cherished loved ones, without any way to truly stop it for themselves.


The realm of Alzheimer's research is dynamic, with new findings and potential treatments emerging regularly. However, a definitive solution may still be some ways off. Contributing to organizations dedicated to Alzheimer's research, like the Alzheimer's Association, can be a step forward in this collective battle.

With dedication research, and the support of companionate communities, the hope remains that we'll not just understand Alzheimer's, but defeat it as we have so many other diseases.



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