Alzheimer's Disease
I chose to watch the TED talk titled, "What you can do to prevent Alzheimer's" given by Lisa Genova because this is a disease I have personally witnessed but never really understood or knew much about until starting occupational therapy school. My boyfriend's grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. I remember they had an "out of order" sign on the microwave because he would try to use it but couldn't quite remember the purpose of a microwave or how to. Lisa Genova talks about the neuroscience behind Alzheimer's and how, without any medication or other treatment, we can possibly prevent the disease in our own bodies. Genova says neuroscientists believe that Alzheimer's begins because of the accumulation of amyloid beta in the synapses, which in turn bind together to become amyloid plaque, and eventually destroying the synapse. This accumulation can occur for 15-20 years before symptoms are present. With this information, Genova