A brain with cognitive disfunction looks different than healthy brain. Recently we visited the Tech Museum Human Anatomy exhibit. Displayed were 2 brains that had been donated to science. One brain was completely healthy (this person had died of natural causes-shown on the left in the image) and the other displayed signs of cognitive distress caused by Alzheimer's (shown on the right).
What happens to the brain of someone with Alzheimer's Disease?
The healthy human brain contains neurons, which send messages between different parts of the brain, and from the brain to the muscles and organs of the body. Alzheimer's disease disrupts neuron communication which leads to cells losing their functions. It can also lead to cell death. (Source: The National Institute of Aging).
When someone suffers from Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or Dementia the physical effects may be apparent, but the internal effects are not as obvious. It was interesting to see a visual representation of the physical effects of cognitive diseases on the human brain.
