Postby shooraijin » Thu May 19, 2011 6:42 am
Alzheimer's is not a mental process, it's a physical one. While no cause is known, there are physical changes that have occurred in the brain observable after autopsy, and neurons actually die. The symptoms do indeed include loss of memory, but memory changes are not the only manifestation.
Yes, we can definitely overpower lower-order mental processes with higher states of mind, or cognitive behavioural therapy wouldn't have any value. But things like toxoplasmosis, and in fact any physical damage to the brain, are actually destroying real brain tissue. While occupational, cognitive and physical therapies seek to rehabilitate the brain to rewire itself around such damage, there certainly comes a point depending on the extent and areas affected where people's functionality cannot return no matter what you do. With that in mind, Atria35's point is well taken.
I should also point out that toxoplasmosis does not damage the brain purely by chemical means. The mass effect itself simply by it growing can be enough, same as any other space-occupying lesion.
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