Final answer:
Alzheimer's disease is described by Sam Cohen using three terms: amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and brain shrinking. These are key markers of the disease, contributing to cognitive decline and significant neuron loss, especially in the hippocampus.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sam Cohen used three words to describe Alzheimer's disease as characterized by the presence of two abnormal structures - amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles - and experiencing overall brain shrinking. These features are hallmarks of Alzheimer's, a form of dementia with severe effects on cognition and memory. The amyloid plaques are abnormal clumps between brain cells, and neurofibrillary tangles are twisted fibers within neurons. A severe loss of neurons in the hippocampus is often present in advanced cases, resulting in significant memory loss and cognitive decline.
Alzheimer's disease can manifest in two forms: a rare early-onset form caused by mutations in specific genes, affecting less than five percent of patients, and the more common late-onset form which has a genetic component but is also influenced by other factors. Research is ongoing to understand the causes of these brain changes and to develop effective treatments. The condition was first identified by Alois Alzheimer in 1911, which is why the disease bears his name.