What is Alzheimer's Disease

   Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, The disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness.

    Her symptoms included memory loss, language problems, and unpredictable behavior. After she died, he examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps (now called amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers 

      These plaques and tangles in the brain are still considered some of the main features of Alzheimer’s disease. Another feature is the loss of connections between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. Neurons transmit messages between different parts of the brain, and from the brain to muscles and organs in the body. Many other complex brain changes are thought to play a role in Alzheimer’s, too.

           This damage initially takes place in parts of the brain involved in memory, including the cortex and hippocampus. It later affects areas in the cerebral cortex, such as those responsible for language, reasoning, and social behavior. Eventually, many other areas of the brain are damaged.

     How many Americans have Alzheimer’s disease?

              Estimates vary, but experts suggest that more than 6 million Americans age 65 and older may have Alzheimer’s. Many more under age 65 also have the disease. Unless Alzheimer's can be effectively treated or prevented, the number of people with it will increase significantly if current population trends continue. This is because increasing age is the most important known risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.

   What does Alzheimer’s disease look like?

      Memory problems are typically one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s, though initial symptoms may vary from person to person. A decline in other aspects of thinking, such as finding the right words, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment, may also signal the very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

    Condition that can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s, but not everyone with MCI will develop the disease.

   How long can a person live with Alzheimer’s disease?

     People with Alzheimer’s have trouble doing everyday things like driving a car, cooking a meal, or paying bills. They may ask the same questions over and over, get lost easily, lose things or put them in odd places, and find even simple things confusing. As the disease progresses, some people become worried, angry, or violent.

      It may be as little as three or four years if the person is older than 80 when diagnosed, to as long as 10 or more years if the person is younger.

   Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, though there has been significant progress in recent years in developing and testing new treatments. Several medicines have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat people with Alzheimer’s.

    Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet