 |
Alzheimer's Information |  |
|---|
|
|---|
Introduction |
Alzheimer's disease, also known simply as Alzheimer's or AD for short, is a neurodegenerative disease that, in its most common form is usually found in people over age 65. More than twenty million people worldwide have dementia; the majority of this is due to Alzheimer's. The clinical signs of Alzheimer's are characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration, together with declining activities in daily living and by neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral changes. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. Plaques form in the brain many years before the clinical signs of Alzheimer's can be seen. Together, these plaques and neurofibrillary tangles form the hallmarks of the disease. These features can only be discovered at autopsy and help to confirm the clinical diagnosis. Medications can help reduce the symptoms of the disease, but they cannot change the course of the underlying disease. The ultimate cause of Alzheimer's Disease is not yet known. Genetic factors clearly play a role. Four genes in particular can contain mutations or variants that confer increased risk for AD, but account for only 30% of the genetic picture of AD. These four genes have in common the fact that mutations in each lead to the excessive accumulation in the brain of Aß, the main component of the senile plaques that litter the brains of AD patients.
|
|
