Alzheimer's Disease
Frequently Asked Questions about Alzheimer's Disease
What is Alzheimer's disease?
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. It is marked by progressive and, at present, irreversible declines in certain cognitive functions. These impairments may include declines in memory, time and space orientation, abstract thinking, the ability to learn and carry out mathematical calculations, language and communication skills, and the performance of routine tasks.
Other symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include personality changes and impairment of judgment.
What is dementia?
Dementia is a group of symptoms characterized by a decline in intellectual functioning severe enough to interfere with a person's normal daily activities and social relationships. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in older persons.
The second most common cause of dementia is multi-infarct dementia, which is caused by a series of strokes. Dementia can also develop from other diseases affecting the nervous system, including Parkinson's disease and AIDS.
What is senile dementia?
Senile dementia is an outdated term once used to refer to any form of dementia that occurred in older people
How many people suffer from Alzheimer's disease?
It is estimated that up to 4 million people currently suffer from Alzheimer's disease in the United States. The proportion of people with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond the age of 65.
What is the age of most people with Alzheimer's disease?
In most people with Alzheimer's disease, symptoms first appear after age 60. About 3 percent of men and women ages 65 to 74 have the disease, but nearly half of those age 85 and older may have the disease. The average age at diagnosis is about 80. It is not uncommon for individuals to have mild symptoms for some time before a diagnosis is made.
Do we know what causes Alzheimer's disease?
Scientists do not yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer's disease, but it is clear that Alzheimer's disease develops as a result of a complex series of pathological events that takes place over time inside the brain.
If a member of my family has Alzheimer's disease, am I at increased risk for developing it?
Two types of Alzheimer's disease exist: familial Alzheimer's disease or FAD, which is an early-onset form of the disease that appears to be inherited, and sporadic Alzheimer's disease, where no obvious inheritance pattern is seen. Approximately 5 percent of Alzheimer's disease is familial and approximately 95 percent is sporadic.
In familial Alzheimer's disease or FAD, several members of the same generation in a family are often affected. Sporadic Alzheimer's disease develops as a result of variety of factors which scientists are still attempting to determine.
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Age is the most important known risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Having a family member with Alzheimer's disease does increase the risk two to three-fold in sporadic Alzheimer's disease, but by no means guarantees that you will develop the disease. |
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What other factors, beside genetics, contribute to developing Alzheimer's disease?
Although the cause of Alzheimer's disease is not yet established, researchers suggest that factors such as the buildup of damage from molecules known as oxygen free radicals -- which are a normal part of metabolism -- may be involved when neurons stop functioning.
This "oxidative stress" may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Chronic inflammation in the brain also may be a contributing factor, as may head injury with loss of consciousness that occurred years before
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