Alzheimer's Disease

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cause of intellectual deterioration in the elderly and the middle-aged. Now it is also recognized as the major single cause of senility, or senile dementia.
Hardly a month goes by without the discovery of a new gene, protein, or chemical process that contributes to this devastating illness. AD, being the most common cause of cognitive decline or dementia in the US, affects 3 to 4 million older adults. 6 to 8% of the people over the age of 65 have dementia and about 1/3 of the people over the age of 85 have dementia symptoms.

Under a decade ago there were few diagnostic tools and almost no treatments for AD. Now the well described clinical signs can be used to identify 90% of cases. Where there's doubt, genetic tests and imaging studies can be used to help corroborate clinical findings.

Age and family history are primary risk factors. Certain genetic abnormalities cause rare, early onset, hereditary forms of AD. The presence of the gene for apolipoprotein �4 ...

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