| If you are wondering what Alzheimer's Disease is all | | | | doctor named Dr. Alois Alzheimer. It was in 1906 |
| about, read on to find some basic facts. | | | | when he noticed that a woman who died of an |
| Dementia is the term for a brain disorder that has a | | | | unusual mental illness had abnormal changes in her |
| serious effect on a person's ability to go about his | | | | brain tissue. He found irregular clumps along with |
| daily activities. Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most | | | | bundles of fibers entangled in his patient?s brain. Dr. |
| common form of dementia among elderly people. At | | | | Alzheimer discovered a disease that deteriorats the |
| first, it affects the part of the brain that control | | | | brain. |
| memory, language and thought. Even now, scientists | | | | Scientists also found out that those with AD have |
| do not know the specific causes and cures for this | | | | nerve cells that die in the areas crucial to memory |
| disease. | | | | and other mental functions. The connections |
| According to scientists, almost 4.5 millions Americans | | | | between these nerve cells do not function normally. |
| have AD. It usually starts after a person reaches the | | | | Scientists also noticed that the amount of brain |
| age of sixty. The risk of contracting this disease | | | | chemicals that are utilized in carrying messages to the |
| increases with age. There are a handful of cases, | | | | whole body became less. By disrupting these |
| however, of patients getting AD while they were | | | | messages to the brain, AD impairs memory and |
| young. Almost five percent of all AD cases are from | | | | thought. |
| the ages of 65 to 74. Almost half of them are from | | | | AD is also progressive; once contracted, the disease |
| ages 85 years and up. | | | | will worsen until the sufferer will have a total lack of |
| Alzheimer's Disease got its name from a German | | | | control over his or her mental and physical faculties. |