Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a form of brain degeneration in which abnormal
particles called neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques form
in the brain and destroy healthy neurons (brain cells). These abnormalities
tend to settle in brain areas that control the ability to learn
a new fact and remember it 30 minutes, or a day later, a skill we
refer to as "memory".
WHO GETS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE?
The two main categories of Alzheimer's disease are familial and
sporadic. Familial Alzheimer's disease refers to a genetic form
of the disease that is transmitted from one generation to the next.
Only 5 percent of all cases of Alzheimer's disease have been associated
with a genetic component. These individuals come from families in
which as many as half of the members develop Alzheimer's disease.
Fortunately, this form of the disorder is rare.
The remaining 95 percent of Alzheimer's disease cases are sporadic,
or randomly occurring in the population. Particular dietary habits,
professional occupations, or personality types do not seem to lead
to the development of Alzheimer's disease.
A variety of "risk factors" have been identified in individuals
diagnosed with probable AD (PRAD). In fact, it is quite common to
pick up a newspaper or to turn on the TV and hear about the newest
"risk factor" that has been identified. While some of
these factors may turn out to be useful, it is important to remember
that much of the research that has been done in this area is retrospective
research. This means that the research is conducted by comparing
a group of patients diagnosed with PRAD with a group of healthy
age-matched adults. These types of analyses provide information
about the number of individuals diagnosed with PRAD who have a certain
characteristic compared with the healthy individuals. While these
results are useful in directing future research studies, they do
not provide information about cause and effect. What is needed is
a prospective study in which large numbers of individuals are followed
from an early age to the age at which PRAD develops.
The informaton on this page is for reference and educational
purposes. There is no substitute for seeing your doctor.
Related Information
What is dementia?
Symptoms of dementia
Who gets Alzheimer's Disease?
Making a diagnosis
Treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Other Disorders
Frontotemporal Dementia
News in Alzheimer's
Disease and Dementia - Alzheimer's Forum
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