You’ve probably heard of Alzheimer’s disease… but there may be a lot you don’t know!
Alzheimer’s disease is just one form of dementia — a brain disorder that affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. It is perhaps the most common (and best known) form of dementia among older people.
Quick facts about Alzheimer’s disease
- As many as 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease usually begins after the age of sixty, though it has been seen in younger people
- Approximately five percent of adults between the ages of 65 and 74 have Alzheimer’s disease
- Nearly half of all adults age 85 and older may have Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is named for Doctor Alois Alzheimer, a German doctor who discovered abnormalities in the brain tissue in the brain of a woman who died from a mental illness in 1906. He discovered strange clumps (now known as amyloid plaques) and tangles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary tangles). These are both signs of the condition now known as Alzheimer’s disease.
Other brain changes — in addition to these abnormalities — occur in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Nerve cells die off in areas of the brain that are used for memory and other mental abilities. Connections between nerve cells are disrupted, and the levels of chemical messengers in the brain are decreased.
Scientists do not currently know what causes Alzheimer’s disease, nor do they have a cure. Age is the most important risk factor; the number of people with the disease doubles every five years beyond the age of sixty-five. Genetics may also play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. A rare form of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease is inherited. Late-onset Alzheimer’s disease does not seem to have an inheritance pattern — you won’t necessarily develop late-onset Alzheimer’s disease just because a parent or grandparent did.
Lately, scientists have been looking at the connection between diet and environment in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low levels of the B vitamin known as folate may increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.