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Alzheimer's Disease
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Alzheimer's Disease Defined
Source:
NIH Senior Health
Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities. Alzheimer's
disease is the most common form of dementia among older people. It involves the parts of the brain that control
thought, memory, and language. Every day scientists learn more, but right now the causes of Alzheimer's disease
are still unknown, and there is no cure |
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Causes and Risk Factors
Scientists do not yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer's disease. There probably is not one single cause,
but several factors that affect each person differently. Age is the most important known risk factor for Alzheimer's
disease. The number of people with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65. |
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Symptoms and Diagnosis
Alzheimer's disease begins slowly. At first, the only symptom may be mild forgetfulness. People with Alzheimer's
disease may have trouble remembering recent events, activities, or the names of familiar people or things. Simple
math problems may become hard to solve. Such difficulties may be a bother, but usually they are not serious enough
to cause alarm. |
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Treatments and Research
Alzheimer's disease is a slowly developing disease, starting with mild memory problems and ending with severe brain
damage. The course the disease takes and how fast changes occur vary from person to person. On average, Alzheimer's
disease patients live from 8 to 10 years after they are diagnosed, though the disease can last for as many as 20
years. |
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Frequently
Asked Questions
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Source:
NIH Senior Health
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