What is Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disease which primarily effects people over 60. There are two types of Alzheimer's, although their symptoms and progression are very similar. The first type is early-onset and this disease first begins to show before the age of sixty, sometimes as early as thirty. Late-onset begins after the age of sixty. They are considered seperately, because it has been found that they are brought about by different genetic mutations.
Alzheimer's is commonly confused with dementia, which is a general term for loss of memory. Alzheimer's is in fact the most common type of dementia. It destroys brain cells, which eventually leads to memory loss and loss of function. It may start out with just small memory lapses, but eventually worsens to the point where one cannot sit up on their own.
Biologically, Alzheimer's leads to nerve damage and tissue loss within the brain; there is actually a notable size difference between a healthy brain and one affected with Alzheimer's. This shrinkage is particularly severe in the hippocampus which is responsible for the formation of new memories. Clusters of protein, called plaques, also form withing the brain of Alzheimer's patients; these plaques inhibit the movement of nutrients to other cells, which often leads to cell death.
There are currently 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer's and there is no cure. All of this information and more can be found at www.alz.org which is the website for the Alzheimer's Association.