During Alzheimer's disease the first 10 years people don't show any symptoms but during these years amyloid plaques and tangles start taking over the brain. After some time the connection between nerve cells is lost.
Alzheimer's disease is caused by brain cell death. Alzheimer's is known as a neurodegenative disease. Meaning that the brain shrinks during the years of Alzheimer's.
There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's, but medications and therapy may help with the symptoms of Alzheimer's. Researchers are looking for new treatments to alter the course of the disease and improve the quality of life for people with the disease
Alzheimer's disease is associated with mutations in genes. Meaning that if one has a mother, brother, sister,etc, with Alzheimer's, one will most likely get it. The early-onset form of Alzheimer disease is inherited in a dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder. In most cases, an affected person inherits the altered gene from one affected parent.
One connection lies between a gene on chromosome 19, called the APOE gene, and late-onset Alzheimer's. That's the most common form of the disease that affects people over age 65.
More that 5 million people in the United States are living Alzheimer's, by 2050 researchers predict this number will rise to 16 million. Approximately every 66 seconds someone develops this disease.
Alzheimer's if the 5th leading death in poeple over the age of 65. 30% of people age 65 and older will get Alzheimer's. 50% of people will get it 85 and older.
