What is Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging; it is a progressive and fatal disease. www.alz.org Is a progressive and fatal brain disease. More than 5 million Americans now have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time, and it is fatal. Today it is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States.
Alzheimer’s disease (pronounced Alz-hi-merz) is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking and behavior. It affects an estimated 4 million American adults. When it was first diagnosed by German physician Alois Alzheimer in 1907, Alzheimer’s disease was considered a rare disorder. Today, it is recognized as the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is distinguished from other forms of dementia by characteristic changes in the brain that are visible only upon microscopic examination. Another characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease is the reduced production of certain brain chemicals, especially acetylcholine, but also including norepinephrine, serotonin and soma-tostatin. These chemicals are necessary for normal communication between nerve cells.
