What is Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive degenerative disease that is responsible for several changes in the brain of affected persons. Brain cells shrink or disappear, and are replaced by plaques. Thread-like tangles appear within existing brain cells, eventually damaging healthy brain cells. At present there is no cure. It affects 1 in 11 persons over age 65 and 1 in 4 over 85 years of age. Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia - a set of symptoms that includes loss of memory, judgement and reasoning, difficulty with day to day function and changes in mood and behaviour. If you have noticed these symptoms in yourself, or in someone close to you, it is important to visit your family doctor for a thorough assessment to find the cause.