Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear later in life. Estimates vary, but experts suggest that more than 6 million Americans, most of them age 65 or older, may have dementia caused by Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning — thinking, remembering, and reasoning — and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for help with basic activities of daily living.

The causes of dementia can vary, depending on the types of brain changes that may be taking place. Other dementias include Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal disorders, and vascular dementia. It is common for people to have mixed dementia — a combination of two or more types of dementia. For example, some people have both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s and dementia read the full article from the National Institute of Aging here.

Topics include:

• How does Alzheimer’s disease affect the brain?
• Signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
• Stages of Alzheimer’s disease
• What causes Alzheimer’s disease?
• How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed?
• Participating in Alzheimer’s disease clinical trials
• How is Alzheimer’s disease treated?
• Support for families and Alzheimer’s disease caregivers