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Alzheimer 's disease

Alzheimer 's disease (AD , a neurodegenerative condition that strikes mainly the elderly , is the most common form of dementia , which is defined as the loss of mental ability severe enough to interfere with normal activities of daily living , not presence since birth and not associated with alteration of consciousness . It was first described by Dr . Alois Alzheimer (1864 ) at the meeting of South-West German Society of Alienists in November 1906 , as a peculiar disease of the cerebral cortex from his research on the clinical and neuropathological features of

Auguste D , a 51 year old woman

It affects an estimated 10 of those over the age of 65 and 50 of those over 80 years of age . Approximately 5 million Americans have AD and without a cure for this , it could affect 14 million by 2050

It causes devastating mental deterioration and eventual death . It often starts slowly and most people blame it on their old age for the forgetfulness . Overtime the memory loss worsens and the patient loses the ability to drive a car , cook a meal , gets lost easily . They also get worried , angry and violent . And eventually will require caretaking for basic daily activities . Thus the progression of Ad has three stages

Mild : have memory loss , ask or say things over and over , personality changes , lose interest in things that they once loved

Moderate : have poor memory of recent events , wander , get worried and depressed , face difficulty in dressing and a few household tasks

Severe...