Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet - National Institute on Aging
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 Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer's and dementia | National Institute on Aging
Alzheimer’s disease is the mostly commonly diagnosed form of dementia in older adults. Learn more about the disease, including diagnosis and treatment, and find tips and resources for caregivers and people living with dementia. Related topics: Alzheimer’s causes and risk factors, Alzheimer’s symptoms and diagnosis, Alzheimer’s treatment ...
What Is Alzheimer's Disease? - National Institute on Aging
Español. 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 the disease — those with the late-onset type symptoms first appear in their mid-60s. Early-onset Alzheimer’s occurs between a person’s 30s and mid-60s and is ...
How Is Alzheimer's Disease Treated? - National Institute on Aging
Disease-modifying immunotherapy. Treats mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer’s by removing abnormal beta-amyloid to help reduce the number of plaques in the brain. Possible side effects include brain swelling and bleeding, headache, confusion, dizziness, vision changes, nausea, seizures, and difficulty walking.
What Are the Signs of Alzheimer's Disease?
Preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Research suggests that the complex brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s, such as the formation of amyloid plaques or tau tangles, start a decade or more before memory and thinking problems appear. This stage, in which changes in the brain appear before the onset of dementia, is called preclinical ...
What Happens to the Brain in Alzheimer's Disease?
It later affects areas in the cerebral cortex responsible for language, reasoning, and social behavior. Eventually, many other areas of the brain and surrounding neurons are damaged and stop working normally. Over time, a person with Alzheimer’s gradually loses their ability to live and function independently.
What Causes Alzheimer's Disease? | National Institute on Aging
Aging and Alzheimer's risk. Age is the biggest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s. Most people with Alzheimer’s develop the disease when they are 65 or older, with less than 10% of cases occurring before then. As a person ages past 65, their risk of Alzheimer’s increases.
Preventing Alzheimer's Disease: What Do We Know?
No clear link between physical activity and preventing Alzheimer’s has been documented. However, preliminary research findings suggest that physical activity may help reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline. One study compared cognitive performance in 454 older adults two years prior to death, on average at age 90, and found that ...
Beyond the brain: The gut microbiome and Alzheimer’s disease
Jun 12, 2023 · Alzheimer’s Gut Microbiome Project: An open science discovery mission. To learn about the dynamic role of the gut microbiome in the different stages of Alzheimer’s, NIA is funding the Alzheimer’s Gut Microbiome Project. Led by Kaddurah-Daouk, the effort involves more than 40 laboratories with a vast range of expertise and is organized ...
Coping With Agitation, Aggression, and Sundowning in …
The NIA ADEAR Center offers information and free print publications about Alzheimer’s and related dementias for families, caregivers, and health professionals. ADEAR Center staff answer telephone, email, and written requests and make referrals to local and national resources.