A progressive disease of the brain & More than normal aging
Lesson 1 · 5 min
Based on MedlinePlus en español — Alzheimer's Disease. Original educational summary, read by a medical doctor and confirmed reliable, pending formal approval. Not medical advice.
Learning objectives
- Explain a progressive disease of the brain.
- Explain more than normal aging.
A progressive disease of the brain
Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. In the brain, abnormal deposits of a protein called amyloid form plaques between nerve cells, while twisted fibers of tau protein build up inside them. Nerve cells lose connections and die, and the brain shrinks. Memory loss is usually the first sign, but the disease gradually destroys thinking, language, and the ability to carry out simple tasks.
More than normal aging
Occasionally forgetting a name and remembering it later is part of normal aging. In Alzheimer's, memory loss disrupts daily life: repeating questions, getting lost in familiar places, misplacing things in unusual spots, and poor judgment. As the disease advances, people may experience confusion, mood and personality changes, suspicion, and difficulty speaking, swallowing, and walking. Symptoms typically appear after age 60, and risk increases with age.
Key concepts
- A progressive disease of the brain
- Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults.
- More than normal aging
- Occasionally forgetting a name and remembering it later is part of normal aging.
- Diagnosis and causes
- There is no single test for Alzheimer's.
- Care and support
- No treatment currently stops Alzheimer's, but some medicines can temporarily lessen symptoms or slow their worsening, and newer therapies target amyloid in early disease.