小雞波波&馬麻的日記

Dementia,which describes a group of symptoms that are caused by changes in brain function ,is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.
The most common form of dementia among older people is Alzheimer’s disease (AD),
which initially involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.
Although scientists are learning more every day, right now they still do not know what causes AD, and there is no cure.

AD is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German doctor.
In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness.
He found abnormal clumps (now called amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary tangles).
Today, these plaques and tangles in the brain are considered signs of AD.

How long can a person live with AD?
AD is a slow disease, starting with mild memory problems and ending with severe brain damage.
The course the disease takes and how fast changes occur vary from person to person.
On average, AD patients live from 8 to 10 years after they are diagnosed, though the disease can last for as many as 20 years.