Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is one of the most common of the dementing illnesses.

A progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain, causing impaired memory, thinking and behavior. A person with Alzhiemers Disease may experience personality and behavior changes, impaired judgment, confusion and

difficulty finishing thoughts, following directions or even finding the right word to say in a conversation. Once advanced the sufferer may require a caretaker as daily chores become very difficult to accomplish. Evidence points toward amyloid as one of the main causes for the occurring cytotoxic processes. Researchers have found that degeneration appears to be caused by interference with intracellular calcium homeostasis via activation of calcium channels, intracellular calcium stores, and further production of free radicals by calcium-sensitive enzymes. The glutamatergic system seems to be involved in mediating the toxic processes.

In the brain, the nerve cells in the part that controls memory and thinking are damaged, this interrupts the passage of messages between communicating cells. The cells undergo distinctive changes, these are called neuritic

after memory loss symptoms start to surface. It shortens the sufferers expected life span, but through appropriate care and medical attention the patients oftenlive for many years. Death can't usually be predicted until the end stages where symptoms are nearing their worse. Some patients in late or terminal-stage Alzheimer's tend to lose weight and have difficulty swallowing, difficulties with bladder control, walking and talking. They are also known to curl into a fetal position. Sufferers most often die through a series of repeated infections such as bladder infections or pneumonia.

* http://www.ahaf.org/alzdis/about/adabout.htm

* Clarris H. J. et al (1994) Secretion of nerve growth factor from septum stimulates neurite outgrowth and release of the amyloid protein precursor of Alzheimer's disease from hippocampal explants J. Neurosci. Res. 38 248-258

People diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease can live anywhere from 2 to 20 years

AD does not discriminate, it affects any race, socio background or sex equally.

* Disterhoft J. F et al (1994) The calcium rationale in aging and Alzheimer's disease Calcium Hypothesis of Aging and Dementia, Annual Academy of Science. N.Y. New York 382-405

The classic symptom of forgetfulness is part of the normal aging process and usually begins in early middle age, however, normal forgetfulness differs from Alzheimer's Disease in many important ways.

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