World Alzheimer's Day is September 21

Alzheimer's disease is the seventh leading cause of death in this country, and more than 5 million people now suffer with this horror. There is no cure for the disease. Much progress has been made in learning about the causes, treatments, and prevention of Alzheimer's in the last 15 years, yet it doesn't seem to get as much media attention as diseases such as cancer, heart disease, or even AIDS. This is a tragedy, since it is estimated that by the year 2050, 16 million people will have Alzheimer's, and 32 million people will be involved in their care. Every 72 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's is a brain disorder that is named for the German doctor who discovered it in 1906, Alois Alzheimer. It is becoming more and more common, and is a serious disease. One of the first signs of Alzheimer's is forgetfulness, which progresses along with confusion, trouble expressing thoughts vocally, getting lost in familiar places, and other changes in personality and behavior which continue until a person's quality of life is severely affected. Brain cell failure is a simple way to explain what is happening to a person with Alzheimer's disease. It is common knowledge that as a person ages, it is normal to experience brief instances of forgetfulness. This is NOT Alzheimer's. The brain, one of the body's most powerful organs, suffers from nerve cell and tissue loss in a patient with Alzheimer's, and it will shrink drastically over time. This shrinkage affects nearly all of the brain's functions.

The rate of time it takes for this shrinkage to progress can vary greatly. People with Alzheimer's can live an average of eight years, but some people may survive up to 20 years. How long the disease lasts depends on how old the patient was when first diagnosed, and any other health conditions the patient may have. Changes in the brain can begin more than 20 years before diagnosis. The lives of millions of people depend upon finding a cure for this disease, and ways to prevent it.