+ Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, in which there is a progressive loss of memory accompanied by changes in personality and behaviour. It usually becomes apparent in older age with 10% of people between 65 to 85 years of age being Alzheimer’s disease sufferers. Over the age of 85 years there is a 50% risk of contracting the disease.

There is currently no effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. There are some drugs in use that may temporarily reduce symptoms in around of a third of suffers, but do not arrest the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. There is as yet no way to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages, which is essential for any treatments to be successful. The development of an effective treatment and methods to diagnose the disease is urgently needed if we are to minimise the enormous impact Alzheimer’s disease will have on the Nation’s health, quality of life and economy in the coming years. Alzhyme has research programs in both these areas.

	Alzheimer’s disease leads to nerve cell death and tissue loss throughout the brain. Over time, the brain shrinks dramatically, affecting nearly all its functions.
	These images show: A brain without the disease A brain with advanced Alzheimer’s How the two brains compare