Disease Alzheimer s disease is a type of dementia that affects thought, memory, and language.
Symptoms start slowly.
Mild forgetfulness and inability to remember recent events or names of familiar people are common early warning signs. Over time, a person may have a hard time performing even simple tasks, such as meal preparation. Later on, some patients become very aggressive or wander away from caregivers. The Alzheimer s Association says about four million Americans have the condition. Although it can occur in younger people, it s more common after 65.