It is estimated that more than 4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, a mental deterioration that leads to severe memory loss, confused thinking and personality changes. The condition is progressive and eventually fatal, although people with Alzheimer's can live 10 years or more after symptoms first appear. The exact cause of the disease is still unknown. It's most likely to appear in people over 65 and seems to run in families. Although no current treatment cures the disease, several new drugs that may slow its progress are being tested.
Victims often forget what happened in the last half hour or ask the same question over and over.
An increasing tendency to lose things and to wander and get lost. Neglect of personal hygiene and appearance. In later stages, failure to recognize familiar places and people. If you or a family member show signs of what you think might be Alzheimer's disease, get examined. Memory loss and disorientation are not necessarily indications of Alzheimer's.