What is Alzheimer's?

Introduction

Alzheimer's (AHLZ-high-merz) is a disease of the brain that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s disease is not normal aging or a mental illness.

Is the most common form of dementia

Dementia is a general term for the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's accounts for an estimated 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases.

Is more common than you think

More than 5 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer's. The number of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias will grow each year as the proportion of the U.S. population that is over age 65 continues to increase.

With Alzheimer’s, it is not just those with the disease who are impacted. It’s also their caregivers. Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s is often very difficult, and many family or friend caregivers experience high levels of emotional stress and depression as a result.

Gets worse over time

Alzheimer's gets worse over time and ultimately is fatal. Although symptoms can vary widely, the first problem many people notice is forgetfulness severe enough to affect their ability to function at home or at work or to enjoy lifelong hobbies.

Other symptoms include confusion, getting lost in familiar places, misplacing things, and problems with speaking and writing.

Learn the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's disease.

Next: Inside the Brain

簡介

阿滋海默症是一種大腦疾病，該疾病會導致記憶，思考和行為問題。阿滋海默症是一種不正常的老化現象也不是精神疾病。

這是最常見的失智症形式

失智症是有關記憶喪失以及嚴重程度足以干擾日常生活的其他心智能力問題的一般用詞。阿滋海默症約占失智症病例的 60% 至 80%。

比您想像的還要常見

美國有超過 500 萬人患有阿滋海默症。隨著 65 歲以上的美國人口的比例不斷增加，患阿滋海默症和其他失智症的美國人數將每年增長。

受影響的不僅僅是阿滋海默症患者。他們的照護者也會受到影響。照護阿滋海默症患者通常非常困難，照護他們的許多家人或朋友最終會出現高度的情緒緊張和憂鬱症。

病情隨時間而惡化

阿滋海默症會隨時間而惡化，最終會導致死亡。儘管症狀會大不相同，但許多人注意到的第一個問題是嚴重的健忘，這使他們在家庭生活或工作中以及在參加一向愛好的活動時感到力不從心。

其他症狀包括精神錯亂，在熟悉的地方迷路，將東西放錯地方，以及說話和書寫問題。

瞭解阿滋海默症的 10 個警訊

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