What Is Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, which causes thinking and memory to become seriously impaired. It is the most common form of dementia 1.

The disease was first identified by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1906. He described the two hallmarks of the disease: “plaques” - numerous tiny dense deposits scattered throughout the brain which become toxic to brain cells at excessive levels and “tangles” which interfere with vital processes eventually “choking” off the living cells. As well, when brain cells degenerate and die, the brain markedly shrinks in some regions.


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