Overview \ Heart Disease \ Cancer \ Hypertension \ Stroke \ Osteoporosis \

Diabetes \ Obesity \ Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of mental degeneration (dementia) in the elderly, resulting in complete mental disability. The risk of developing it increases after the age of 65. This illness gained significant public awareness through the efforts of Ronald Reagan, its most prominent sufferer, who founded a research institute to explore the causes of, and treatment for the disease. Other famous people struck down by this heartbreaking disease include Rita Hayworth, Charlton Heston, Charles Bronson, Perry Como and Sugar Ray Robinson.

Alzheimer’s irreversibly causes degeneration of the central nervous system. It frequently begins with intermittent experiencing of disorientation and loss of recent memory. The victim may also fail to recognize familiar objects, and experience anxiety or depression. The disease then progresses towards severe impairment of mental capabilities such as reasoning, language, memory, and the ability of take care of oneself. At the late stage, delusions, the inability to recognize family members and difficulty in moving about will be common. In some cases, the victim becomes prone to seizures.

It is still relatively unknown what causes Alzheimer’s, but the general blame falls on heredity, the destruction of a large quantity of nerve cells, deficiency of the chemical needed in transmitting nerve impulses (signals) and toxic poisoning from metal compounds.