- Acute Flaccid Myelitis
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Arteriovenous Malformations
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Back Pain
- Brain Aneurysm
- Brain Tumors
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Childhood Brain Tumors
- Delirium
- Dementia
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Ischemic Stroke
- Memory
- Meningitis
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Movement Disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuroblastoma
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome
- Speech and Language Problems in Children
- Stroke
- Transient Ischemic Attack
- Tremor
- Walking Problems
- West Nile Virus
- A1C
- Blood Glucose
- Diabetes
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
- Diabetes Complications
- Diabetes in Children and Teens
- Diabetes Medicines
- Diabetes Type 1
- Diabetes Type 2
- Diabetic Diet
- Diabetic Eye Problems
- Diabetic Foot
- Diabetic Heart Disease
- Diabetic Kidney Problems
- Diabetic Nerve Problems
- How to Prevent Diabetes
- Hyperglycemia
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Prediabetes
- Abortion
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Diseases
- Breast Reconstruction
- Breastfeeding
- Cervical Cancer
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Cesarean Delivery
- Childbirth
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Female Infertility
- Health Problems in Pregnancy
- High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
- HIV and Pregnancy
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- HPV
- Hysterectomy
- Infections and Pregnancy
- Mammography
- Mastectomy
- Menopause
- Menstruation
- Miscarriage
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cysts
- Ovarian Disorders
- Pelvic Floor Disorders
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Pelvic Pain
- Period Pain
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy and Drug Use
- Pregnancy and Opioids
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Prenatal Care
- Prenatal Testing
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
- Sexual Problems in Women
- Stillbirth
- Teenage Pregnancy
- Trichomoniasis
- Tubal Ligation
- Uterine Cancer
- Uterine Diseases
- Uterine Fibroids
- Vaginal Bleeding
- Vaginal Cancer
- Vaginal Diseases
- Vaginitis
- Vulvar Cancer
- Vulvar Disorders
- Yeast Infections
- Alcohol
- Calcium
- Child Nutrition
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know
- Cholesterol Medicines
- DASH Eating Plan
- Eating Disorders
- Food Allergy
- HDL: The “Good” Cholesterol
- High Cholesterol in Children and Teens
- How to Lower Cholesterol
- How to Lower Cholesterol with Diet
- Infant and Newborn Nutrition
- LDL: The “Bad” Cholesterol
- Malabsorption Syndromes
- Nutrition for Older Adults
- Pregnancy and Nutrition
- Toddler Nutrition
- Triglycerides
- VLDL Cholesterol
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
- Ataxia Telangiectasia
- Brain Malformations
- Cerebral Palsy
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
- Chiari Malformation
- Cleft Lip and Palate
- Color Blindness
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Craniofacial Abnormalities
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Friedreich Ataxia
- Genetic Counseling
- Hemophilia
- Huntington’s Disease
- Hydrocephalus
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Neural Tube Defects
- Neurofibromatosis
- Newborn Screening
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Prader-Willi Syndrome
- Pregnancy and Medicines
- Rett Syndrome
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Tourette Syndrome
- Tuberous Sclerosis
- Usher Syndrome
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Allergy
- Animal Bites
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Aplastic Anemia
- Asthma
- Asthma in Children
- Childhood Leukemia
- Childhood Vaccines
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- COVID-19 Vaccines
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Eosinophilic Disorders
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- Hay Fever
- HIV
- HIV and Infections
- HIV in Women
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Infectious Diseases
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Juvenile Arthritis
- Kawasaki Disease
- Lymphedema
- Lymphoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Pemphigus
- Pneumocystis Infections
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren’s Syndrome
- Tonsillitis
- Vaccines
- Viral Infections
- Adhesions
- Ankle Injuries and Disorders
- Arm Injuries and Disorders
- Back Injuries
- Brachial Plexus Injuries
- Burns
- Chest Injuries and Disorders
- Concussion
- CPR
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dislocations
- Elbow Injuries and Disorders
- Eye Injuries
- Facial Injuries and Disorders
- Finger Injuries and Disorders
- Foot Injuries and Disorders
- Fractures
- Hand Injuries and Disorders
- Heel Injuries and Disorders
- Hip Injuries and Disorders
- Inhalation Injuries
- Insect Bites and Stings
- Jaw Injuries and Disorders
- Knee Injuries and Disorders
- Leg Injuries and Disorders
- Mosquito Bites
- Neck Injuries and Disorders
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries and Disorders
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Sprains and Strains
- Tick Bites
- Toe Injuries and Disorders
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Wrist Injuries and Disorders
- Acute Bronchitis
- Bird Flu
- Chronic Bronchitis
- COPD
- COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)
- Croup
- E-Cigarettes
- Fistulas
- Flu
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
- H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
- Legionnaires’ Disease
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Sleep Apnea
- Smoking
- Tuberculosis
- Whooping Cough
- Anatomy
- Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Birth Control
- Chlamydia Infections
- Circumcision
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Genital Herpes
- Genital Warts
- Gonorrhea
- Herpes Simplex
- Infertility
- Male Infertility
- Penis Disorders
- Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Prostate Diseases
- Reproductive Hazards
- Sexual Health
- Sexual Problems in Men
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Syphilis
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Disorders
- Vasectomy
- Abdominal Pain
- Bad Breath
- Bleeding
- Breathing Problems
- Bruises
- Chest Pain
- Choking
- Chronic Pain
- Constipation
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness and Vertigo
- Edema
- Fainting
- Fever
- Frostbite
- Gas
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Heat Illness
- Hives
- Hypothermia
- Indigestion
- Itching
- Jaundice
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Pain
- Rare Diseases
- Raynaud’s Disease
- Sciatica
- Speech and Communication Disorders
- Stuttering
Alzheimer’s Disease
Summary
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among older people. Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.
AD begins slowly. It first involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. People with AD may have trouble remembering things that happened recently or names of people they know. A related problem, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), causes more memory problems than normal for people of the same age. Many, but not all, people with MCI will develop AD.
In AD, over time, symptoms get worse. People may not recognize family members. They may have trouble speaking, reading or writing. They may forget how to brush their teeth or comb their hair. Later on, they may become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually, they need total care. This can cause great stress for family members who must care for them.
AD usually begins after age 60. The risk goes up as you get older. Your risk is also higher if a family member has had the disease.
No treatment can stop the disease. However, some drugs may help keep symptoms from getting worse for a limited time.
NIH: National Institute on Aging
National Institute on Aging
Symptoms
- 10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s Association
- What Are the Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease? National Institute on Aging
Treatments and Therapies
- 7 Things To Know About Dietary Supplements for Cognitive Function, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Alzheimer’s Disease at a Glance National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- How Is Alzheimer’s Disease Treated? National Institute on Aging
- Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease National Institute on Aging
- Treatments for Sleep Changes Alzheimer’s Association
Specifics
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions about Alzheimer’s Disease National Institute on Aging
- Alzheimer’s and Hallucinations, Delusions, and Paranoia National Institute on Aging
- Managing Medicines for a Person with Alzheimer’s National Institute on Aging
- Managing Personality and Behavior Changes in Alzheimer’s National Institute on Aging
- Stages of Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s Association
Encyclopedia
- Alzheimer disease Medical Encyclopedia
- Brain PET scan Medical Encyclopedia
- Dementia – home care Medical Encyclopedia
Patient Handouts
- Alzheimer disease Medical Encyclopedia
- Bathing, Dressing, and Grooming: Alzheimer’s Caregiving Tips National Institute on Aging
- Changes in Communication Skills National Institute on Aging
- Changes in Intimacy and Sexuality in Alzheimer’s Disease National Institute on Aging
- Helping Family and Friends Understand Alzheimer’s Disease National Institute on Aging
- Mental status testing Medical Encyclopedia
Genetics
- Alzheimer disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics National Institute on Aging
- If a Family Member Has Alzheimer’s Disease, Will I Have It, Too? National Institute on Aging
Statistics and Research
- Alzheimer’s and Dementia Testing for Earlier Diagnosis Alzheimer’s Association
- Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Alzheimer’s Association
- Certain Antioxidants May Lower Dementia Risk National Institutes of Health
- FastStats: Alzheimer’s Disease National Center for Health Statistics
- Gene Expression Signatures of Alzheimer’s Disease National Institute on Aging
- High Rates of Dementia, Alzheimer’s Observed Among Older People with Down Syndrome Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- New Blood Test May Predict Alzheimer’s Disease National Institutes of Health
- Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Department of Health and Human Services
- Scam Susceptibility May Signal Risk for Cognitive Decline National Institute on Aging
- Treatments and Research Alzheimer’s Association
NIH MedlinePlus Magazine
- Alzheimer’s and Dementia: An Overview
- Could One Woman Help Researchers Find a Cure for Alzheimer’s?
- EXERT Yourself and Help in the Search for an Alzheimer’s Cure
- Fighting for a Cure: Journalist Liz Hernandez Hopes to Make Alzheimer’s a Thing of the Past
Find an Expert
- Alzheimer’s Association Alzheimer’s Association
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers: National Research Centers, Local Resources Department of Health and Human Services
- Alzheimers.gov Department of Health and Human Services
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- National Institute on Aging National Institute on Aging
Living With
- Alzheimer’s Caregivers: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
- Coping with Agitation and Aggression in Alzheimer’s Disease National Institute on Aging
- Diet, Exercise, and Health Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation
- Healthy Eating and Alzheimer’s Disease National Institute on Aging
- Next Steps after an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis National Institute on Aging
- Resources for People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Department of Health and Human Services
- Stages and Behaviors Alzheimer’s Association
- Sundowning: Late-Day Confusion Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Tips for Daily Life Alzheimer’s Association
Start Here
- Alzheimer’s Disease National Institute on Aging
- Alzheimer’s Disease National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias National Institute on Aging
- What Is Alzheimer’s Disease? Department of Health and Human Services
- What Is Alzheimer’s Disease? National Institute on Aging
Related Issues
- Alzheimer’s Disease in People with Down Syndrome National Institute on Aging
- Alzheimer’s Myths Alzheimer’s Association
- Alzheimer’s Prevention: Does it Exist? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Brain Donation: A Gift for Future Generations National Institute on Aging
- Depression and Alzheimer’s Disease American Academy of Family Physicians
- Do Memory Problems Always Mean Alzheimer’s Disease? National Institute on Aging
- Understanding Memory Loss: What To Do When You Have Trouble Remembering National Institute on Aging
- Urinary Incontinence in Older Adults National Institute on Aging
- What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease? National Institute on Aging
Reference Desk
- Alzheimer’s: Glossary Alzheimer’s Association
- Brain Basics: The Life and Death of a Neuron National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Assessing Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease National Institute on Aging
- Brain Health Alzheimer’s Association
- What Do We Know about Diet and Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease? National Institute on Aging
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Alzheimer Disease National Institutes of Health
- Common Questions about Participating in Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Research National Institute on Aging
- Find Clinical Trials Department of Health and Human Services
- Participating in Alzheimer’s Disease Research National Institute on Aging
- People at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease to Test Prevention Drugs National Institute on Aging
Videos and Tutorials
- How Alzheimer’s Changes the Brain National Institute on Aging
Diagnosis and Tests
- How is Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosed? National Institute on Aging