Facts

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.
Alzheimer’s is one of the top ten leading cause of death in adults in the U.S.
More than 6 million Americans, most of them age 65 or older, may have dementia caused by Alzheimer’s.
Still, scientists don’t yet fully understand what causes Alzheimer’s disease in most people.
Amyloid plaques and tangles in the brain are still considered some of the main features of Alzheimer’s disease.
In people with early-onset Alzheimer’s, a genetic mutation may be the cause.
Late-onset Alzheimer’s arises from a complex series of brain changes that may occur over decades.
The causes probably include a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.