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Facts & Figures of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disorder in which individuals lose their ability to remember and think clearly. Eventually the disease will progress to the point where an individual can no longer perform everyday tasks and needs help dressing, bathing, and performing other routine chores. The disease is most common in people over the age of 60 but it can occur in younger people and is the seventh-leading cause of death. Despite the research being conducted, it is still unknown what causes Alzheimer's disease, how to prevent it, or how to cure it.

  1. Discovery

    • Alzheimer's disease was discovered in 1906 by Dr. Alois Alzheimer when he autopsied the brain of a woman who seemed to have a strange mental illness. Upon examination of the brain, he found the abnormalities known today as plaques and tangles.

    Scope

    • According to the Alzheimer's Association, 5.3 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease and a new case is developed by an American every 70 seconds. Because they tend to live longer than men, women are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than men.

    Education and Alzheimer's

    • The Alzheimer's Association states that some studies have shown that the more years of education an individual receives, the less likely she is to develop Alzheimer's disease. Some of the researchers involved in these studies believe this trend may be related more to socioeconomic factors than to the actual amount of education received by the individuals.

    Toll on Caregivers

    • The stress of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease can negatively impact both the health and employment of the caregiver. Studies have shown that one-third of all unpaid caregivers of Alzheimer's sufferers exhibit signs of depression. In one study, 72 percent of the participants who were caring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease felt some relief when the person with Alzheimer's died.

    Predictions

    • As medical science advances and people live longer, the number of people with Alzheimer's disease increases. The Alzheimer's Association predicts that in the year 2025, California and Florida will each have more than 500,000 residents with Alzheimer's disease.

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