Who get's Alzheimer's and at what age.

Who get's Alzheimer's and at what age.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition that damages areas of the brain involved in memory, intelligence, judgment, language, and behavior. It is the most common form of mental decline, or dementia, in adults age around 40s, 50s 60s 70s, 80s and in some rear cases in individuals in their thirties.

Alzheimer's disease always gets worse over time, but the course of the disease varies from person to person. While some people lose the ability to do daily activities very early on, others may still be able to function relatively for little while longer.

Physicians are sometimes reluctant to discuss in much detail what the future holds for someone with Alzheimer's disease. Their reticence is understandable. It's impossible to predict exactly how the disease will affect an individual because the symptoms and rate of progression vary. Some people develop severe psychiatric problems; others do not. A symptom can show up early or not appear until much later.

For some people, the decline is slow and gradual or longer; others experience a rapidly downhill course that ends in death within three to five years. The symptoms are also influenced by the person's intellectual abilities before the illness sets in, and by other health problems, personality, coping skills, and family or other support.

Over time, Alzheimer's disease causes severe mental and functional problems and eventually results in death. There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, much can be done, including medicines and behavioral modifications, to maintain the person's quality of life and to help the person stay active. Many people with Alzheimer's disease can be cared for, to find out more you can send us an email or call us.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization for Alzheimer's disease.

Register and incorporated in the state of New Jersey.

http://www.maryjosephfoundation.blogspot.com/

New Report Says over 10 Million Americans Will soon Develop Alzheimer's disease

New Report Says over 10 Million Americans Will soon Develop Alzheimer's disease

Every 22 seconds in the world and every 71 seconds in this country, someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and a startling new report out today from the Alzheimer's Association predicts that one out of every eight baby boomers — or over 10 million Americans — is expected to develop the disease sometime in the near future. If new treatments are years away, is there anything you can do today that might prevent it?

Fran Hershkowitz's mother began losing her memory more than a decade ago, and now Fran, who is 63, worries if he might be next.

"It's frightening, too, to think that one day this is going to be me." the younger Hershkowitz said. Evidence shows that physical exercise may be the most effective remedy today to prevent Alzheimer's disease, and large health studies have shown that people who stay physically active are less likely to develop the disease. Scientists put that idea to the test. Researchers bred mice to develop the specific kind of plaque in the brain, as seen in Alzheimer's disease. Some mice were allowed to exercise, and some were not. The autopsy results were stunning.

The brains of sedentary mice were riddled with the harmful plaques, but the physically active mice had 50 to 80 percent less plaque. Further tests revealed that the mice who exercised produced twice as much of an enzyme in the brain that prevents plaque buildup. The exercise also produced twice as many tiny blood vessels in the brain to allow plaques to escape. "Moving plaques from the brain into the blood, so it's carried to those organs like the liver where it can be destroyed," said Professor Sangram S. Sisodia, a neuroscientist at the University of Chicago and lead investigator in the study. Population studies suggest any exercise that raises your heart rate for 30 to 45 minutes at least several times a week can lower your risk of Alzheimer's. And the more the exercise you get, the lower your risk. "Regular physical exercise is probably the best means we have of preventing Alzheimer's disease today," said Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of the Alzheimer's Research Center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

"There are other possible intervention, including diet, and supplements, intellectual activities, but the data indicate that physical activity is the most likely to prevent this disease," Doctor William Thomas said. For family members determined to avoid another generation of this disease, there is finally preventative action they can take, which they won't have to wait for.

"Regular physical exercise is probably the best means we have of preventing Alzheimer's disease today." Dr. Ronald Petersen of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center said. "Better than medications, better than intellectual activity, better than supplements and diet."

For family members determined to avoid another generation of this disease, there is finally preventative action they can take, which they won't have to wait for.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization for Alzheimer's disease.

Register and incorporated in the state of New Jersey.

http://www.maryjosephfoundation.blogspot.com/

www.marycharityfoundation.blogspot.com

Alois Alzheimer

Alois Alzheimer

Alois Alzheimer was born in 1864 in Markbreit in Bavaria, Southern Germany. Excelling in sciences at school he studied medicine in Berlin, Aschaffenburg Tubingen and Wurzburg where he graduated with a medical degree in 1887. He began work in the state asylum in Frankfurt am Main, becoming interested in research on the cortex of the human brain. Here he commenced his education in psychiatry and neuropathology.

Along with Franz Nissl, a colleague at the asylum, Alzheimer spent the following years working on a major six volume study, the 'Histologic and Histopathologic Studies of the Cerebral Cortex,' describing the pathology of the nervous system. The work was finally published between 1907 and 1918. In 1895 Alzheimer was appointed director of the asylum where he continued his research on a number of subjects including manic depression and schizophrenia.

Today, the pathological diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is still generally based on the same investigative methods used in 1906. This is remarkable compared with the development of investigative methods for other diseases, and it speaks volumes about the quality of Alzheimer's discovery.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and accounts for 65% - 80% of all cases. It destroys brain cells and nerves disrupting the transmitters which carry messages in the brain, particularly those responsible for storing memories. Alzheimer's disease was first described by A. Alzheimer's in 1906.

During the course of Alzheimer's disease, nerve cells die in particular regions of the brain. The brain shrinks as gaps develop in the temporal lobe and hippocampus, which are responsible for storing and retrieving new information. This in turn affects people's ability to remember, speak, think and make decisions. The production of certain chemicals in the brain, such as acetylcholine is also affected. It is not known what causes nerve cells to die but there are characteristic appearances of the brain after death. In particular, 'tangles' and 'plaques' made from protein fragments are observed under the microscope in damaged areas of brain. This confirms the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Currently there are over 30 million peoples worldwide who are living with Alzheimer’s disease and that number is expected to grow to well over 61 million by 2020. Alzheimer’s disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and number six worldwide.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization for Alzheimer's disease.

register and incorporated in the state of New Jersey.

Mary Joseph Foundation
137 1/2 Washington Ave.
Belleville, New Jersey 07109

Alzheimer's and the cells

Alzheimer's this disease form a widely dispersed areas of the brain, the senses send information to the hippocampal complex. here, where the information is packaged into memories, also is where Alzheimer's begins. The two hallmarks of the disease are amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles.

Amyloid beta plaque: One of the two anatomical hallmarks of Alzheimer's. Amyloid beta is a fragment derived from a larger protein called app, for amyloid precursor protein. In a healthy brain, these fragments are broken down and eliminated. In aging and diseased brains they accumulate between neurons, eventually causing their death.

Entorhinal cortex: Part of the hippocampal memory complex, the entorhinal cortex is the initial processing center for the informational bits of experience that are assembled into a memory.

Hippocampus:The central memory system, located in the medial temporal lobe. Memories are encoded here before being shipped out for storage to other locations in the neocortex.

Microtubules: Tunnel-like structures inside cells that help transport nutrients and other important biochemicals from one part of the neuron to another.

Neurofibrillary tangles: One of the two anatomical hallmarks of Alzheimer's. The other is amyloid beta plaque. In healthy cells, long tau protein fibers help maintain cells structure.

How nerve cells communicate

In Alzheimer's these paired helical filaments become tangled and destroy microtubules, thereby disrupting communication between neurons.

Tau: A protein present in all nerve cells, tau ...rhymes with now acts as a stabilizer of the microtubules.In Alzheimer's, an overproduction of tau causes tangles to develop and nerve cells to die.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international Organization for Alzheimer's

register and incorporated in the state of New Jersey

137 1/2 Washington Ave,

Belleville, New Jersey 07109

Mary gave to everyone

First, she did loved everyone and gave to everyone with a smile on her face, herself, time, money and foods. She grew up poor and knew how it feel to be hungry and sick but what hurt her most at that time is when she saw so many others suffering from this slow and deadly disease, at that time Mary did not fully understood what is Alzheimer's, but she had always believe nothing is impossible and nothing name can't and she knew deep down in her heart there will be a cure for this slow and deadly disease name Alzheimer's sometime in the future, but in the mean time Mary was focusing on helping peoples who were sick, hungry, homeless and suffering.

She did always put herself in other people place and reminded everyone " to do unto others what you would like them do unto you" she did strongly believe no one should be hungry, sick and homeless. In all Mary did more for others than herself.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization for Alzheimer's disease.

Mary Joseph Foundation
137 1/2 Washington Ave,
Belleville, NJ 07109

Alzheimer's disease and the deadly effect

Until the late 1970s, the study of such personal memory was not considered suitable for scientific inquiry. Whatever played across the mind's screen was private and unknowable to the outside world.This lack of knowledge about how memory works made it almost impossible to unravel one of medicine's most vexing questions - the cause of Alzheimer's, an age-related disease affecting more than eight million Americans.

But an examination of the latest research, some of it not yet published, shows that, neuron by neuron, scientists are finally making their way into the deepest recesses of human memory. Like the first blurry, black-and-white pictures sent back from the surface of the moon, the view is still imperfect, but memory's secret landscape is slowly being revealed.For example Scientific are now using laser and different type of wire devices to cause regression to the memory.

Science is unlocking many of the mysteries of the brain, but we don’t have all the answers yet. You can do everything “right” and still not prevent Alzheimer’s disease. What’s offered here is the best and most up-to-date information available so that you can make your own decisions about your health...There are still no cure for this disease.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization for Alzheimer's disease
137 1/2 Washington Ave,
Belleville, NJ 07109

Sugar. diabetics some Solution.

Having control of blood sugar levels is never too easy, which is what makes The Sugar Solution even more intriguing. Bad sleeping habits, depression, sluggishness, inability to lose weight can all be attributed to an imbalance of blood sugar. The Sugar Solution fights all of these symptoms by putting the Glycemic Index to work in a person's favor.

Sleep provides more than a chance to dream. Scientists are waking up to the fact that the right amount of shut-eye restores bones, gives the brain a much-needed break from the daily grind, and prevents a whole host of maladies, including heart disease. In 2007, British researchers reported that snoozing five hours or less every night doubles a person's risk of developing a cardiovascular illness. Here are a few other reasons more quality sack time should be priority No. 1 for the 68 percent of Americans who get less than eight hours of sleep each night:

A lack of Z's can clog your arteries.

An article in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association claimed that study subjects who slept five hours or less were more likely than their better-rested peers to accumulate calcium deposits in their coronary arteries, a condition that can make the arteries less flexible and lead to heart disease. Researchers concluded that those who got less than the recommended eight hours every night could cut their calcification risk by a third and enjoy a blood-pressure drop as great as 16.5 points if they added just one hour of sleep to their nightly routine.

One group that knows all too well sugar's ravaging effects: people with diabetes, who—because they can suffer from years of undetected high blood sugar—often show early signs of skin aging. "Depending on how well their disease is controlled, diabetics can have up to 50 times the number of AGEs in their skin as those who don't have diabetes," says Karyn Grossman, MD, a dermatologist in New York City and Santa Monica, CA, and chief of the division of dermatology at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica. It's never too late to turn back.

Cut back on the sweet stuff in your diet

It's not easy to eliminate sugar completely. Even whole grains, fruits, and vegetables turn to glucose— the type of sugar that fuels glycation—when digested. But limiting added sugar can help. Some guidelines:

Keep added sugar to no more than 10% of total calories

If you're a 40-year-old woman of average height (5-foot-5), that's 160 calories (or 10 teaspoons)from added sugar—about the number in one 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola or six Hershey's Kisses. By comparison, the average American consumes 31 teaspoons per day of added sugar, or the equivalent of 465 calories. (To find out how many calories total you should eat every day, log on to prevention.com/caloriecalculator.)

Watch for hidden sugar in food

Many prepared foods contain hefty amounts of sugar—but it's hidden under aliases—including barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, and turbinado—on ingredient panels. The key is determining how many teaspoons of sugar each serving contains. Doing this is easy: Check the nutrition label for sugars, which are listed in grams under total carbohydrates, and then divide that number by 4 (each teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4 g) to convert it to teaspoons. For example, if sugars are listed as 12 g, you're getting 3 teaspoons of sugar per serving.

Avoid high fructose corn syrup

This type of sweetener, which is made by changing the sugar in cornstarch to fructose (another form of sugar), is believed to produce more AGEs than other types. Because HFCS extends the shelf life of foods and is sweeter and cheaper than other sugars, it's a popular ingredient in soda, fruit- flavored drinks, and packaged foods such as breads, crackers, and other snacks. You can spot it in ingredient lists on nutrition labels.

Supplement Your Diet

with at least 1 mg of vitamins B1 and B6 a day. These vitamins proved to be potent AGE inhibitors in a number of published studies, says David J. Goldberg, MD, a New York City–based dermatologist and a clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. B1 and B6 are plentiful in food, but taking a multivitamin—most of which deliver at least 1 mg of both Bs—ensures you're getting the daily value of 1.1 mg for B1 and 1.3 mg for B6 (1.5 mg after age 50).

Take A Crack At Good Nutrition

Recent research has uncovered some "eggs-traordinary" findings about eggs. The once frowned upon breakfast food is actually quite nutritious. In the past, eggs got a bad rap for being a cholesterol-rich food. However, the latest research suggests eating whole eggs may actually result in significant improvement in one's blood lipids. Eggs contain a wide array of essential vitamins and minerals and supply high-quality protein, carbohydrates and fat. A single egg provides approximately 5.5 grams of protein. In addition to their wonderful nutritional content, eggs have been shown to aid in weight loss.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization Alzheimer's.

http://www.maryjosephfoundation.blogspot.com/

www.marycharityfoundation.blogspot.com

Diet for healthy living.

Just as some dietary fats can protect against cardiovascular disease and others can increase the risk, several studies suggest that the same is true for Alzheimer's disease. Diets that are high in damaging saturated fats and trans fats appear to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, whereas diets that are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats appear to decrease the risk. Saturated fats come mainly from meat and dairy, and trans fats from processed foods made with partially hydrogenated oils. Sources of healthy unsaturated fats include nuts, olive oil, canola oil, and fish such as SALMON and COD.

A 2004 study on Health and you, for example, followed 1000 cognitively normal people ages 50 and older for eight years. By the end of the study, the people who ate the most saturated and trans fats were twice as likely to have Alzheimer's disease as the people who consumed the least. However, the people who ate the most mono- and polyunsaturated fats were 76% less likely to develop Alzheimer's than the people who ate the least of these healthy fats.

Several other studies have found a benefit specifically from eating fish that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat. Salmon, mackerel, and sardines are good sources. One 2007 study in health and you found that people who ate fatty fish more than twice a week had a 38% lower risk of dementia and a 46% lower risk specifically of Alzheimer's disease than people who ate fatty fish less than once a month. This study did not find a protective effect from eating lean fried fish.

Many unanswered questions about diet remain, however. It is unclear whether fish oil supplements are also beneficial. If fish does reduce the risk of various types of dementia, it could be because of its protective effect against cardiovascular disease. But fish may also benefit the brain directly. In a 2007 study reported in health and you on Aging, researchers found that a diet supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids limited the accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brains of mice bred to develop Alzheimer's disease. Whether people would enjoy the same benefit remains to be seen, but in the meantime, it can't hurt to replace the unhealthy fats in your diet with healthy ones.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization for Alzheimer's disease

Exercise 'slows down Alzheimer's and Singles 'face Alzheimer's risk'

Exercise may ward off Alzheimer's and slow down its progression

Being physically fit could hold back the advance of Alzheimer's disease, US researchers have suggested.
Their study, published in the journal Neurology, looked at 121 people aged over 60, around half of them in the early stages of the disease.
Those with Alzheimer's who were less fit had four times more signs of brain shrinkage than those who were fit.

The Alzheimer's Research Trust said other research showed exercise reduced the risk of dementia.

People with early Alzheimer's disease may be able to preserve their brain function for a longer period of time by exercising regularly

Dr Jeffrey Burns
University of Kansas School of Medicine

Well over 700,000 people today in the UK are living with dementia, with this number predicted to grow quickly over the next two decades, as the proportion of older people in the population increases.

Other studies looking at the relationship between dementia and exercise tend to focus on whether being active can reduce the risk of the condition developing in the first place.

Dr Jeffrey Burns, from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, said his was one of the first to look at whether exercise could affect the progress of the illness.
His volunteers underwent a treadmill test to see how fit they were and then their brains were scanned for shrinkage, which is one way of measuring the severity of their Alzheimer's.

Enriched environment
Exercise offers an impressive array of health benefits. It helps prevent heart disease and type 2 diabetes; lowers the risk for high blood pressure, colon cancer, and breast cancer; and helps relieve insomnia, anxiety, and depression. But that's not all. Several studies suggest that exercise might also help ward off Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

One study of 2,000 people, published in 2005 in Lancet Neurology, found that those who exercised during midlife for 20 to 30 minutes twice a week were at least 50% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease or another dementia in the following decades than people who were sedentary. Earlier, a Canadian study involving 9,000 people over age 60 found that regular exercise cut the risk for cognitive impairment by 37%. Studies of seniors in the United States and the Netherlands have yielded similar results.

Just how exercise may prevent Alzheimer's disease is unclear, but research on mice offers a clue. A 2005 study in the Journal of Neuroscience reported that mice that used their treadmills most often not only proved better able to learn how to get around test mazes than others, but also had fewer deposits of beta-amyloid in their brains. And in the environmental enrichment study described previously, the lowest levels of beta-amyloid and amyloid deposits were found in the most active mice, who spent the most time running and climbing on the toys placed in their cages.

Singles 'face Alzheimer's risk'

Social interaction may be key

Being single when you reach middle age could mean more than having the house to yourself - it could increase your risk of dementia.

Swedish research, presented at a US conference, found that marriage or having a partner halved the risk of developing dementia.

Scientists believe social interaction between couples may ward off illness.

The Alzheimer's Research Trust said the results were worrying, given the high divorce rates in the UK.

These findings are particularly worrying for the UK - a society with a high divorce rate, marriage at an all-time low, and aging population

Rebecca Wood,
Alzheimer's Research Trust

The study by the Karolinska Institute suggested that the problem might be even greater for some people.
Divorcees who remained single, they noticed, had a trebled risk of dementia, while those widowed at a young age who stayed single faced a six times greater chance.

The research looked at 1,449 people from a Finnish database, who were asked about their relationship status in mid-life, then revisited 21 years later to see if they had developed dementia.
In total, 139 of them had some sort of cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's had been diagnosed in 48 of these.

Even after other factors which might have an impact on dementia were adjusted for, the study consistently showed people with partners as less prone to the illness.

Advice for the single

Dr Krister Hakansson, who led the study, said: "Living in a couple relationship is normally one of the most intense forms of social and intellectual stimulation.

"If social and cognitive challenges can protect against dementia, so should living as a couple.


Singletons shouldn't worry - there are many other ways to reduce your risk of dementia that don't involve popping the question

Susanne Sorenson,
Alzheimer's Society

"This study points to the beneficial effects of a married life."

Rebecca Wood, from the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said that more research along these lines was urgently needed.

"These findings are particularly worrying for the UK - a society with a high divorce rate, marriage at an all-time low, and aging population.

"This is the first study of its kind to examine the link between midlife marital status and dementia, adding to previous research suggesting that social interaction reduces dementia risk."

However, Susanne Sorenson, from the Alzheimer's Society, had some words of cheer for partnerless people.
She said: "Singletons shouldn't worry - there are many other ways to reduce your risk of dementia that don't involve popping the question.

"The best evidence is around eating a Mediterranean diet, exercising regularly and not smoking."

She also said that the findings were consistent with other research showing social interaction could be beneficial.

She added: "Whether it's reaching for the vacuum cleaner or going for long romantic walks, lifestyle factors associated with being married may also help."

Inactivity link to mental decline

Lack of exercise could lead to dementia in later life
Being a slob puts you at risk of mental health problems, experts have warned.
A lack of physical activity leads to depression and dementia, evidence presented at the British Nutrition Foundation conference shows.

It comes as new research from the University of Bristol found that being active cuts the risk of Alzheimer's disease by around a third.

Currently only 35% of men and 24% of women reach the recommended weekly amount of physical activity.

Professor Nanette Mutrie, an expert in exercise and sport psychology at the University of Strathclyde, told the conference that mental health was not a trivial issue.

It's only recently that people have begun to see the link between physical activity and mental health

Professor Nanette Mutrie

"It's only recently that people have begun to see the link between physical activity and mental health.

"It's important for increasing people's self esteem, general mood, coping with stress and even sleeping better.

"And we now have very strong evidence that physical activity can prevent depression."

She said inactive people had twice the risk of becoming depressed and there was also very good evidence that exercise is a useful treatment for depression.

Dementia risk

Researchers at the University of Bristol carried out an analysis of 17 trials looking at the effects of physical activity on dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

They found that in both men and women physical activity was associated with a 30-40% drop in the risk of Alzheimer's.

It is unclear why there is such a great effect but it could be associated with benefits to the vascular system as well as release of chemicals in the brain.

Professor Mutrie added: "It could be a simple case of use it or lose it.

"It is estimated that over 700,000 people in the UK currently suffer from dementia and more research is needed to determine how this condition can be prevented."

Professor Judy Buttriss, director general at the BNF, said with people living longer the implications of such studies were "enormous".

"There has already, justifiably, been a lot of emphasis on good nutrition but we must also find ways of helping people to be more physically active to ensure that they maintain health and quality of life in later years."

Department of Health figures show the majority of adults do not do the recommended 30 minutes of moderate activity at least five times a week.

Children are also leading increasingly inactive lives.

Around 30% of boys and almost 40% of girls fail to reach the recommended hour of moderate intensity activity per day.

Professor Chris Riddoch, expert in sport and exercise science at the University of Bath, said: "We have half a Century of evidence showing active people have lower levels of disease.

"We also have a very good handle on how much exercise people should take."
But he added efforts to get people to be more active had not been very successful to date.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit organization for Alzheimer's disease

Diabetes and Head injury link to Alzheimer's disease

People with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes face a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease and vascular cognitive impairment. Research indicates that this increase in risk may be due to a shared mechanism: a deficiency or dysfunction of insulin, the hormone that enables cells in the body to use blood sugar (glucose).

Brain cells need blood sugar in order to function, and in particular to execute a high-energy task such as learning a skill or forming a memory. Yet a 2005 study in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease provides evidence that the brain's ability to use blood sugar may be compromised as Alzheimer's disease develops. The researchers found that insulin levels and the number of insulin receptors in the brain fall dramatically in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease, and they continue to plummet as the disease progresses. In the advanced stage of Alzheimer's disease, there are 80% fewer insulin receptors in the brain than is normal. The researchers think that the decline in insulin and insulin receptors in the brain may be linked somehow to the death of neurons and appearance of tangles in the brain — the signs of Alzheimer's disease.

Head injury

Many former boxers develop a condition called dementia pugilistica (boxer's dementia) after suffering repeated blows to the head. The microscopic changes in their brains resemble those in Alzheimer's disease, which led researchers to wonder if brain injury might be a factor in the disease. Researchers discovered amyloid deposits in people who died shortly after severe head injury, especially in those with the ApoE4 gene. The authors concluded that less severe head injuries might trigger amyloid deposits in susceptible people, resulting years later in full-blown Alzheimer's.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization for Alzheimer's disease

You Memory and Alzheimer's diaease.

Autobiographical memory: Memory for the personal events and facts of one's life.

There is no single concept called " memory " There are two overarching types: short-term, which allows you to remember the beginning of this sentence by the time you reach the end of it, and long-term, which includes unconscious habits and reflexes, general facts and knowledge, and autobiographical memory ... memory for the personal details, facts and experiences of your life.

The brain has over 100 billion nerve cells (neurons). Each nerve cell communicates with many others to form networks.


Nerve cell networks have special jobs. Some are involved in thinking, learning and remembering. Others help us see, hear and smell. Still others tell our muscles when to move

Just like the rest of our bodies, our brains change as we age. Most of us notice some slowed thinking and occasional problems remembering certain things. However, serious memory loss, confusion and other major changes in the way our minds work are not a normal part of aging.

The term early-onset refers to Alzheimer's that occurs in a person under age 60. Early-onset individuals may be employed or have children still living at home. Issues facing families include ensuring financial security, obtaining benefits and helping children cope with the disease. People who have early-onset dementia may be in any stage of dementia – early, middle or late. Experts estimate that some 980,000 people in their 30s, 40s and 50s have Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia.

There are over 8 million Americans now have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer's destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Alzheimer’s gets worse over time, and it is fatal. Today it is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States.

Mary Joseph Foundation a non-profit international organization for Alzheimer' disease.

Mary Joseph Foundation