in Australia once you have completed steps 1 and 2.
Alzheimer's disease damages brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. While sometimes forgetting things can be a normal part of aging, symptoms of Alzheimer's are usually more noticeable, and they become worse or happen more often over time.
Today's medications cannot prevent or reverse Alzheimer's. There is a great need for patients to join clinical research studies to help develop medications for people with Alzheimer's disease.
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Memory loss
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Difficulty performing familiar tasks
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Problems with language
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Forgetting where you are and how to get back
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Poor or decreased judgment
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Problems with abstract thinking, such as using numbers
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Misplacing things
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Changes in mood or behavior
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Changes in personality
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Loss of initiative or being very passive
Risk factors for Alzheimer's disease
Advancing age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's, and the risk of developing Alzheimer's roughly doubles every 5 years after age 65.1 If you have a family history of Alzheimer's disease, your risk may go up, especially if more than 1 family member has had the disease.1
While most Americans with Alzheimer's are aged 65 years or older, younger people also sometimes develop Alzheimer's disease.2 About 5% of patients with Alzheimer's have a genetic form of the disease that is found in a small number of families worldwide.2 Serious head injury may also be a risk factor.1
It is estimated that approximately 1 in 8 baby boomers (about 10 million people)2 will develop the disease. To learn more about Alzheimer's disease, visit the Alzheimer's Association online.