Advances in alzheimer's dementia: an update from banner alzheimer's institute

Alzheimer's Disease is the most prevalent cause of neurodegenerative disease accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases. With an aging population, the prevalence of AD is projected to reach 12.7 million.  Clinical features for AD include difficulties with memory, language, learning, orientation, mood, communication, judgement, behavior, and eventually physical deterioration in the form of difficulty walking, speaking, and swallowing. AD is a progressive disease and pathological changes sometimes start decades before clinical symptoms manifest. AD involves the accumulation of extra-cellular beta amyloid plaques and intracellular tau protein tangles leading to neuronal dysfunction and degeneration.   As age is one of the key risk factors for AD, it tends to predominantly affects older adults. Women are disproportionately affected by the disease, as they represent higher number of patients and caregivers.