Alzheimer's Quick Facts: 5 Things to Know
In Alzheimer's disease (AD) Quick Facts, Ability Central shares the frequency of diagnosis, how AD affects the brain, and what to expect in each of the seven stages.
By Ability Central
14 December, 2022
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia. In this article, Ability Central will share the 5 things you need to know about the diagnosis, including:
- What is Alzheimer's disease?
- How common is AD?
- What does Alzheimer's disease do to the brain?
- How does AD affect a person's personality?
- What are the stages of Alzheimer's?
What is Alzheimer's disease?
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to die. It is a progressive disease that can begin with mild memory loss and slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. It eventually eliminates the ability to carry out the simplest tasks, including swallowing.
How common is Alzheimer's?
More than 6.5 million Americans age 65 and older have Alzheimer's. Of those:
- Seventy-three percent are age 75 or older.
- Almost 2/3 are women.
- Older Black Americans are about twice as likely to have Alzheimer's as older White Americans.
- Older Latinx Americans are about 1.5 times as likely to have Alzheimer's as older White Americans.
Each year, AD kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.
What does Alzheimer's do to the brain?
With Alzheimer's disease, neurons are injured and die throughout the brain. As this happens, connections between networks of neurons may break down. Eventually, many brain regions begin to atrophy or shrink, causing a significant loss of brain volume. This process damages the cerebral cortex, which affects social behavior, communication, and language.
How does Alzheimer's affect a person's personality?
As Alzheimer's attacks the brain, family and friends may notice personality changes, including:
- Loss of interest in things the person with AD used to enjoy
- Getting aggressive more easily
- Being rude or insensitive
- Seeming distant, distracted, or passive
- Seeing or believing things that aren't there
A person with Alzheimer's may experience the following:
- Depression
- Apathy
- Social withdrawal
- Distrust in others
- Changes in sleeping habits
- Wandering
- Loss of inhibitions
See Ability Central's Alzheimer's Disease: Signs and Symptoms for more details.
What are the stages of Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer's disease is broken into seven stages.
- Stage 1: No Impairment. Alzheimer's is not detectable, and no memory problems or other symptoms of dementia are evident.
- Stage 2: Very Mild Decline. There may be minor memory problems, but it isn't easy to distinguish from normal age-related memory loss.
- Stage 3: Mild Decline. Family members and friends may begin to notice cognitive problems. Performance on memory tests is affected. Physicians will be able to detect impaired cognitive function.
- Stage 4: Moderate Decline. Clear-cut symptoms of the disease are apparent. Memories are becoming foggy, basic math is difficult, and day-to-day financial management is challenging.
- Stage 5: Moderately Severe Decline. By this stage, a person with AD may experience significant confusion. While they usually still know their family members, can bathe themselves, and use the bathroom alone, they may have difficulty with tasks such as dressing themselves.
- Stage 6: Severe Decline. At this stage, a person with Alzheimer's needs constant supervision. They experience significant confusion, may be unable to recognize most people, may lose bladder and bowel control, and may wander off.
- Stages 7: Very Severe Decline. In stage seven of the disease, people lose the ability to communicate or respond to their environment.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Dementia is a general term used to describe a loss of memory and other cognitive abilities that interfere with daily life and a person’s ability to communicate. Alzheimer's disease is a specific type of dementia that gradually worsens over time. It is a physical illness that damages the brain, leading to symptoms of dementia. While Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, there are many other types as well. However, it is important to note that not all dementia is caused by Alzheimer's disease.
For more information on Alzheimer's disease, see Ability Central's complete resource library, including: