What Different Types of Dementia Are There?

Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80 per cent of all forms of dementia, which affects memory, thinking, and behavior. About 36 million people globally and 5 million people in the USA suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. This disease is sixth in the list of leading causes of death, and kills more people than prostate and breast cancer combined. There is currently no known cure for this disease. Researchers have found out that Alzheimer’s patients have plaques and tangles – proteins – in the brain. It appears that these develop over time – perhaps over ten years before any clinical symptoms are detected. This might be the cause for Alzheimer’s, leading to the suggestion that treatment might consist of early detection. Researchers have also found that Alzheimer’s may be genetic in nature. One form, familial Alzheimer’s disease, is accompanied by mutations on chromosomes 1, 14, and 21. A better understanding about the genetic mechanism may point to another form of treatment and prevention. At this time, the medical community is thinking about treating Alzheimer’s with a cocktail of drugs, an approach used for cancer and AIDs. Further research has been affected due to lack of funding and the availability of volunteers.