• Question: What is Alzheimer's disease?

    Asked by holmenat to PB, Paul, Lyn, Katy on 26 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Peter Balfe

      Peter Balfe answered on 26 Jun 2013:

      A very stable protein called amyloid is deposited in the brain as we age. This leads to cell damage and the death of neurones. In some people this goes further and leads to a slow loss of brain function over time,- Alzheimer’s.
      This process can be slowed, but not reversed.

    • Photo: Paul Waines

      Paul Waines answered on 26 Jun 2013:

      It’s a type of dementia that gets worse with age. The brains of people with Alzheimer’s do not work as well as healthy brains, and the symptoms vary a lot from person to person.

      Scientists think it might be caused by a number of things. One theory says that a virus might be the cause, but there are also a couple of more popular theories which say that some types of protein may cause it by making ‘plaques’ or lumps on the brain.

      Hope this answers your question!

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