Nobody knows why Alzheimer's disease develops, how to reverse the affects for the sufferer, or how to cure it. What we do know is what causes this form of dementia. Alzheimer's disease occurs when abnormal proteins found in the brain destroy cells around them. This destruction of cells happens mostly in the areas of the brain thought to control memory and mental functions, which is why people with Alzheimer's disease suffer with memory loss and problems with decision making. As time goes on more and more cells are destroyed by the protein deposits which is why Alzheimer's disease is called a progressive disease and why the symptoms become worse over time.

When people think about dementia they will often think about Alzheimer's disease. This is because it is the most common form of dementia, accounting for over half of all dementias. However there are other forms of dementia which people should be aware of. For instance, vascular dementia can cause similar symptoms to Alzheimer's disease like memory loss and difficulty making decisions but has a very different cause and treatment programme. With vascular dementia, cells in the brain become damaged because they do not receive enough oxygen. Vascular dementia occurs when deposits of fatty materials build up in the blood vessels causing multiple strokes in a similar way to the causes of a heart attack.

Not all dementias are characterised by memory loss. Frontotemporal dementias cause changes to a person’s personality, behaviour and speech but do not affect memory until the very late stages of the disease.

The forms of dementia have many different symptoms, can occur at different ages and can progress differently. For this reason, if you notice changes to a loved one it is important to seek medical advice. An early diagnosis can give you the help you need and may slow the progression of the disease.

If you have concerns about memory problems visit www.aboutmemoryproblems.com

Memory Problems? is an educational programme funded and initiated by Eisai Europe Ltd. and Pfizer Ltd.

Date of preparation March 2010

Eisai: ART-EU 2188

Pfizer: EBTARP-10-77