Alzheimer’s disease is a physical illness which damages a person’s brain. This eventually causes dementia, affecting memory and thinking. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.

It’s thought that two out of three people living with dementia in the UK have Alzheimer’s disease. It’s a physical illness which, as it progresses, damages a person’s brain.

It starts may years before symptoms start to show. Eventually, Alzheimer’s causes so much damage to the brain that the person develops dementia-their thinking skills, memory and ability to carry out everyday tasks are reduced. Alzheimer’s affects everyone differently. For most people the disease starts in and around the part of the brain involved in memory. However, in some rarer types of dementia the disease starts in a different part of the brain and so causes a different set of symptoms. Called atypical Alzheimer’s.

The causes of the disease are very complex, but one key part is the build-up of two substances inside the brain called amyloid and tau. When conditions in the brain aren’t right, these clump up and form tiny structures called plaques and tangles. These make it harder for the brain to work properly. Over time this causes certain parts to become smaller. And reduces the amount of important chemicals needed to send messages around the brain. Eventually the brain struggles to cope with damage and the person begins problems with thinking and memory.

The above is a small part of what happens, but if you are worried or need help if you have this call the Dementia support line. 03331503456