Alzheimer's Disease Discovered 100 Years Ago, November 4th

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 03 Nov 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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According to the Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's disease was discovered 100 years ago on Saturday, November 4, 2006. Currently 4.5 million people in America have Alzheimer's and that figure is expected to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050.

On November 4, 1906, German physician Alois Alzheimer presented the case of a 51-year-old woman who had shown severe memory, language and behavior problems to his medical colleagues. When Dr. Alzheimer performed the woman's autopsy, he found a dramatically shrunken brain and unusual abnormalities in and around cells. Not long afterward, the brain disease he described was named Alzheimer. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person's memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate and carry out daily activities.

For more information on Alzheimer's disease contact the Alzheimer's Association, http://www.alz.org or call 800-272-3900.

Alzheimer's Association
http://www.alz.org

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