Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common cause of dementia. Dementia is a syndrome—a group of symptoms—that has a number of causes. The characteristic symptoms include difficulties with memory, language, problem solving, and other cognitive skills that affect a person’s ability to perform everyday activities.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2017 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, an estimated 5.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s dementia. One in 10 people aged 65 years and older (10%) has Alzheimer’s dementia, and almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women. In addition to gender differences, Alzheimer’s dementia affects racial and ethnic groups disproportionately. Compared to older white adults, African Americans are about twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s or other dementias, and Hispanics are approximately 1.5 times as likely
The Gerontologist
