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Information about Alzheimer's Disease
No single cause is known. The most common form is late-onset Alzheimer’s, affecting adults over 65. By age 85, the risk of Alzheimer’s is 50%.
A rare form of familial Alzheimer’s, linked to a specific gene, has been found in several hundred families around the world. Members of these families are virtually certain to get the disease, sometimes by their 30’s or 40’s.
What happens in Alzheimer’s?
The brains of Alzheimer’s patients show at least two abnormal features: “plaques,” or abnormal buildups between brain cells of a fatty protein called amyloid beta; and “tangles,” or twisted strands of another protein within brain cells.
We’re not sure what role these features play in Alzheimer’s, but they are associated with a decline in a chemical called acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter necessary for cognitive function.
How is Alzheimer’s diagnosed?
There is no single diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s. However, a skilled physician can diagnose it with 90% accuracy. Diagnosis is based on a thorough medical exam, tests of mental function, family history, and exclusion of other conditions or possible causes of dementia, such as vascular dementia, or brain damage due to constriction or disruption of blood flow to the brain. Some of these other conditions can coexist with Alzheimer’s in a “mixed dementia.” Since some of them are reversible, it’s important to rule them out. It’s believed that brain cell damage caused by Alzheimer’s begins years before symptoms show. Symptoms can include more than ordinary forgetfulness, mood changes including depression, and sudden changes in ordinary routines such as sleep patterns. Alzheimer’s symptoms are often first spotted by family or household members.
What are some active areas of investigation in Alzheimer’s?
Washington University scientists recently announced an important discovery about the rate at which amyloid beta builds up and is cleared from brain tissue. The Hope Center for Neurological Disorders conducts laboratory and patient research, and works collaboratively across disciplines to find causes and treatments for neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases.
Although many Hope Center faculty are physicians, the Hope Center itself does not provide direct medical care.
To schedule an appointment with a specialist in Alzheimer's Disease, please contact the WU Department of Neurology.
U.S. Government Sites
Associations and Foundations
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Disease Focus Areas 
