LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Alzheimer
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The focus of early-stage Alzheimer's is cognitive decline. The Alzheimer's sufferer, as well as family, friends, co-workers, and medical practitioners start to notice the changes. Memory and concentration problems are evident and measurable by cognitive tests. Communication issues surface. Changes in personality and a few idiosyncratic behaviors begin to appear. As a result, the person’s performance suffers both at home and at work.
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Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia in older people. It affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. A small percentage Alzheimer's patients are under 50 years of age. However, most are over 65 years of age. A rare and aggressive form of Alzheimer's can happen in some people in their 40s and 50s.
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Stage 1: Early in the illness, Alzheimer's patients tend to have less energy and spontaneity, though often no one notices anything unusual. They exhibit minor memory loss and mood swings, and are slow to learn and react. After a while they start to shy away from anything new and prefer the familiar. Memory loss begins to affect job performance. The patient is confused, gets lost easily, and exercises poor judgment.
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As millions of baby boomers begin to turn 60 this year, Alzheimer's prevalence will skyrocket. By mid-century, the number of people with Alzheimer's is expected to grow to as many as 16 million -- more people than the populations of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston combined. At a projected cost of $400 billion by the year 2030, Alzheimer's has the capacity to bankrupt Medicare.
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Alzheimer's vaccine known as Affitope AD01 from Affiris has now entered the clinical phase of its development. All relevant regulatory and statutory approvals have been secured and this innovative treatment is now being tested on humans for the first time. This development means that the 8.5 million-Euro venture capital finance agreement the company concluded with Munich-based MIG-Fonds in April 2006 has reached a key milestone on schedule.
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Alzheimer's is caused by a loss of brain cells, as well as changes in the cerebral cortex (the outer layer of the brain). An accumulation of tangled fibers and/or plaques forms around the nerves in the cerebral cortex. It is unknown why the tangled fibers and plaques develop in the brain.
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