Alzheimer’s

 A progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by cortical atrophy, neuronal death, synapse loss, and accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, causing dementia and a significant decline in functioning. Early features include deficits in memory, anomia, executive dysfunction, depressive symptoms, and subtle personality changes such as decreased energy, social withdrawal, indifference, and impulsivity.

As the disease progresses, there is global deterioration of cognitive capacities with intellectual decline, aphasia, agnosia, and apraxia as well as behavioral features, including apathy, emotional blunting, mood-dependent delusions, decreased sleep and appetite, and increased motor activity.

Major risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease include advanced age, a family history of the disease, and genetic factors.