Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of acquired dementia. The biggest risk factor for the development of AD is age, and with increasing longevity, a feature of modern healthcare, the prevalence of dementia and most particularly AD is set to double over the next 20 years. The disease is characterized most commonly by memory, language, and executive dysfunction although other presentations such as visuospatial dysfunction, agnosia, and behavioral disturbance are common in younger onset and familial forms. The pathology is a unifying feature and much progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis. It is hoped that the next generation of therapeutic interventions will act upon the underlying mechanisms and truly modify the onset and progression of this prevalent disease.
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Gallagher, D., Coen, R.F., Lawlor, B.A. (2016). Alzheimer’s Disease. In: Hardiman, O., Doherty, C., Elamin, M., Bede, P. (eds) Neurodegenerative Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23309-3_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23309-3_4
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