Introduction
At
this time, we do not yet know what causes Alzheimer's disease
or how to stop its progression.
Researchers
have discovered that Alzheimer's disease:
- is
not a part of normal aging
- affects
both men and women
- is
more common in people as they age -- most people with
the disease are over 65
- is
not caused by hardening of the arteries
- is
not caused by stress
Scientists
are looking at three areas:
Family
history
For a few families, there is a definite connection between
family history and Alzheimer's disease. While for others,
a family history of Alzheimer's disease puts them at greater
risk than someone with no family history. Though knowledge
in this area is growing, the connection to heredity is not
fully understood.
The
external environment
The cause of Alzheimer's disease may be in our environment
-- perhaps something in the water, soil or air.
The
internal environment
Alzheimer's disease may be caused by something within
the body. It could be a slow virus, an imbalance of chemicals
or a problem with the immune system.
Researchers
today believe there is no single cause of Alzheimer's disease.
Instead, they believe it is caused by a combination of factors.
There is still much that we don't know about the disease,
but researchers continue to look for causes.
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