Six key facts you should know about Alzheimer’s

Excitement is building as a new review shows a rise in the number of potential drugs that could treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease

- Here, Emma Taylor, information services manager at Alzheimer’s Research UK, highlights six key facts everyone should know about Alzheimer's...

Excitement is building as a new review shows a rise in the number of potential drugs that could treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease

1. Alzheimer’s and dementia are not the same thing

“A lot of people get confused between Alzheimer's and dementia and aren’t really sure what the difference is,” recognises Taylor. “The way I describe it is that dementia is the group of symptoms-so things like memory loss, confusion, personality and behavioural changes - and Alzheimer’s is one of the causes of those symptoms.”

Research generally associates Alzheimer's disease with the accumulation of two proteins, amyloid and tau, says Taylor.

“These toxic proteins damage our brain cells, which are what is used to communicate messages throughout our body,” she explains. “Over time, as more brain cells die, it becomes harder for our brain overall to carry out its normal functions. So, depending on where in the brain the damage starts, that indicates what kind of symptoms someone will experience.