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[[File:PET Alzheimer.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|A PET scan of the brain of an individual with Alzheimer's disease reveals a loss of function in the [[Temporal lobes|temporal lobe]].]]

[[File:PET Alzheimer.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|A PET scan of the brain of an individual with Alzheimer's disease reveals a loss of function in the [[Temporal lobes|temporal lobe]].]]

'''Alzheimer's disease''' (AD) is the most common form of [[dementia]] among older people. Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities.

'''Alzheimer's disease''' (AD) is the most common form of [[dementia]] among older people. Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities. It is a prion disease of the brain caused by 2 proteins: prion isoforms of tau and amyloid-beta.

Alzheimer's disease is "characterised by loss of neurons and synapses in the [[cerebral cortex]] and certain subcortical regions. This loss results in gross atrophy of the affected regions, including degeneration in the [[temporal lobes|temporal lobe]] and [[parietal lobe]], and parts of the frontal cortex and cingulate gyrus.<ref>http://www.news-medical.net/health/Neurodegeneration-in-Alzheimers-and-Parkinsons.aspx</ref> Some of the primary symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are: memory problems, mood swings, emotional outbursts, brain stem damage which impairs function in the heart, lungs plus causes disruption of various other bodily processes.<ref>http://www.dementiacarecentral.com/node/559</ref>

Alzheimer's disease is "characterised by loss of neurons and synapses in the [[cerebral cortex]] and certain subcortical regions. This loss results in gross atrophy of the affected regions, including degeneration in the [[temporal lobes|temporal lobe]] and [[parietal lobe]], and parts of the frontal cortex and cingulate gyrus.<ref>http://www.news-medical.net/health/Neurodegeneration-in-Alzheimers-and-Parkinsons.aspx</ref> Some of the primary symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are: memory problems, mood swings, emotional outbursts, brain stem damage which impairs function in the heart, lungs plus causes disruption of various other bodily processes.<ref>http://www.dementiacarecentral.com/node/559</ref>