Alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia that typically occurs in older people. Dementia is a brain disease that affects the ability of an individual to commit things to memory and carry out daily tasks efficiently. A lot of scientists have formulated the hypothesis that Alzheimer's disease is caused by a boost in the accumulation or production of beta-amyloid protein in the person's brain. This leads to the death of nerve cells. Thus, scientists are doing a lot of research that focus on to slow down the production or decrease of beta-amyloid protein in the brain. Genetics is also believed to be a factor in determining whether a person is predisposed to have Alzheimer's disease.

To diagnose Alzheimer's disease, doctors use several measures. These include asking family members about the individual's general health, ability to perform daily activities, and past problems regarding the person's health. Memory tests, problem solving, and exams that determine the attention span, counting ability, and language aptitude are also done. Tests of blood, urine, spinal fluid, as well as brain scans, also help in determining whether the person does have Alzheimer's disease.

Much research is being done to find out what specific measures can help in the treatment of this disease. As Alzheimer's disease is a slow progressive type of illness, scientists want to find ways to slow down the disease's progression or eliminate its symptoms. They delve into matters of neuroimaging, alzheimer's disease genetics, inflammation, ginkgo biloba, mild cognitive impairment, antioxidants, and estrogen to learn more about this disease.