Alois Alzheimer- Alois Alzheimer, the German neurologist for whom the disease is named.

What is Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative and irreversible brain disorder that causes intellectual impairment, disorientation and eventually death. It is named after Aloïs Alzheimer, a German neurologist, who in 1907 first described the symptoms as well as the neuropathological features of Alzheimer's disease such as plaques and tangles in the brain.The disease affects memory and mental functioning (e.g. thinking and speaking, etc.), but can also lead to other problems such as confusion, changes of mood and disorientation in time and space.

What are the symptoms?

Alzheimer's disease has a gradual onset.Well established features of the disease include:

• Poor or decreased judgement
• Difficulty in performing difficult tasks
• Problems with language
• Disorientation to time and place
• Problems with abstract thinking
• Problems with memory
• Change in mood and behaviour
• Change in personality
• Loss of initiative
• confusion
• agitation
• movement, uncontrolled - slow

The disease is often associated depression, anxiety and sleep disturbance.