Dementia is a hot topic and with an aging population it is not surprising that Alzheimer's disease takes center stage when age related conditions are discussed; it is the most notable despite there being many other types of dementia that are age related. The current figures show that of people aged 65 and over, 10 percent are suffering from Alzheimer's disease; diagnosis of the condition has improved dramatically and is now approximately 87 – 94 percent accurate. Discovered in 1906 by German physician Alois Alzheimer, the world's focus on this disease is only about 30 years old; it is a complex disease that is not yet fully understood.

Studies show that your greatest risk of acquiring Alzheimer's is advancing age. Unfortunately, the person experiencing the early symptoms of Alzheimer's will know something is wrong but won't admit it to others or even to themselves; this can be a difficult time for family members who need to know what is wrong.

Dementia covers quite a broad spectrum of problems but they are all, including Alzheimer's disease, currently treated in a similar fashion. Stalling the progression and possibly improving the condition is about the best that can currently be achieved with drugs but no definitive treatment has yet been discovered. The mental abilities of an Alzheimer's disease sufferer can be improved with the use of prescribed medication like Donepezil, Tacrine, and Rivastigmine; they can improve the mental faculties of patients with this condition by up to 26 weeks.

A new drug, Memantine is helping to slow down the mental decline during the later phases and is similar to the anti-influenza treatment Amantadine; it is now usually prescribed to Alzheimer's patients who are already using Donepezil. Memantine side effects are minimal but it is the first treatment to show a distinct effect on patients with a serious condition; because four fifths of it is passed out in urine unchanged by the kidneys, patients do not risk having their bodies retaining it in large quantities.

Owing to an increase in the life span of people around the world, Alzheimer's disease has become a major health issue; this disease is now the fourth largest cause of death in America alone. There is also an economic aspect of caring for patients to consider, something that will affect governments everywhere; with an annual cost of 40 billion US dollars for care and treatment, looking after patients is set to be a major problem. Another large body, the National Institute on Aging spent almost half of its yearly research fund into the condition; they are now testing over three hundred compounds at any one time.

To help you reduce the chance of contracting dementia, it's important to adopt a healthy lifestyle, choose carefully what you eat and drink and take more exercise. Researchers believe that a person suffering with Alzheimer's who maintains their health and happiness slows down the deteriorating effects. At the moment, the disease is still primarily affecting the aged; however, there have been incidents where a younger person has contracted the disease although it is hoped these will not increase.