Skip to main content
Expertise in Alzheimer's Disease

What is Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that destroys a person’s memory and thinking skills. Eventually, the disease inhibits a person’s ability to do daily tasks and simple activities. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in older adults, but it is not a normal part of aging.

Physical changes to a person’s brain tissue leads to the build-up of abnormal clumps (called amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (called neurofibrillary, or tau, tangles). These plaques and tangles are toxic to neurons. Neurons transmit messages between different parts of the brain, and from the brain to muscles and organs in the body. As these neurons die, people with Alzheimer’s disease experience symptoms like memory loss, difficulty with familiar tasks, confusion, trouble with language, or changes in judgment or decision-making.

Support Alzheimer’s Research

Generous financial donations support groundbreaking Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research at IU School of Medicine and empower researchers to fulfill their vision to end patient suffering.

GIVE NOW

How is Alzheimer's treated?

There is currently no prevention, cure or approved disease-modifying intervention for Alzheimer’s disease.
Learn More How is Alzheimer's treated?

What is early-onset Alzheimer's?

When people under the age of 65 are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, it's considered early-onset.
Learn More What is early-onset Alzheimer's?