Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, and involves a progressive degeneration of the cerebral cortex. There is widespread cortical atrophy. Neurons affected develop surrounding amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and produce less acetylcholine. The cause is not yet known. Patients experience irreversible global, progressive impairment of brain function, leading to reduced intellectual ability.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/doctor/mental-health/alzheimers-disease