ABSTRACT
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive dementia resulting in loss of cognitive function. It is the most common form of dementia and is signicantly associated with age. Risks associated with the disease are thus associated with increasing age. Approximately 1% of individuals aged between 65 and 70 years are affected by AD, and the incidence increases to 6-8% for individuals older than 85 years [1]. Familial mutations cause both early-onset (before the age of 65 years) and late-onset (over 65 years) AD. In 2006, 26.6 million people worldwide were affected by AD. This number is expected to quadruple by 2050. As the world population ages and life expectancy increases, signicant resources will be required to adequately care for those aficted with this disease.
