ABSTRACT
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the major disease in a group which is charac terised by loss of cognitive function leading to dementia. AD is estimated to account for between 50% and 60% of dementia cases in persons over 65 years of age (Francis et al. 1999) and is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that primarily affects the elderly population. It is a major public health concern in developed countries because of the strains imposed on carers and financial resources by the increasing numbers of sufferers. The main symptoms associated with AD involve cognitive dysfunction, pri marily memory loss (Desgranges et al. 1998, Forstl et al. 1995). Several other features manifest in the later stages of the disease including lan guage deficits, depression, agitation, mood disturbances, and psychosis (McGuffey 1997, Wragg and Jeste 1989).
