ABSTRACT
Since the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is expected to nearly quadruple in the next 50 years, it will undeniably continue to be an enormous public health problem in the elderly (Brookmeyer et al., 1998). Knowledge of the clinical features and natural history of AD will facilitate planning in response to the increased demands on medical and social resources. In addition, this information will enable clinicians to provide patients and families with a more reliable prediction of the course of the disease. Furthermore, staging and monitoring AD is important in recruiting patients for clinical studies at definable levels of severity, and for measuring the value of interventions that may alter its course.
