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NOT a normal part of aging (senility, hardening of the arteries,
or organic brain syndrome were terms used years ago to describe what we
now call dementia)
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The most common form of dementia
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A progressive, degenerative neurological illness
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Marked by gradual onset
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Destroys brain cells, results in structural and chemical
changes. Brain cells are not replaced.
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Characterized by plaques and tangles in the brain
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Caused still undetermined
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Course of disease can take 2-20 or more years; average 8-10
years
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