Alzheimer's Disease is one of several diseases that gradually lead to various forms of dementia [1]. This disease causes the loss of brain cells and can result in declined cognitive abilities. This terrible disease affects 4.5 million people in the United States and is estimated to rise to 16 million by 2050. The U.S. population spends an approximated $100 billion a year, and neither Medicare nor private health insurance covers the long-term care this disease requires [1]. Not only do individuals with this disorder carry a financial burden, but they also experience devastating psychological hardships within their own families.

Although the etiology of the disorder is not fully understood, there are cardinal symptoms that can help with diagnosis. There are ten warning signs that include memory loss, difficulty with performing familiar tasks, problems with language, disorientation to time and place, poor or decreased judgment, problems with abstract thinking, misplacing things, changes in mood or behavior, changes in personality, and loss of initiative. Symptoms can vary at each stage of the disease. Unfortunately, because there are no cognitive impairments in the first stage, medical exams can overlook the disease. In stage two, there is very mild cognitive decline, and individuals experience memory lapses as they forget familiar words, names, and where items like eyeglasses or keys are located. However, these signs are not obvious to friends and family, and medical examiners can miss these signs at this stage as well.

In the third stage, early diagnosis can be made only during a detailed medical interview. In this stage signs become more obvious to friends and family, including a decline in reading comprehension and work performance. In stage four, individuals usually experience decreased knowledge of recent events, withdrawal from socially challenging situations, and decreased knowledge of their personal histories. Stage five is known as the mid-stage of the disease. In this stage individuals experience significant fissures in memory and insufficiency in cognitive function. Moderate assistance with daily activities becomes necessary. In stage six, there is severe cognitive decline, increase in urinary or fecal incontinence, disruption of the sleep-wake cycle, and unawareness of surroundings, but individuals can generally recall their own name. In the last stage, or late-stage, of Alzheimer's Disease, individuals undergo very severe mental decline. The most prominent symptoms include inability to walk without assistance, inability to sit without support, and inability to smile and hold one's head up.

The earlier the disease is detected the better the prognosis for an individual. Unfortunately, because most signs are not visible until the later stages, many people go without treatment until it is almost too late. Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer's Disease; however, some treatments can help reduce the severity of symptoms. Such treatments include prescription drugs and alternative herbal remedies. Prescription drugs such as cholinesterase inhibitors keep acetylcholine, a chemical messenger responsible for learning and memory acquisition, at high levels [1]. Other supplements, such as vitamin E, help to prevent further brain cell damage. Even though these drugs reduce some symptoms of the disease, the reduction is not significant enough to restore normal functioning.

New treatments are the focus of most current research. For example in 1999, a clinical study for the potential vaccine for Alzheimer's disease, AN-1792, was being conducted at the Elan Corporation [1]. AN-1792 boosted the immune system to identify amyloid plaques that are a characteristic of Alzheimer brain abnormality. Unfortunately, the administration of the drug caused major complications in patients who received the drug. Other studies are however, being conducted today and hopes for a promising treatment still remain strong.