Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia in the UK with over 400,000 cases and accounts for 62% of all cases in England. Alzheimer's generally affects people over the age of 65 although younger people can also be affected and is characterised by a progessive worsening of brain function together with changes in behaviour.
Plaques and tangles form in the structure of the brain which leads to the death of brain cells. People with Alzheimer's also have a shortage of some chemicals in the brain which affect the way the brain functions.
People can live with dementia for many years, the average time from diagnosis to death is 11-12 years. Tha National Audit Office (NAO) makes the point that a diagnosis can often be made late so that the full course of the illness can be as long as 20 years.
With regard to diagnosis and treatment the NAO states that "Experts and the Department agree that early diagnosis and intervention in dementia is cost-effective,yet there is a significant diagnosis gap and only a third to a half of people ever receive a formal diagnosis. In terms of the percentage of suitable patients receiving anti-dementia drugs, UK performance is in the bottom third in Europe, below almost all northern and western European nations and the average reported time to diagnose the disease in the UK is also up to twice as long as in some countries".(emphasis added)
