Alzheimer's disease involves a devastating deterioration of the brain’s cognitive functions. Essentially what happens with Alzheimer's is that the brain’s ability to think and process information, as well as its capability to store memory, is eroded away.  Memories and thoughts become increasingly more difficult to hold within one's mind as Alzheimer’s disease progresses in the afflicted individual. As the disease progresses, more and more of the brain’s capabilities are lost and Alzheimer's disease eventually interferes with daily life.  However, the onset of Alzheimer's is not a rapid thing; instead damage to the brain can be seen for some time before the illness fully impairs the individual's functionality.

The main issues that are found are clumps and tangles in the fiber of the brain. The tangles are called neurofibrillary tangles and they are indications of Alzheimer's disease in a person. When these tangles occur important information cannot be transmitted from one section to the next, resulting in a loss of information or memory. However, when it comes to Alzheimer’s, there has not yet been a discovery of one specific causation. Instead Alzheimer's is still a medical anomaly that occurs in the brain.

Those who are often inflicted with Alzheimer's disease are in the age bracket of 60 years of age or older. This is when signs of Alzheimer's might become prevalent. Alzheimer's is a disease that continues in progressive stages. Within the first couple stages the signs or symptoms are not completely apparently. Instead these are moderate changes in mental status. However, in the later stages of Alzheimer's the damage is more apparent and the patient will lose the ability to recall information that should be easily brought to mind. Furthermore, they will also start to lose the ability to do the simplest of tasks.

The diagnosis of Alzheimer's can be done through an array of tests administered by a health care professional. Identification of Alzheimer's disease or deterioration of the brain can be made through observations using an MRI. Other examinations based around cognitive functioning can be done in order to observe the status of functionality in the brain. The further Alzheimer's has progressed, the more damage will be evident in the physical make up of the brain and in the functions the brain commands.

Unfortunately, Alzheimer's disease does not have a cure; because of this the patients inflicted with have Alzheimer’s disease will have their mental status and cognitive functions slowly wear away. Those who have Alzheimer's can live on their own for a short amount of time, if the damage is not at a later state, however, they often need full time care givers to help them get through the day.However, there are various medications that are used in helping to slow down the deterioration process in the case of Alzheimer's disease. Much research is being done simultaneous surrounding the causation of Alzheimer's and the trials and testing of new medications that could possibly cure the disease. Alzheimer's slowly destroys the brain and breakdown each cognitive process.