Types Of Alzheimers

Researchers and scientists have determined that there are three different variations of Alzheimer's disease of that which include "early-onset Alzheimer's" where the disease develops before the age of sixty five,  "late-onset Alzheimer's" which is the most common form, and "familial Alzheimer's disease" or "FAD" which is extremely rare. In this medical guide to Alzheimer's disease you will learn the basic differences between these three types.

Early-onset Alzheimer's

Early-onset Alzheimer's is when an individual is diagnosed with this disease before the age of sixty five. This form of the disease is quite uncommon as it only occurs in less than ten percent of all individuals diagnosed.

This type of Alzheimer's is commonly found in people who have Down syndrome because of the fact that they age prematurely which puts them in a higher risk group for the disease. It is not uncommon for individuals with Down syndrome to acquire this disease in their late forties to early fifties.

Late-onset Alzheimer's

Late-onset Alzheimer's is the most common form of this disease as it is found in ninety percent of all Alzheimer's cases. This form of Alzheimer's typically occurs after an individual reaches the age of sixty five and affects almost fifty percent of the population who are over age eighty five. Many people over the age of eighty five have what is known as late-onset dementia which sometimes also referred to as sporadic Alzheimer's disease.

Familial Alzheimer's Disease or FAD

Familial Alzheimer's disease is the rarest form of Alzheimer's affecting less than one percent of all Alzheimer's patients and is known to be solely inherited. Research has shown that in families with this type of the disease it has affected at least two generations. The onset of FAD generally occurs very early on in life typically affecting individuals in their forties. 

An interesting fact when it comes to FAD is that researchers have found a genetic material which is also found in people who have Down syndrome. This gene may provide some helpful clues in finding out what causes this disease.