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Alzheimer's is a form of dementia, a disease that affects individual's actions, memory, and brain activity.
Symtoms:
-memory loss
-speech problems
-confusion
-mood swings
-poor judgment
-withdrawal from social situations

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In 1906 Dr. Alois Alzheimer examined a deceased woman's brain tissue. She had died of an unknown mental illness with memory, speech, and behavioral issues. Dr. Alzheimer noticed clumps in the brain tissue and tangled fibers. Emil Kraepelin, a psychiatrist who worked with Alzheimer, gave Alzheimer's Disease its name in his famous psychiatry textbook in 1910.

*Below is a picture of Alois Alzheimer*

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Researchers originally thought Alzheimer's disease to be a sort of mental illness. Eventually it was clarified as a type of dementia, but known as presenile dementia (at a younger age). However, this was quickly proven wrong, because most subjects with the same symptoms as the original experimental case were older in age.

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Variables:
Specific time: none
Specific place: none
Specific person: 65 years of age and older

Possible Causes Doctors Look For:
-patients with the "Alzheimer gene"
-heart disease
-stroke
-high blood pressure
-diabetes
-low mentally stimulating activities

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--“The History of Alzheimer's Disease.” BrightFocus Foundation, 3 Oct. 2018, www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers/article/history-alzheimers-disease.
--“Lesson 1: Introduction to Epidemiology.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18 May 2012, www.cdc.gov/ophss/csels/dsepd/ss1978/lesson1/section2.html.
--“Alois Alzheimer.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 25 Feb. 2016, www.biography.com/people/alois-alzheimer-21216461.
--Neuroscience for Kids - Alzheimer's Disease, faculty.washington.edu/chudler/alz.html.
--“Alzheimers Growth Rate -.” LTC Tree, www.ltctree.com/blog/alzheimers-type-iii-diabetes/alzheimers-growth-rate/.
--LaMotte, Sandee, and Stephanie Smith. “Sandy's Story: Fighting Alzheimer's.” CNN, Cable News Network, 9 June 2016, www.cnn.com/2015/10/12/health/alzheimers-sandys-story/index.html.
--“ALZHEIMERS/DEMENTIA DEATH RATE BY COUNTRY.” World Life Expectancy, www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/alzheimers-dementia/by-country/.
--“What Causes Alzheimer's Disease?” National Institute on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-causes-alzheimers-disease.
--“Portfolio Summaries.” Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia, www.alz.org/research/for_researchers/grants/portfolio_summaries.

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Although Alzheimer's disease is not currently known to be an infectious disease but rather a chronic disease, it has grown to affect people all over the world, in many different countries. This growth has caused it to be entitled as a pandemic. International networks have been enacted to help with the research and understanding of Alzheimer's, including the Worldwide-Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, International AD Research Portfolio (IADRP), and International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research & Treatments (ISTAART).

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Alzheimer's and dementia were a few of the first noninfectious diseases (NCD) to be studied and analyzed in epidemiological world history. They influenced the focus shift from infectious diseases, which were becoming less prevalent due to increasing prevention and treatment, to noninfectious and chronic diseases. This is known as epidemiological transition and was a big step for the world towards increasing life span and quality of life.

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Determinants/Cause: Unknown
Distribution:
-Frequency: The number of people 65 years and older is increasing significantly with the baby boom generation. This means the frequency of Alzheimer's disease will increase significantly with this population.

Year 2000: 411,000 new cases
Year 2010: 454,000, 10% increase from 2000
Year 2030: 615,000, 50% increase from 2000
Year 2050: 959,000 130% increase from 2000

-Pattern: Alzheimer's disease is patterned toward the older population, above 65 years of age.

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Sandy Halperin, age 66, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2010, age 60 at the time. He tells the interviewers about his crippling short-term memory loss, but his detailed and intense long-term memory. Halperin could remember playing in the snow at 6 years old almost perfectly but not remember what he was doing or what a recent conversation was about. "Remind me again..." and "I forgot what I was saying..." became common and active phrases in Halperin's speech. Halperin's daughter, Karen, compared the situation to telling a 3 year old to take something to the trash and having to remind them every step of the way where they were going. "It's not a physical pain, the pain is emotional" stated Halperin. Although he knew his memory would continue to decrease, he continued to enjoy life actively and socially, and was a strong activist for Alzheimer's research.

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Developing a Hypothesis: Many researchers, including Dr. Alois Alzheimer, originally thought this to be a simple mental illness.

Hypothesis Testing: Examinations were conducted, beginning with Dr. Alzheimer's famous examination of a woman's brain tissue.

Conclusions/Results: The researchers discovered throughout the years the differences within the brain tissue and functioning of those with Alzheimer's and those with other forms of dementia. This gave them the evidence and reasoning necessary to verify a new disease, conduct future studies, and introduce new hypotheses that are still being tested.

Continued/Current Research: Researchers are currently examining the various areas and aspects of Alzheimer's disease with a focus on disease-related processes, new treatments, probable genetic causes, and better care for patients.

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-2011 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures, Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , 208 - 244
https://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/article/S1552-5260(11)00036-7/pdf
-Leveraging global resources to end the Alzheimer's pandemic, Carrillo, Maria C., Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , 363 - 365
https://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/article/S1552-5260(13)02428-X/pdf
-Palmer, S R. “Epidemiology in Search of Infectious Diseases: Methods in Outbreak Investigation.” Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 43.4 (1989): 311–314. Print.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1052866/pdf/jepicomh00225-0001.pdf