ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: A PROGRESSIVE NEURODEGENERATIVE CONDITION THAT AFFECTS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative condition and the most common form of dementia, affecting millions of people around the world. Characterized by deterioration in memory, thinking and the ability to perform simple tasks, its exact causes remain a mystery despite decades of research. The importance of understanding this disease lies not only in the search for effective treatments but also in alleviating the emotional, social and economic impact on patients, families and health systems. Given the great importance of the topic, this narrative literature review brought together articles from the main databases in order to point out the possible risk factors for the development of Alzheimer's disease. It was concluded that the main risk factors related to Alzheimer's disease include: high age, genetics, family history, head trauma, heart disease, low level of cognitive engagement and sleep problems. Furthermore, it is clear that certain lifestyles and environmental factors can promote the incidence of the disease.