Alzheimer's disease
The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not fully understood, although the following factors are thought to increase the risk of developing the disease:

Age
Family Hx
Untreated depression (Although depression can be a symptom)
Cardiovascular disease

Signs and symptoms
Typically the early signs of dementia
Dementia is usually minor memory problems such as forgetting names of people, places or objects and recent conversations.
As the disease progresses the memory problems become more severe and further symptoms develop such as:

Confusion, disorientation and getting lost in familiar places
Planning, decision making and problem solving
Low mood and anxiety
Social withdrawal
Visual and auditory hallucinations
delusions
Mobility problems
problems with ADL's and PADL's
personality changes
Aggressive and demanding behaviour
increasingly suspicious of others
Aphaisia

Other factors can increase the symptoms such as infection, stroke and delirium
Diagnoses
Not all memory problems are caused by Alzheimer's Disease. Stress, depression, anxiety, alcohol or drugs, hormonal imbalance and insomina can cause memory problems.

Blood tests to rule out other causes of symptoms
General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition (GPCOG)
referal to the Memory Clinic/Geriatriacan/Psychiatrists
CT Head Or MRI Head

Self directed study

What blood tests may be performed and why?
What does the GPCOG entitle and what does the results mean?
What is the role of the Memory clinic?
What are the roles of a Geriatriacan and a Psychiatrist?
What is a CT scan?
What is a MRI scan?

Medication

Donepezil
Memantine
Antidepressants
Risperidone

Directed Study

Why would someone with Alzheimer's disease be prescribed Risperidone?
What is the difference between Donepezil and Memantine?

Stages of Alzheimer's Disease
Directed study
Complete the tasks below
Early Stage Symptoms
Middle Stage Symptoms
Later Stage Symptoms

Items