It is not known how many Americans live with early onset Alzheimer's, but experts put the number anywhere from 200,000 to half a million. The most classic symptom, memory loss, is often overlooked in younger people because of their more active lifestyles.
On a recent NewsHour broadcast, Susan Dentzer talked to a group of patients suffering from early onset Alzheimer's on life with the disease. Three of those patients answered viewer questions in an Insider Forum, which you can read by clicking here. Dr. Kawas answered viewer questions that addressed specific medical concerns regarding the early onset Alzheimer's diagnosis.
Dr. Claudia Kawas is a member of the Medical Scientific Advisory Council of the Alzheimer's Association as well as a clinician and researcher in the areas of aging and dementia. Her work is concentrated on the epidemiology of aging and Alzheimer's disease, longitudinal and clinical pathological investigations. She is a professor of neurology and neurobiology and behavior at the University of California, Irvine.
