Table 1.

Disease progression in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Stage	Clinical trajectory
Early preclinical AD (changes begin 10–20 yrs before symptoms)	(i) Degeneration in hippocampus (where short-term memory is converted to long-term memory) (ii) Neuronal loss leads to shrinkage (iii) Memory loss is the first sign of AD
Mild-moderate AD	(i) Mild: memory loss, confusion, poor judgment, mood changes, anxiety (ii) Moderate: increased memory loss and confusion, problem recognizing people, difficulty with language, repetitive statements
Severe AD	(i) Extreme shrinkage of brain (ii) Patients completely dependent on others for care (iii) Weight loss, seizures, skin infections, moan/groaning, loss of bladder, and bowel control (iv) Death usually occurs from aspiration pneumonia or other infections