Alzheimer’s is a detectable disease in many ways. Aggression is one of the possible symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Other symptoms include misplacing items or having an absent mind. However, misplacing items isn’t always a sign of Alzheimer’s. Say somebody misplaces their items commonly, that isn’t a sign of Alzheimer’s, but if somebody places their items in an unusual place, such as keys in the fridge or dirty clothes in the bathtub, then that is a sign that they might be undergoing the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Another symptom is memory loss that affects day-to-day functions. This is another very common sign of Alzheimer’s that is easy to identify. Say somebody who has Alzheimer’s is an experienced woodworker and they used to be able to make beautiful objects with their own hands. If they are experiencing this symptom they might not even be able to turn on a woodworking machine or use any familiar tools (Simmons 1+).

Alzheimer’s affects approximately 4 million Americans. Alzheimer’s is also the primary cause of Dementia in people over the age of 65. The prevalence of Alzheimer’s and other Dementia-related diseases double every 5 years beyond age 65. Studies show that half of the people over the age of 85, in America, are showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s. The population of people over the age of 65 is expected to rise to 10 percent of the American population by 2025. This rise will also increase the prevalence of Alzheimer’s to a greater level, meaning that Alzheimer’s affliction rates will rise too. With this rise of Alzheimer’s, it will give the chance for the offspring-connected gene to spread to greater rates (Progress Report 1-46).