Alzheimer disease 1999: A status report

Although the cause of Alzheimer disease (AD) remains a mystery, a great dea l of progress has been made over the past 15 years. A large body of evidenc e suggests that beta amyloid (A beta) deposition and toxicity are critical steps leading to neuronal death in AD. Evidence is beginning to show that a ntioxidant and antiinflammatory drugs and estrogen may prevent, delay onset , or slow the progression of AD. Until a cure is found it will be necessary to provide high-quality long-term and palliative care in the community or in specialized treatment centers. The AD patient's caregiver often suffers in silence and research is needed to better understand disease burden to de sign appropriate interventions for these victims of AD.