In class, we are reading An Anthropologist on Mars by Oliver Sacks. In the section titled “The Last Hippie,” Sacks talks about a man suffering from anterograde amnesia. This prevents man from creating new memories (Sacks). Although the cause of his memory loss was due to a serious brain tumor, there are many similarities to the very common condition known as Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is an extremely debilitating disease that affects an overwhelming number of people around the world. Although the disease is so widespread, the specifics of Alzheimer's disease are apparently not known to the public. In order to better understand this horrible disease, this essay will discuss the specifics of Alzheimer's disease, including what it really is, its causes, and its effects on the population. Alzheimer's disease was first postulated by the Bavarian psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer in 1906, but very little was known about the disease (Selkoe). Today, it is well established that Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of the mental disorder called dementia. Furthermore, dementia affects approximately 25 million people worldwide (Dalvi). The National Institute on Aging, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, defines Alzheimer's disease as "an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to to carry out the simplest tasks. Alzheimer's disease, like most illnesses, has levels of severity that get worse over time. In the early or "mild" stage of Alzheimer's disease, the person may begin to exhibit problems that could include "wandering and getting lost, difficulty managing money and paying bills, repeating questions, to take... middle of paper... ..t Alzheimer's disease impacts populations around the world, including widespread economic problems, public health concerns and, of course , the personal effects it has on people with the disease and their caregivers. a disease that can slowly damage all normal functions of the human mind; functions like memory, language and movement that we all take for granted. Alzheimer's disease is rarely discussed in the public forum, due to the nature of the disease. This essay aimed to break down the fundamentals of disease so that one knows what disease actually is, what its causes are, and what its effects are. Alzheimer's disease deserves to be known and talked about so that future generations do not have to see the terrible effects of this disease. We are definitely on the right track.