Comparison of a normal human brain MRI (right) and an MRI (left) taken from a patient with a well-known disease - Alzheimer's disease!
Loss of brain tissue (atrophy/degeneration) is seen well, shrinkage of the cerebral gyri of the temporal and parietal lobes, as well as the corpus callosum, fornix, caudate nucleus, and the hippocampus. All of which causes the dilation of the lateral and third ventricles (in the middle). Alzheimer's is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, and it's the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities. It's important to know that it's a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. The cause is poorly understood. It is believed that a build-up of beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain are associated with the disease. Other risk factors include a history of head injuries, depression or hypertension.No cure for Alzheimer's, but there are medications that slow the progression of the disease and manage the symptoms.
