A degenerative brain disease resulting in memory loss, this disease affects approximately 4 million Americans. Symptoms include confusion, personality and behavior change, and impaired judgment. The disease usually begins by influencing shortterm memory before affecting other sections of the brain. Although the disease can affect people in their thirties, most individuals diagnosed with the disease are over sixty-five years old according to the Alzheimer’s Association, making this a particular concern—and image—of the elderly. There is no cure, although donepezil and tacrine are used to relieve some symptoms.