The course of Alzheimer's disease is not the same in every
person, but symptoms seem to develop over the same general
stages. In most people with Alzheimer's, symptoms first appear
after age 60. Scientists now know that Alzheimer’s progresses on
a spectrum with three stages—an early, preclinical stage with no
symptoms; a middle stage of mild cognitive impairment (MCI); and
a final stage of Alzheimer’s dementia. At this time, doctors
cannot predict with any certainty which people with MCI will or
will not develop Alzheimer’s. Memory problems are typically one
of the first signs of Alzheimer's disease. Sometimes, other
thinking problems, such as trouble finding the right words or
poor judgment, are most prominent early on. Read more about
other early signs of Alzheimer's » As the disease progresses,
memory loss worsens, and changes in other cognitive abilities
are evident. Problems can include: Alzheimer's disease is often
diagnosed at this stage. In this stage, damage occurs in areas
of the brain that control