The average age for cataract surgery is approximately 73 to 75 years old. But cataracts can occur in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Of course the older the patient gets the more common the cataracts.
Two neurotransmitters seem to play a role in Alzheimer's Disease: acetylcholine and glutamate. Acetylcholine (ACh) activates muscles and helps with arousal, short-term memory, and learning. Individuals with AD have low levels of ACh.
As we learn more about the causes of Alzheimer's disease, we also may learn more about how to prevent the disease. Drugs now in development to prevent the formation of neurofibrillary tangles or amyloid plaques that damage the nerve cells in the brain may someday be used in people who are at risk for Alzheimer's.