Anyone who’s lost a loved one to Alzheimer's disease may be worried about noticing symptoms in themselves.

Alzheimer's takes a terrible toll. It’s the most common cause of dementia — abnormal brain changes that lead to memory loss, impaired thinking skills and confusion.

Patients become unable to learn, remember and recognize family.

The biggest risk factor is age, followed by family history, says Mary Sano, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

She’s a neuropsychologist — a specialist who focuses on the brain and behavior. A patient may be referred to a neuropsychologist for an evaluation when they, their family or their doctors notice a change in behavior that could signal dementia .

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