Alzheimer's Disease - A Tragic Fate Of Life, Or A Lifestyle Disease?

There was a small group of us sitting around a table the other night having a light dessert and sharing conversation.  The topic turned to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.  My wife works in a program that helps afflicted elderly learn new skills that have been shown to help them regain some cognitive function.

Someone at the table mentioned how terrible these diseases are since they can strike anyone regardless of their education or status in life, and that we seem to be seeing so much more of it than ever before.  Another said that the reason might be because people are living so much longer than they used to.  With medical care being able to extend life, we are essentially “out-living” our brains.  At this point I chimed in and said that I totally disagree.