Brain Basics
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Alzheimer's Disease and the Brain
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Act 17

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13. Progression through the brain

Plaques and tangles (shown in the blue-shaded areas) tend to spread through the cortex in a predictable pattern as Alzheimer's disease progresses.

The rate of progression varies greatly. People with Alzheimer's live an average of eight years, but some people may survive up to 20 years. The course of the disease depends in part on age at diagnosis and whether a person has other health conditions.