Final answer:
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, characterized by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, with symptoms like memory loss and confusion.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, Alzheimer's disease is indeed the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. Symptoms of Alzheimer's include memory loss, confusion, difficulty with tasks, and personality changes. The presence of amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and significant neuron loss, particularly in the hippocampus, characterize Alzheimer's disease. A genetic component is also associated with the disease as mutations in certain genes like APOE can increase the risk of its development. Moreover, the aging baby-boomer generation is expected to increase the number of Alzheimer's patients significantly, possibly up to as many as 13 million by the year 2050 in the United States alone.