Where in the Brain?

It is unsure how the disease begins, but it is likely that damage to the brain can begin many years before any symptoms become noticeable. The first stage process within the brain is the plaques and tangles appear throughout bringing in abnormal protein deposits. From there the damage spreads to the most essential memory forming portion of the brain known as the hippocampus. Neurons in the brain begin to work less efficiently and/or die off causing the effected portions of the brain to shrink.