Although some forgetfulness may be natural in everyone, Kristen Bires of the Alzheimer's Association cautioned that extreme memory loss could be the result of a much deeper problem.

Alzheimer's Disease is a form of dementia, which affects 4.5 million Americans each year and more than 32,000 in this part of Pennsylvania.

The disease is a progressive disorder, which gradually destroys a person's ability to reason, make judgments, communicate and carry out daily activities.

Warning signs include memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, problems with language, disorientation of time and place, poor or decreased judgment, problems with abstract thinking, misplacing thing, changes in mood or behavior, changes in personality and loss of initiative.

Researchers are unsure of the exact cause of the disorder, but all Alzheimer's patients see a decrease in brain size and production of chemical messengers as a result of the disease.

"I think memory loss when it comes to what's normal and what's not — that can be kind of hard," Bires said.

"We all forget names and we forget our keys. The problem comes in when you look at those keys and don't know what they're for. It's not when you go into a room and forget why. It's when you go into a room and look around and you have no idea where you are."

While there may be ways to reduce natural memory loss, the effects of Alzheimer's cannot be undone once the disease begins to change the structure of a person's brain.

Early stage patients suffer from personality and judgment changes as well as calculation problems and memory loss. Middle stage patients may begin to develop agitated behaviors as their memory worsens and sleep patterns are disturbed.

Finally, late stage patients develop incontinence, lose their motor skills and meaningful speech and fail to recognize themselves and their family members.

"It's called the long goodbye because progression can last anywhere from three to 20 years and there is no cure," Bires said. "Seven to 10 people live in (an assisted living or nursing) home because the progression of the disease is so long and it's often straining on families."

Patients are treated only by simplifying daily life. The only medication available are those used to treat personality disorders often associated with the disease.

The Alzheimer's Association offers a 24-hour toll-free hotline, support groups and family services available to anyone who thinks they may have a loved one suffering from the disease. More information can be found at their Web site www.alz.org.