Alzheimer's disease, conceptual artwork. Image of a woman's head dissected to reveal an empty room where her brain should be. He head is surrounded by objects which should be in the room. This illustration could represent memory loss or the loss of brain functioning associated with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease and a common cause of dementia in the elderly. It is caused by the formation of protein plaques in the brain, which kill surrounding neurons. The cause of Alzheimer's is not known and there is no cure.