What causes Alzheimer's disease?

One of the most significant questions asked by aging researchers to date -- what causes this disease, and how can we prevent it? As described, Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, and has a particular clinical profile and course, but there is so much we do not know about the causes of such a devastating and prolific disease. The below link presents a quick overview of the differences between early onset and late onset disease, and the multi-factorial risk factors for the late onset form, which includes genetic, social, cognitive, and lifestyle factors. Much of my research as a graduate student in psychology pertained to understanding the risk factors for late-life, age-related cognitive impairment, with Alzheimer's disease being the most severe end point on the spectrum of unhealthy aging. The second link is a summary paper my laboratory published in 2014 which outlines some of the major risk factors for age-related cognitive impairment; through the years we are learning more and more about the preventable risk factors for unsuccessful cognitive aging, but the elusive aetiology for Alzheimer's type dementia prevails.

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-causes-alzheimers-disease

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25278166/