~~ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE~~ A healthy brain (left) compared to that in Alzheimer's disease (right). Alzheimer's disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60-70% of dementia cases 📝. Notice the loss of cortex in the Alzheimer's brain on the right, seen by the deepening of sulci (the valleys between folds in the brain) and enlargement of brain ventricles ☝️ . While much active research goes into Alzheimer's disease today, we've yet to identify a cause nor do we have a cure 🏥. One thing that we do know is that head trauma (especially repeated head trauma) does correlate with earlier onset of Alzheimer's disease later in life. In fact, repeat head trauma can lead to its own entity in dementia, known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and is particularly prevalent among American football players. Wearing our helmets is key 🔑 (as is rethinking the brutality of the sport! 😁) . #helmetfordays 🚴🚴🚴 . 📸: Morales et al., Neuroimmunomodulation 2010, 17:202-204