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Alzheimer’s disease

Key facts Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that affects your thinking, behaviour and ability to do everyday tasks. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by a build-up of certain proteins in your brain, which gets worse over time. While Alzheimer’s disease is more common in older Australians, it is not a normal part of ageing. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but some medicines can help improve your quality of life. See a doctor if you have memory loss, difficulty with familiar tasks or language, or changes in mood or personality. What is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s disease is the

Altitude sickness

What is altitude sickness? Altitude sickness, also known as mountain sickness, can happen if you travel to a high altitude. Altitude sickness can affect anybody — being young or physically fit does not decrease the risk. Whether or not you get altitude sickness could depend on: your height above sea level the time you took to make the ascent whether or not you have any problems affecting your heart and lungs Altitude sickness can be fatal if not treated. What are the symptoms of altitude sickness? If you have altitude sickness, you are likely to feel dizzy and weak, you might also have a headache and feel

Albinism

What is albinism? Albinism is a group of genetic conditions in which a person has no or very little melanin pigment in their skin, hair and eyes. Albinism occurs in all racial and ethnic groups throughout the world. In Australia, about 1 in 17,000 people have some type of albinism. It is important for people with albinism to protect their skin and eyes from the sun, and have their eyes checked regularly. The genes for albinism are passed down from both parents, who may not be directly affected by it themselves. However, there is no simple test to determine whether