In some ways, Pick's disease is similar to Alzheimer's disease. However, Pick's disease tends to affect only certain areas of the brain, while Alzheimer's can affect any part. It is the early appearance of a personality changes that help distinguish Pick's disease from Alzheimer’s. (Memory loss is often the main symptom of Alzheimer's.) People with Pick's disease tend to behave inappropriately in different social settings. The changes in behavior continue to get worse and are often one of the most disturbing symptoms of the disease. Pick's disease is rare. It is more common in women than men. It may occur in people as young as 20, but usually begins between ages 40 and 60. The average age of onset is 54. The disease can progress slowly. Over time, the tissues in two parts of the brain (the temporal and frontal lobes) shrink. This shrinking is called atrophy. Symptoms such as behavioral changes, speech difficulty, and impaired intellect occur gradually, but continue to get worse. People with Pick's disease have abnormalities called Pick bodies and Pick cells inside nerve cells in the damaged areas of the brain. Pick bodies and Pick cells contain an abnormal form of a protein called tau. This protein is found in all nerve cells. But some people with Pick's disease have an abnormal amount or type of tau. The exact cause of these abnormalities is unknown. A genetic basis for the disease has not yet been determined. Most cases of Pick's disease are not inherited.
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