Alzheimer’s disease, most of the time, is much different from what most people think it is. Some of this confusion arises from mistaking Alzheimer’s for ordinary aging, and some comes from science that has moved faster than public perception has bothered to catch up. Yet, emphasizing the distinction between fact and myth in this disease may determine how early families seek help and how much dignity a patient is afforded once the word “Alzheimer’s” enters the conversation. My