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Former President Ronald Reagan suffered and finally died from Alzheimer's disease.

But what is this mysterious killer?

Alzheimer's is not a mental illness. It is a neurological disease where the brain is actually dying, but no one knows yet exactly what causes it.

Nancy Dezan, education manager for the Alzheimer's Association of the National Capital Area, she says the parts of the brain that control short term memory and thinking skills are affected first.

People in their forties and fifties are not immune.

There's no cure, but if it's caught early treatment can help slow down the progression of the disease, so a person can have a better quality of life, but she says treatment does not extend a person's life.

Former first lady Nancy Reagan and others believe the use of

stem cells from embryos could lead to a cure for a whole variety of

neurological illnesses -- including Alzheimer's.

The Reagans have authorized the Alzheimer's Association to accept donations on the family's behalf.

Date published: 6/11/2004

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