Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disease that damages brain cells and the connections between them. Over time, it affects memory, thinking, language, judgment, behavior and the ability to manage everyday life. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, but the two words are not interchangeable. Dementia describes a level of cognitive decline that interferes with daily functioning; Alzheimer’s is one specific disease that can lead to it. For college students, alzheimer’s disease can intersect with classes, work, housing, money, relationships, transportation, privacy, and the sudden expectation that you coordinate your own care. The condition itself is only one part of the problem; the system around it can either reduce or multiply the load.