Seth Rogen speaks about Alzheimer’s disease

Seth Rogen, star of such comedies as “Knocked Up,” talked to CNN on Tuesday about a very serious issue: Alzheimer’s disease.

Rogen, who called the disease “brutal,” said his fiancee’s mother has been battling it for years. He talked about the emotional toll it takes on families.

Families, especially spouses who have to watch as their loved one’s memories -- including shared memories -- deteriorate, can suffer psychologically. But Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia can take a physiological toll on families as well, studies say; one published last year in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society showed that the spouses of patients with dementia have six times the risk of developing dementia themselves.

And with the number of Alzheimer’s caregivers in the United at about 15 million, their mental and physical health is become an even more pressing issue. For those caring for a loved one, here are some tips from the Mayo Clinic on coping with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

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