Author Terry Pratchett, 59, has Alzheimer's

Expect stories about famous people having Alzheimer's to be more and more common. However what is notable about this story is that Pratchett is just 59 years old. He is suffering from a rare, early onset form of the disease. Pratchett is a British fantasy and science fiction author, best known for his Discworld series and has reportedly sold over 55 million books.

In August 2007, Pratchett was diagnosed as having had a minor stroke in 2004 or 2005. This damaged the right side of his brain, and while affecting motor skills, had not affected his writing. This month he announced that Alzheimer's was behind his "phantom stroke".

It would have been easy for Pratchett to have kept his condition private but his public disclosure should go a long way to reducing the stigma of the disease just as former President Reagan did when he announced he was battling it--one of the first public disclosures of its kind. The more people who step up like Pratchett the less fearful people will be about discussing it or seeking treatment for it themselves.

Though Pratchett admitted that he had considered keeping it quiet he decided that it was best to be upfront about it. Despite the serious nature of the condition he has maintained his sense of humor.

"I know it's a very human thing to say 'Is there anything I can do?' but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry."

While there is still very little is known about the cause and there is no known cure for Alzheimer's, there are several lifestyle choices you can make to reduce known risk factors. These include proper diet, not smoking, and avoiding head injuries. More LifeTwo stories on Alzheimer's here.