Written to encourage defensive action, Levine's book is meant both as a guide and a reference to understanding and preventing dementia. It is intended for lay people interested in learning about dementia and the measures that can be taken to repel its onslaught, as well as for caregivers and family members of impaired patients.

"Defying Dementia" is presented in two sections. First, Levine explains the various types of dementia, its increasing incidence and current treatments, and the treatments being tested and on the horizon. The role of physiology and fresh insights from the field of...