Durham, N.C. — Durham police are searching for a 25-year-old woman who is believed to be suffering from dementia or some other cognitive impairment. 

The North Carolina Center for Missing Persons issued a Silver Alert for Tonisha Clydie Rhem, who also goes by the nickname "TO," at 9:45 a.m. 

Rhem was last seen at 3416 Kerrigan Court, police said, and could be headed toward the Village Shopping Center on Miami Boulevard in Durham. 

Rhem is 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs about 130 pounds, has short black hair and brown eyes. When she went missing, she was wearing black sweatpants, a brown Roca Wear coat and tennis shoes. 

Anyone with information about Rhem's whereabouts should call the Durham Police Department at 919-560-4434. 

Developed in 2007, Silver Alert is a system to quickly notify the public about missing endangered people who suffer from dementia or other cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer's disease.

It also allows caregivers and nursing homes to report a person missing. In the past, only a family member could report an adult missing.