Message from the CEO
We all know someone with Alzheimer's disease (AD), whether a beloved mother, a lifelong friend, a favorite teacher, or the neighbor across the street.
We also know the toll that AD exacts from caregivers as they struggle to support their family and friends as the loved ones lose more and more parts of themselves before the caregivers' very eyes.
And we know the economic burden of AD on our country. The Alzheimer’s Association puts the price tag at $200 billion for this year alone. That figure is bound to grow.
What we don't know about AD is how to prevent or cure it. Yet.
However at a few places across our country—like Emory's Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC)—we are getting closer to finding some answers. The Emory ADRC currently is pursuing research in gene therapy, new drugs, and a vaccine to prevent or reverse the process. It is training caregivers to stimulate the brains of their loved ones with activities that may alter the course of the disease. And it is supporting programs to educate the community about AD research and how to get involved.
You'll read about some of those efforts in this issue of Emory Health. I hope that they give you hope, as they do me.
