Although science has advanced our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease tremendously in the century after its discovery in 1906, there is still much to discover and explain. Scientists across the nation and the globe are constantly at work developing better methods to diagram, diagnose, prevent, and treat Alzheimer’s disease. The range of approaches to research is truly breathtaking and what follows is a small overview of the most recent research initiatives in Alzheimer’s disease research from around the world.

Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) is a major research study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, to determine whether brain imaging can help predict onset and monitor progression of Alzheimer’s disease. This study will test whether serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), other biological markers, and clinical and neuropsychological assessment can be combined to measure the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

The information obtained by studying changes in the brain images of MCI and AD patients and healthy individuals, as well as other assessment tools, will be used to determine the best methods for measuring treatment effects in patients with MCI and AD. Recently, the study was expanded to include a wider base of researchers in Europe with the creation of the European Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (E-ADNI). Researchers are looking for volunteers to participate in the study who are between 55 and 90 years of age.

For more information, visit the ADNI website .

International Conference on Prevention of Dementia
Prevention is the best way to deal with any disease. With that mantra in mind, the Alzheimer’s Association organized the first International Conference on Prevention of Dementia in Washington D.C. in June 2005. The event brought together over 1,000 professionals from physicians to researchers to public policy experts for a thorough discussion on developing methods to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Memory Impairment Study
The highly anticipated results of the National Institute of Aging-funded Memory Impairment Study, which examined the hypothesis that vitamin E or donepezil could delay the progression of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) into Alzheimer’s Disease, were released on April 13, 2005 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study showed no benefit from Vitamin E, but demonstrated that donepezil (Aricept) delayed the onset of Alzheimer’s by as much as twelve months.

Pittsburgh Compound B
Pittsburgh Compound B is currently one of the most celebrated discoveries in Alzheimer’s research. It is a molecule that binds to beta-amyloid and “lights up” in positron emission technology (PET) brain scans. This enhance ability to diagram diseased brains will help researchers better understand the relationship between abnormal brain deposits and specific brain diseases.

Experimental Amyloid "Alzheimer's Vaccine"
A Japanese study appearing in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" details the progress of a research group from the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience. Their approach is to develop a way for the body's immune system to better cope with amyloid proteins, which are widely held to be a leading cause of Alzheimer's disease. The researchers believe that by using a vaccine, the body will be able to more gently and effectively respond to amyloid proteins without severe side effects. Currently, tests in mice have provided promising results and human testing is underway in Japan.

For more Information
The Alzheimer's Association has created a comprehensive compilation of current Alzheimer's research. It is available from the national website 2005: The Year in Alzheimer's Disease .