MIT; Alzheimer’s Disease: Current State and Hope for the Future

Measured in human suffering, and by statistics, Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) presents a formidable specter: with incidence approaching 30 million worldwide and growing rapidly, it is now the sixth leading cause of death in the US. As life expectancy lengthens, AD is anticipated to triple in prevalence over the next few decades. The disease is found in nearly 50% of people age 85 and older. Triply higher medical costs are incurred by seniors with AD. These daunting facts give urgency and weight to molecular neuroscientist Li-Huei Tsai’s research.Tsai begins her presentation with an historical perspective of Alzheimer’s, first documented in 1901 in Germany as “strange behavioral symptoms and loss of short-term memory.” Post-mortem examination of a patient’s brain showed “the hallmark pathological lesions: amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.” Telltale manifestations include “forgetfulness, …confusion, disorganized thinking, impaired judgment,” difficulty expressing oneself, spatial and temporal disorientation, and incapacity in daily activities. Family members must often quit jobs to provide round-the-clock care. In the advanced disease, becoming bedridden engenders chronic infections, secondary conditions, and eventual demise.

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MIT; Alzheimer’s Disease: Current State and Hope for the Future

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