Facts and Figures

Alzheimer's disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. View local facts and figures related to the staggering statistics of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in Indiana. National statistics are also available.

Local Research

The Alzheimer's Association announced a 2017 Zenith Fellows Award to Ruben Vidal, Ph.D., Indiana University, for $450,000 over three years. Tau is a protein that normally helps to maintain nerve cell structure and transport nutrients throughout the cell. In Alzheimer's disease, tau becomes abnormally modified and can form tau tangles in the brain, a hallmark of the disease. Recent evidence suggests that abnormal tau protein can spread from one nerve cell to the next, possibly contributing to the progression of brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease. However, the mechanisms that underlie the accumulation and movement of abnormal tau in the brain are not well understood.

Dr. Vidal’s laboratory research uses genetically engineered mice in which tau protein is lacking in their nerve cells or support cells (also called astrocytes) within the brain. A series of experiments is conducted by placing abnormal human tau protein into the engineered mice, then removing tau from either nerve or support cells and measuring the spread of tau protein and changes in memory function over a series of months.

The results of this study could identify which types of brain cells may contribute to the accumulation and spread of abnormal tau and could possibly identify new targets for drug treatments aimed at blocking the spread of abnormal tau protein to help slow or prevent disease progression.

Indiana researcher and member of the Alzheimer's Association Medical & Scientific Advisory Council Liana Apostolova, M.D., has a study available through TrialMatch®, our free, easy-to-use clinical studies matching service that connects individuals with Alzheimer's, caregivers, healthy volunteers and physicians with current studies. The purpose of this study is to obtain the thoughts and feelings of individuals who might be interested in receiving an amyloid PET and use that data to apply for research grant funding. They are actively recruiting 500 participants.

We need your input and advice as we think about a developing a research project to assess the use of Amyloid PET imaging. This type of neuroimaging has been FDA approved for some time; yet insurance companies do not cover the cost of this type of scan because it is not certain whether such information will have an impact on patient care. Thus, doctors do not order this test.

Eligibility: You or the person you care for have memory loss or early-stage dementiaCost: Free; register through TrialMatchTime Commitment: 2-5 minutes, 7 questionsConfidentiality: Anonymous, no personal information is collected.

To learn more or to participate in Dr. Apostolova's study, click here.

Early Investigators Scholarship Program

NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS

The Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter is accepting submissions for research projects in Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias for its Early Investigators Scholarship Program. The program encourages, recognizes and awards promising researchers pursuing projects in basic biomedical, patient-oriented, caregiver, social-behavioral, or any other dementia related study. The scholarship award is open to students enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, or post-doctoral programs in Indiana academic institutions.