This document summarizes recent research on Alzheimer's disease. It discusses the major areas of current basic research including genetics, biomarkers, amyloid, tau, oligomerization, metabolism, and lifestyle. It also lists continuing approaches like studying infectious agents, environmental toxins, inflammation, oxidative stress, and head trauma. The document notes that removing abnormalities or restoring normal function has limitations for diseases of aging like Alzheimer's. Recent developments have connected Alzheimer's to lifestyle, metabolism and metabolic syndrome, indicating actions people can take now for healthier aging. Progress includes recognizing the humanity of those diagnosed with the disease.

1. G E O R G E P E R R Y , P H . D .
D E A N A N D P R O F E S S O R
C O L L E G E O F S C I E N C E S
T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S A T S A N A N T O N I O
Alzheimer Disease:
Where Do We Go From Here?

2. Major Focus of Current Basic Research
 Genetics
 Biomarkers
 Amyloid
 Tau
 Oligomerization
 Metabolism
 Lifestyle

3. Continuing Approaches of Basic Research
 Infectious agent
 Environmental toxins
 Inflammation
 Oxidative stress
 Head trauma
 Apolipoprotein E

4. Limitations of Medicine
 Remove the abnormal
OR
 Bring it back to normal function
 This approach has served us well for diseases of defect or from
the outside
 But not for the most important diseases of our time- Alzheimer,
Cancer or metabolic syndrome
 Diseases of the aged are homeostatic and how the body
maintains normal function in the face of decline

5. Recent Developments in Alzheimer Research
 Connection to lifestyle, metabolism and metabolic
syndrome
 Indications of what we can do now to have more
years of healthy living
 Points to how we improve the prognosis of our aging
popluation

6. Progress in Alzheimer Research
 Realization that people with a diagnosis-
 Are human beings capable of giving and receiving love
 Have a life worth living for both themselves and their family