alzheimers research and treatment
The Alzheimer's Research Forum
The Alzheimer's Research Forum is a nonprofit organization that promotes collaboration of Alzheimer's researchers worldwide to hasten development of new ways to prevent and treat the disease. This site offers several online forums dealing with current issues in Alzheimer's research, for example, the role of amyloid protein in the disease, and highlights of the Fifth International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, held in Osaka, Japan, in July 1996. It also features the latest research news on Alzheimer's disease, culled from the medical literature. Finally, the site contains links to 34 journals and scientific newsletters related to Alzheimer's research.
Alzheimer Web
This site provides information, links, and other resources for researchers studying Alzheimer's disease. There's a Q&A section that answers basic questions about Alzheimer's, but most of the information is aimed at scientists. The site includes links for labs around the world where Alzheimer's disease research is conducted; a job file for scientists involved in Alzheimer's research; an extensive scientific bibliography of books and journal articles on Alzheimer's; a listing of upcoming scientific conferences on Alzheimer's worldwide; and a list of organizations and agencies that provide funding for Alzheimer's research. An excellent site for scientists and anyone interested in Alzheimer's research.
Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS)
The ADCS helps coordinate clinical trials of promising new Alzheimer's treatments. The ADCS is based at the University of California-San Diego, but it deals with Alzheimer's researchers around the country. Projects include testing of selegiliue, vitamin E, prednisone, and estrogen. This site includes an online newsletter that reports on the progress of clinical trials, and a fairly extensive list of links to other Alzheimer's sites. ADCS has a research focus, but if you're interested in clinical trials of new treatments, it's reasonably accessible to non-scientists.
Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center (ADEAR)
ADEAR is a service of the National Institute on Aging. This site is a gateway to federal government information on Alzheimer's disease research and treatment. It includes a "What's New" section that deals with the latest government-sponsored actions on Alzheimer's; a News section on recent Alzheimer's research findings (though some are rather old); an extensive list of publications, many available online; and a month-by-month calendar of conferences on Alzheimer's disease around the country.
Alzheimer's Disease Menu, Harvard University
This site contains more than 150 articles, emails, and other postings about Alzheimer's compiled by Harvard neurologists at Massachusetts General Hospital. Topics are very wide-ranging, though many deal with Alzheimer's treatment. The NeuroWeb Forum welcomes additional postings from visitors. Check it out and share what you know.
Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center at Northwestern University (CN-ADC)
CN-ADC conducts research into brain functions such as memory, language, attention and emotions. It has three goals: 1) to make new discoveries in these areas, 2) to publicize new discoveries about brain function to help people with brain diseases, and 3) to train researchers and clinicians in the field. One area devoted to research is highly technical. But two other areas -- information for patients and caregivers -- are very accessible to and useful for anyone involved in Alzheimer's caregiving. The former contains basic dementia information, news about Alzheimer's research and treatment, and listings of educational conferences around the country. If you're worried about your memory, there's also a nifty memory test. For caregivers, this site contains many good tips and referrals, along with about 30 links to other good Alzheimer's sites.
Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center National Cell Repository
This website describes and solicits participation in a research project in the genetics of Alzheimer's disease. Although it's based at the University of Indiana Medical Center in Indianapolis, its scope is national, and it's not necessary to travel to Indiana to take part. The researchers are interested in connecting with people who have two or more blood relatives who have (or may have) Alzheimer's and are still living. If you participate, you may be asked to provide a blood sample, fill out a questionnaire, and talk with a researcher by phone. Contact information and other details are available on the site.
Meditopia
This site describes Asian medical approaches to treating Alzheimer's, including Japanese, Chinese, and Korean media reports about herbal formulas that reportedly lead to significant improvement in people with the disease. The information is intriguing, and is not widely known in the West. American researchers and physicians would certainly view the reports on this site as controversial. If you're interested in more information, you can request it using an email form.
Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center
The Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center (RADC) was established in 1985 at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. This site describes its activities: evaluation of people with suspected Alzheimer's, care of those with the disease, education of family members and professionals, and research into the causes and treatment of Alzheimer's. It has an Illinois focus, but much of the information would be of interest to people outside the area.