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The National Institute on Aging, a branch of the National Institute of Health, is committed to determining the causes of Alzheimer’s disease so that more effective therapies can be developed to treat people with this devastating disorder. To help identify the genes that play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, the National Institute on Aging has funded the National Cell Repository for Alzheimer Disease as a national resource where clinical information and genetic material (DNA) can be stored from individuals with Alzheimer’s disease as well as from individuals without any symptoms of memory loss or dementia. To help identify the genes contributing to the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, a number of different studies are currently ongoing. These include studies enrolling families with multiple members diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease as well as individuals without a strong family history of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Dementia
and memory loss are devastating disorders which become more common
as an individual grows older. The most common form of dementia among
older persons is Alzheimer's disease (AD). There are also other
causes for dementia and memory loss. While Alzheimer’s disease
can affect persons in their thirties, forties and fifties, most
cases of AD are associated with advancing age. Beyond age 85, as
many as 40% of individuals have Alzheimer’s disease. As the
population of the US continues to age, the number of individuals
affected with Alzheimer’s disease will continue to rise. It
is estimated that by the year 2050 there will be 14 million persons
over the age of 65 affected with AD. Many factors are thought to
influence whether or not an individual will develop Alzheimer’s
disease. These may include genetic or inherited factors or nongenetic
factors, such as where a person has lived, their occupation, and
other lifestyle choices. 