Advances in Alzheimer's research

Is a cure almost within our grasp?
On today's program, host Seán Collins welcomes Dr. Steven Salloway, Dr. Rudy Tanzi, and David Shenk to discuss recent advances in Alzheimer's research and the possibility of early intervention and prevention. They highlight the significance of targeting amyloid plaques in the brain, but also emphasize the need for treatments that can be administered earlier and more widely - the way statins are used to forestall or prevent atherosclerotic heart disease.
The researchers discuss the role of public funding in drug research and the challenges of developing affordable and accessible treatments. They also touch on the role of imagination in driving scientific discovery and the importance of accurate and responsible journalism in reporting on Alzheimer's research. Overall, they express optimism about the future of Alzheimer's treatment and the potential for significant progress in the coming years.
Steven Salloway, M.D., MS
Founding Director, The Memory and Aging Program
Butler Hospital, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Professor of Neurology, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, R.I.
Rudy Tanzi, Ph.D.
Director, Genetics and Aging Research Unit
Director, McCance Center for Brain Health
Massachusetts General Hospital, Professor of Neurology
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
David Shenk
Author, The Forgetting - Alzheimer’s: a Portrait of an Epidemic
Senior Advisor, Cure Alzheimer's Fund
Advisor, dementia-related issues
President's Council on Bioethics, Brooklyn, N.Y.