CAN ALZHEIMER'S BE PREVENTED?

A team of University physicians is helping initiate the first large-scale national study to prevent Alzheimer's disease, marking a milestone in efforts to maintain a high quality of life for more people who are living longer than ever.

The team-based at Monroe Community Hospital, the University's main Alzheimer's treatment site-is one of four groups nationwide taking part in the Alzheimer's Disease Anti-Inflammatory Prevention Trial, or ADAPT.

The Rochester component of the study will follow the development of 800 people age 70 and older who have a relative with the disease but who show no symptoms themselves.

Funded through an initial $25 million from the National Institute on Aging, the study seeks to address the question of whether common medicines known as cox inhibitors help delay or even prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

"Just 10 years ago there were no treatments for Alzheimer's. Now we have a stable of medicines to treat the disease, and already we're talking about prevention," says Pierre Tariot, director of the Geriatric Neurology and Psychiatry Clinic at Monroe Community Hospital.

"The question is simple: Can we delay or prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease? It's really quite remarkable that we have progressed to the point where we can even ask that question."

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