Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's Disease is not a single disease - there are a number of forms. The early onset forms begin when people are in their forties and other forms with a late onset, begin when people are in their sixties. It is a disease of the brain and the brain cells die off. People with Alzheimer's symptoms forget how to do things, for example whether or not they have turned off the stove or turned off the tap. They can forget how to drive the car or where the car is parked. They cannot remember things that have just happened. They forget names but often can record very early memories such as when they were five years old.

Currently there is no treatment for these diseases so that this is an area of priority research for the Foundation. A group of researchers at The University of Sydney is working with scientists from Duke University in the USA and with scientists at Glaxo Wellcome in the UK on the late onset form of the disease. This form of Alzheimer's disease is associated with a specific gene which produces a molecule called apoE4.

Our researchers are growing nerve cells and examining how apoE4 interacts with the nerve cells. This promising line of research should lead to understanding the basis and hopefully, controlling the progression of the disease. As with most research the main limitations in our work are those of funding and resources.