Taking stock of UCI research on World Alzheimer's Day

Five clinical trials, $12.7 million in grants and nearly a dozen major articles in scientific journals distinguish UC Irvine’s research into Alzheimer’s disease, much of it affiliated with the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND), directed by Frank LaFerla (pictured). Monday, Sept. 21, is World Alzheimer’s Day, which focuses attention on a disease that’s diagnosed every 70 seconds in the U.S., contributing to $148 billion annually in healthcare costs. More than 5 million Americans are living with it, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, and as baby boomers age, patient ranks will swell. By 2050, the number of people 65 and older with Alzheimer’s could reach 16 million – unless a way to prevent the brain disorder can be found.