Workgroup on NAPA's scientific agenda for a national initiative on Alzheimer's disease

This report outlines a goal-directed scientific agenda for a national initiative to overcome the Alzheimer's disease (AD) crisis. The statement, which reflects the collective views and recommendations of leaders in AD research, is intended to aid the implementation of the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA)'s National Plan to defeat AD. The primary public policy aims of this 10-year scientific agenda are to discover, validate, and develop: (I) a broad range of technologies, tools and algorithms for early detection of people with symptomatic AD, and asymptomatic individuals at elevated risk for AD and other dementias; and (2) a wide range of interventions to preserve and/or restore health and normal neural function, aiming to maintain independent functioning for as long as possible. The long-term scientific public health objectives of this comprehensive plan are to: (1) reduce the number of people with chronic disabling symptoms who will require prolonged care and, eventually, reduce the number of asymptomatic people at elevated risk for AD/dementia; (2) delay the onset of chronic disability for people with AD and other degenerative brain disorders; and (3) lower the cost and burden of care. The plan calls for significant expansion of research programs to identify and validate the cause(s) and pathogenesis of AD, genetic and epigenetic factors that contribute to AD risk, therapeutic targets that affect disease progression, surrogate biomarkers of AD pathobiology, and technologies for early detection of AD. (C) 2012 The Alzheimer's Association. All rights reserved.