This book details how "Alzheimer Disease" went from being an obscure neurologic diagnosis to a household word. The words of those responsible for this revolution are the heart of this book. Dr. Robert Katzman and Dr. Katherine Bick, leaders in Alzheimer research and policy making, interview the people responsible for this awakening of public consciousness about Alzheimer Disease from 1960 to 1980. They speak with the scientists, public health officials, government regulators, and concerned relatives and activists responsible for taking this neurodegenerative disease out of the "back wards" through the halls of Congress, and on to the front page. The reader will learn how the explosive increase in research funding and public awareness came about, how physicians and psychiatrists established diagnostic criteria, how drugs were developed that offer hope for sufferers, and how the Alzheimer's Association was born. * Written in the words of those responsible for the widespread recognition of this neurodegenerative disease * The authors are recognised as leaders in Alzheimer research and policy making.

Preface. -- Setting the Stage. -- The Pioneers. -- The Need for Care. -- Understanding the Biology of AD. -- The Cholinergic Story: Hope for the Patient and Family. -- Improving the Accuracy of Diagnosis. -- The Impact of AD and Society's Response. -- The Next Act.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Print version record.

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