September 23, 2009 – News & Views

Noted Alzheimer’s Researcher Inaugurates New Symposium
Dr. John C. Morris ’70 Discusses Today’s Crisis and Hope for Tomorrow

Dr. John C. Morris

Photo courtesy of Washington University’s Office of Public Affairs

Following a brief explanation of the first description of the disease by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1906, Morris explained that Alzheimer’s disease is not a benign condition of aging, but a malignant, progressive, and “uniformly fatal disease.” Because it is an age-related disease that “takes off” after the age of 65, it will become a monumental public health issue as the populations of the developed nations live longer. “The older you get, the more vulnerable you become,” he said, “and the disease will overwhelm healthcare systems.” In fact, Alzheimer’s already is the third-most-expensive disease in the United States, and the costs will only rise as Baby Boomers become more and more at risk. The toll on families and caregivers is enormous because, over time, Alzheimer’s patients lose the ability to carry out any of the activities of daily living and require round-the-clock care.

In spite of the enormity of the public health crisis Alzheimer’s presents, Morris says there is reason for hope. In the past, the characteristic plaques and tangles found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients were visible only at autopsy. These lesions are markers of brain cell death; the brain shrinks because of the loss of nerve cells. Now, with sophisticated imaging, the plaques and tangles, which can precede dementia by years and even decades, can be identified much earlier. These biomarkers can be detected even in someone who is asymptomatic, and, with that knowledge, it’s possible that scientists and researcher can find ways to intervene early in the disease process. “It’s easier to treat a sick cell than a dead cell,” Morris said.

A variety of research topics are being explored, from using an antibody “vaccination” approach to developing combinations of drugs that might slow down the progress of dementia. In 20 years, science has come from a place of no hope to “being on the brink of controlling one of the major public health problems,” Morris said. “The goal is not just to treat symptoms, but to prevent them.”

The late Dr. Ellen Dickinson ’63 was a chemistry major at Ohio Wesleyan. Following her graduation, she received her medical degree from Indiana University. She taught both neurology and psychiatry at SUNY at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biological Sciences and was affiliated with the Erie County (PA) Medical Center. The symposium was established through Dr. Dickinson’s generosity to her alma mater and the involvement of her family and OWU roommate, Dr. Wynne Lewis McCormick ’70. Dr. Morris’ appearance was co-sponsored by the Sagan National Colloquium.

For more about Alzheimer’s disease, see www.alz.org. To learn about HBO’s The Alzheimer’s Project, go to www.hbo.com/alzheimers.

– Gretchen Hirsch