I was giving a talk about assessing memory the other day and I was asked a question that I have been asked often – “When will there be a cure for Alzheimer’s disease?” It is a difficult question to answer. I don’t want to sound as if there is no hope but I also don’t want to give false hope. I would be very pleased to be wrong about my belief that there will not soon be a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, heart disease, etc.

First, consider that Alzheimer’s disease is a complex and progressive degenerative disorder of the brain. It is not the only complex progressive brain disorder. Other progressive brain disorders include but are not limited to Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Lewy body disease, Pick’s disease, Huntington’s chorea, and primary progressive aphasia. All are subtle in onset, often initially misdiagnosed, and progressive. All may progress to disability and/or dementia and are irreversible and complex. There are no cures for any of these diseases despite years of effort and funding.

Second, we don’t know the cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Current belief is that it is caused be dense concentration of two abnormal proteins in the brain: amyloids causing plaques and tau causing tangles. Even autopsy confirmation has been clouded by the finding that as many as 30% of us will die with pathological Alzheimer’s disease but with no clear symptoms. In other words, it is possible to have Alzheimer’s disease and not be demented and it is possible to be demented and not have Alzheimer’s disease. Despite years of intense research, it is not clear whether the plaques and tangles are the cause or the effect of the pathology underlying Alzheimer’s disease.

Third, I am not aware of any true cures for diseases in my lifetime. When I mention this in my talks, the response is of something like polio has been cured. But that is not true. We immunize against polio but it is still out there. Stop immunizations and it will return. There are a number of excellent medical screenings available for early detection of diseases such as cancer and heart disease. However, the screenings neither prevent nor cure heart disease or cancer. Medicine has progressed a long way. We are healthier, live longer, and catch diseases early to be proactive about course. This is good but it is not the same as having cures.

Although we cannot cure or prevent Alzheimer’s disease, there is so much we can do if we approach the problem as loss of short-term memory – the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s time to treat memory the same as we treat blood sugars, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Assess (don’ merely screen) memory regularly starting at least as early as 60 – earlier if you are worried or you have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Changes in short-term memory are very treatable if caught early. In light of this need, I have started a new program in collaboration with Dr. Karen Bilter. We are offering memory coaching to help treat memory changes of aging as well as the changes that may be the early signs of future decline.