Founded in 1979 with support from Col. Harlan Sanders and John Y. Brown, the UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging has been conducting research on Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and other age-related disease for more than 35 years.
In 1985, the Center was one of the first 10 National Institutes of Health-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers and is one of only a handful of continuously funded centers (there are currently 29).
The National Institute on Aging funds Alzheimer’s Disease Centers where researchers are working to translate research advances into improved diagnosis and care for people with Alzheimer’s disease while focusing on the program’s long-term goal—finding a way to cure and possibly prevent Alzheimer’s.
Areas of investigation range from the basic mechanisms of Alzheimer’s to managing the symptoms and helping families cope with the effects of the disease. Center staff conducts basic, clinical, and behavioral research and train scientists and healthcare providers.
Although each center has its own area of emphasis, a common goal of the ADCs is to enhance research on Alzheimer’s disease by creating a network that shares new ideas and research results. Collaborative studies draw upon the expertise of scientists from many different disciplines.
For patients and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease, the ADCs offer:
- Help with obtaining diagnosis and medical management (costs may vary—Centers may accept Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance)
- Information about the disease, services, and resources
- Opportunities for volunteers to participate in clinical trials and studies and patient registries
- Support groups and other special programs for volunteers and their families
- Some ADCs have satellite facilities that offer these services in underserved, rural, and minority communities.
