Innovations in Alzheimer’s Research Sharon Francis Memorial Fund
About This Fund
This fund focuses on the search for treatments that fall in the medicine category. The latest Report on Alzheimer’s disease confirms that there has been no new treatment developed in the last two decades to alleviate the symptoms of dementia. Some treatments are available; however, they treat some, but not all, dementia symptoms. With respect to disease modifying treatments (those that delay onset or progression of dementia), there is great interest in developing ones that can modify pathophysiologicalfactors in dementia. This all means the world desperately needs innovations to alleviate the cognitive and behavioral symptoms that are associated with dementia and that is why we are so determined to move the needle in Alzheimer’s research, both in the medicine and regenerative medicine disciplines.
Focus Area: Treatment
Grants Distributed
Project: The contribution of inflammation on differences between Young-onset and Late-onset of Alzheimer’s disease
Investigator: Dr. Carmela Tartaglia
Institute: University Health Network (UHN)
Award Value: $150,000 (over 2 years)
Project Description:
Young-onset of Alzheimer’s disease occurs before the age of 65 and represents 10-15 % of all Alzheimer’s disease cases. There are key imaging, neuropathological and neurochemical differences between young-onset and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. There is growing evidence for a faster rate of progression in young-onset of the disease.
The primary and overarching aim of the study is to identify in vivo (process performed or taking place in a living organism) differences in the interaction of neurodegenerative and inflammatory markers between young-onset and late-onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Accomplishing this aim would markedly advance our understanding of differences between young-onset and late-onset of Alzheimer’s disease with the ultimate goal of providing targeted therapies to patients.
Carmela Tartaglia, M.D., FRCPC
Marion and Gerald Soloway Chair in Brain Injury and Concussion Research
Associate Professor, Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto
Co-director Memory Clinic - Toronto Western Hospital
Director Memory Clinical Trials Unit