This research is at the frontier of treatment for a disease that poses an increasing threat to the world's aging population. The Alzheimer's Association estimates that 5.3 million people in the U.S. and 35 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. According to the 2009 World Alzheimer Report, released by Alzheimer's Disease International, the number of people with Alzheimer's is expected to nearly double every 20 years, to 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050.

"It's a very important topic given the escalating costs both to society and the individual," Dr. Seidenberg said. "We've learned so much in the last 10 years but we have a great deal still to learn. The advent of new technologies like fMRI has provided a new avenue to pursue the issue."

Dr. Seidenberg hopes the "name game" will ultimately help delay the onset of Alzheimer's by identifying people well before they manifest symptoms including confusion or memory loss.

"There's the notion that people are in some pre-Alzheimer dementia state for several years before they actually become symptomatic in terms of overt memory problems," Dr. Seidenberg said. "If we can get people before they become symptomatic using these techniques, we will be in a better position to successfully treat them and to delay the onset of the disease."

A nationally respected researcher in clinical neuropsychology, Dr. Seidenberg teaches courses in brain behavior relationships and neuropsychological assessment. He notes the connection between the genetic component of his team's research and British researcher Dr. Rosalind Franklin's work to identify the double-helix structure of DNA, which ultimately revolutionized medical and genetics research. "Among the risk variables we're looking at is people who have a certain genetic susceptibility," Seidenberg said.

The scientist is pleased that his research is bringing enhanced national visibility to Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. "I feel very fortunate to be collaborating with other researchers from major institutions around the country on work that is really remarkable," he said.

Source: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science