WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | National expert in Alzheimer's research highlights progress in the field
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One of the keynote speakers Friday at the 8th annual Alzheimer's Association education conference was Marilyn Albert, the Co-director for the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Research Center.
Albert spoke about the progress that has been made over the past several decades.
"Now we think we know what the events are in the brain that start the disease. We're looking at treatments. We're trying to figure out how we can intervene in an early way. I think the progress has been enormous," said Albert.
A cure couldn't come soon enough for many families.
At 63 years old old Eric Alexie can no longer drive or work.
"It has totally changed our lives," said his wife Sharon. She retired just to take care of him.
Mary Pat Hanson said it's hard to watch her mother deteriorate.
"My mother no longer gets out of bed. She longer knows who I am," said Hanson.
Albert said she is confident there will a cure someday.
"Alzheimer's disease is a terrible problem for the country. It's going to brake the back of the healthcare system if we don't do something about it," said Albert.
Albert is also hopeful eventually there will be a single test that can diagnose the disease, that could pick up changes in the brain before symptoms ever start.
"I think that surprises us, how early the changes start in the brain even in people who are normal cognitively. Now there are changes in the brain that look like they have Alzheimer's disease," said Albert.
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