Where There Is Action, There Is Always Hope

Currently, Alzheimer’s disease has no known cure, but great strides are being made into discovering what causes this disease and how best to approach finding a cure.

With each passing day, our research teams are uncovering important information on how our brain functions and what types of medication or actions we can take to reduce the risk of developing dementia.

Alzheimer Society of Ontario has led the way to some fascinating research projects across the province. Here are a few examples:

Unlocking the Brain’s Full Potential

For more than two decades, deep brain electrical pulses have been
helping people with Parkinson’s disease control tremors. Researchers now suspect that such pulses could also improve memory circuits in those with Alzheimer’s.

Eva Vico Varela is a neuroscience doctoral student at McGill University studying deep brain stimulation in mice models. Funded in part by the Alzheimer Society Research Program, she aims to understand how electrical pulses could be applied to help people with Alzheimer’s in clinical trials. If successful, this exciting research could help slow the decline of Alzheimer’s.

How to Build an Alzheimer Drug Molecule

Researchers have been searching for the “holy grail” of Alzheimer drug. In their case, it is a small molecule that mixes well with water and fat and is exactly the right size to lock onto beta-amyloid molecules in the brain.

If found, this molecule has incredible potential for stopping beta-amyloid from building up and killing brain cells. Dr. Donald Weaver, Director at the Toronto Western Research Institute, is in hot pursuit.

Dr. Weaver runs a lab that specializes in computer-aided design in the development of molecule-based Alzheimer drugs and his team has recently identified and is now testing three very promising molecules.

Did you know?

Since 1989, the Alzheimer Society Research Program has funded over $47 million in grants and awards. Thanks in large part to our family of generous donors!

Approximately 8,000 men & women in Ontario will develop dementia this year.

Research is just the beginning of preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. You CAN do something about dementia.

Make a donation to Alzheimer Society Ontario today and help provide families and individuals living with dementia support, counselling and education, build awareness, and fund research for a cure. You have the power to make an incredible difference. Thank you for your support!