Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Neurologists are working to uncover the risks, predictors, prevention, diagnostic tests and potential treatments for Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and related disorders.
Alzheimer's disease research at Mayo Clinic is distinguished by the depth and breadth of in-house resources — from population studies to innovations in imaging, from genetics and molecular science to discovery of the behavioral, biological and environmental predictors of dementia.
Research linked with clinical practice
Our focus on Alzheimer's disease includes the study of behavioral and biological aspects of cognitive impairment, including environmental risk factors. Mayo Clinic has a vital role in conducting an ongoing longitudinal study of cognitive decline beginning early in the life span of gene carriers. Research has led to the detection of biomarkers and advanced neuroimaging tests, in turn paving the way for potential new prevention therapies and treatments for early Alzheimer's disease.
Work at Mayo Clinic has helped to characterize nonmemory-based dementias and to distinguish them from one another and from Alzheimer's disease, thereby improving management and enhancing understanding of underlying mechanisms across dementias.
Collaborative research
In collaboration with the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, the Department of Neurology conducts a wide range of investigations, such as the molecular workings of memory and clinical trials to test new drugs. Brain research in the Discovery and Translation Labs at Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida is uncovering the causes of neurological diseases to develop new therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and other neurological disorders.
Faculty members collaborating on basic and clinical research related to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias include:
- Bradley F. Boeve, M.D.
- Hugo Botha, M.B., Ch.B.
- Heather M. Clark, Ph.D.
- Dennis W. Dickson, M.D. — Neuropathology and Microscopy Laboratory
- Daniel A. Drubach, M.D.
- Joseph R. Duffy, Ph.D.
- John D. Fryer, Ph.D.
- Jonathan Graff-Radford, M.D.
- Neill R. Graff-Radford, M.D. — Memory Disorders Laboratory
- Clifford R. Jack, M.D. — Aging and Dementia Imaging Laboratory
- David T. Jones, M.D.
- Keith A. Josephs, M.D.
- David S. Knopman, M.D.
- Stuart J. McCarter, M.D.
- Pamela J. McLean, Ph.D. — Neurobiology of Parkinson's Disease Laboratory
- Melissa E. Murray, Ph.D. — Translational Neuropathology Laboratory
- Ronald C. Petersen, M.D., Ph.D.
- Leonard Petrucelli, Ph.D. — Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory
- Rosa Rademakers, Ph.D. — Frontotemporal Dementia and Related Disorders Laboratory
- Elliott Richelson, M.D. — Neuropsychopharmacology Laboratory
- Walter A. Rocca, M.D.
- Terrone L. Rosenberry, Ph.D. — Protein Biochemistry and Neuroenzymology Laboratory
- Owen A. Ross, Ph.D.
- Wilfried O. Rossoll, Ph.D. — Neurobiology of Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory
- Rodolfo Savica, M.D., Ph.D.
- Steven M. Sine, Ph.D. — Receptor Biology Laboratory
- Wolfdieter Springer, Ph.D.
- Nilufer Taner, M.D., Ph.D. — Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease and Endophenotypes Laboratory
- Eugenia Trushina, Ph.D. — Mitochondrial Neurobiology and Therapeutics Laboratory
- Rene L. Utianski, Ph.D.
- Bryan K. Woodruff, M.D.
- Steven G. Younkin, M.D., Ph.D. — Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis Laboratory