The Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Institute, an affiliate of the National Alzheimer's Association in

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, is an initiative founded by former

United States President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United State ...

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

and

First Lady First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state fo ...

Nancy Reagan Nancy Davis Reagan (; born Anne Frances Robbins; July 6, 1921 – March 6, 2016) was an American film actress and First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. She was the second wife of president Ronald Reagan. Reagan was born in N ...

to accelerate the progress of

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...

research. The center was dedicated in 1995.

Overview

The development of the institute marked an important milestone in the maturation of Alzheimer's research; in 1982, most Alzheimer's research projects posed broad questions regarding the nature and effects of the disease, while the Reagan institute largely introduced – and expanded – the

biological Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary in ...

segment of disease research. The institute has awarded $12 million in research grants, and created the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Institute Award, given to individuals who have contributed greatly to Alzheimer's research. President Ronald Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1994, and released a letter to the American people announcing his affliction. His diagnosis and decision to go public with the news greatly affected the perception of Alzheimer's and reduced the stigma attached to the disease. In 1995, he and Mrs. Reagan established the institute. When the president became too incapacitated and could not function normally, Nancy Reagan began supporting federally funded

embryonic stem cell research Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, an early-stage pre- implantation embryo. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4–5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist ...

in the hopes that such research could lead to an Alzheimer's cure. She also remained an honorary board member of the research institute. President Reagan's daughter, Maureen Reagan Revell, was very active within the research center until her death in 2001. As of 2007, an estimated 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. This number includes 4.9 million people age 65 and older, and at least 200,000 individuals younger than 65 with early-onset Alzheimer's. According to the Alzheimer's Association, an American is diagnosed with the disease every 72 seconds. Although there is not yet any treatment that can delay or stop the deterioration of brain cells in Alzheimer's disease, researchers have identified a number of new treatment strategies that may have the potential to change its course. A number of experimental therapies based on the amyloid hypothesis and other targets have reached various stages of clinical testing in human volunteers. The Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Institute funded a book by leading Alzheimer's researchers about progress in new treatment strategies for Alzheimer's and

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

Footnotes

{{Authority control Alzheimer's and dementia organizations Ronald Reagan Nancy Reagan Mental health organizations in Illinois