Alzheimer's disease was first described in 1906. Since then, scientists have made remarkable strides in understanding how Alzheimer's affects the brain and learning how to make life better for affected individuals and families. Below are some important milestones in our progress, including the founding of the Alzheimer's Association in 1980, which has played a key role in advancing research and raising awareness of the disease. 

1906-1960: First discovery

1970-1979: Modern research

1980-1989: Awareness and momentum

1990-1999: Treatments emerge

2000-2009: Progress and hope

2010-2019: Setting a national agenda

2020-present: A new era of treatment

1906-1960: First discovery

1906

Dr. Alois Alzheimer first describes "a peculiar disease"

Dr. Alois Alzheimer first describes

German physician Alois Alzheimer, a pioneer in linking symptoms to microscopic brain changes, describes the haunting case of Auguste D., a patient who had profound memory loss, unfounded suspicions about her family, and other worsening psychological changes. In her brain at autopsy, he saw dramatic shrinkage and abnormal deposits in and around nerve cells. Dr. Alzheimer died in 1915, never suspecting that his encounter with Auguste D. would one day touch the lives of millions and ignite a massive international research effort. Scientists recognize Dr. Alzheimer not only for his groundbreaking characterization of a major disease but also as a role model. He set a new standard for understanding neurodegenerative disorders by establishing a close clinical relationship with his patients and using new scientific tools to determine how symptoms related to physical brain changes.

1910

Alzheimer's disease named

Emil Kraepelin, a German psychiatrist who worked with Dr. Alzheimer, first names "Alzheimer's Disease" in the eighth edition of his book "Psychiatrie."

1931

Invention of electron microscope allows further study of brain

In 1931, Germans Max Knoll and Ernst Ruska co-invent the electron microscope, which can magnify up to 1 million times. It is not until after WWII that the electron microscope becomes common in major research settings, enabling scientists to study brain cells in more detail.

1968

Development of cognitive measurement scales

Researchers develop the first validated measurement scale for assessing cognitive and functional decline in older adults, paving the way to correlate the level of measured impairment with estimates of the number of brain lesions and the volume of damaged tissue.

1970-1979: Modern research

1974

Founding of National Institute on Aging

An act of Congress establishes the National Institute on Aging (NIA) as one of our National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIA is our primary federal agency supporting Alzheimer's research.

1976

Alzheimer's recognized as most common cause of dementia

Neurologist Robert Katzman identifies Alzheimer's disease as the most common cause of dementia and a major public health challenge in his editorial published in Archives of Neurology.

1980-1989: Awareness and momentum

1980

Alzheimer's Association founded

Alzheimer's Association founded

In 1979, Jerome H. Stone and representatives from several family support groups met with the National Institute on Aging to explore the value of a national, independent, nonprofit organization to complement and stimulate federal efforts on Alzheimer's disease. That meeting resulted in the 1980 formation of the Alzheimer's Association with Mr. Stone as founding president. Today, the Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

1983

Declaration of National Alzheimer's Disease Month

Awareness of Alzheimer's disease increases, leading Congress to designate November 1983 as the first National Alzheimer's Disease Month.

1984

Beta-amyloid identified

Researchers George Glenner and Cai'ne Wong report identification of "a novel cerebrovascular amyloid protein," known as beta-amyloid — the chief component of Alzheimer's brain plaques and a prime suspect in triggering nerve cell damage.

1984

Nationwide infrastructure for Alzheimer's research established

The NIA begins funding its network of Alzheimer's Disease Centers at flagship medical institutions, establishing a nationwide infrastructure for research, diagnosis and treatment.

1986

Tau protein identified

Researchers discover that tau protein is a key component of tangles — the second pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and another prime suspect in nerve cell degeneration.

1987

First Alzheimer's drug trial

The Alzheimer's Association assists the NIA and Warner-Lambert Pharmaceutical Company (now Pfizer) in launching and recruiting participants for clinical trials of tacrine, the first drug specifically targeting symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

1987

First deterministic Alzheimer's gene identified

Researchers identify the first gene associated with rare, inherited forms of Alzheimer's disease. This gene on chromosome 21 codes amyloid precursor protein (APP), the parent molecule from which beta-amyloid is formed. Chromosome 21 is also the chromosome of which those with Down syndrome have three copies rather than two. Many individuals with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer's disease, often as young as their 30s and 40s.

1990-1999: Treatments emerge

1991

Federal clinical study consortium launched

The NIA established the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS), a nationwide medical network to facilitate clinical research and conduct federally funded clinical trials.

1993

First Alzheimer's risk factor gene identified

Researchers identify APOE-e4, a form of the apolipoprotein-E (APOE) gene on chromosome 19, as the first gene that raises risk for Alzheimer's but does not determine that a person who has it will develop the disease.

1993

First Alzheimer's drug approved by FDA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves tacrine (Cognex) as the first drug specifically targeting Alzheimer's memory and thinking symptoms. Four additional drugs are approved over the next 10 years.

1994

President Reagan's diagnosis announced

President Reagan's diagnosis announced

Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan shares with the American people that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In an open letter to the American people about his decision to share his diagnosis, President Reagan wrote, "In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it."

1994

First World Alzheimer's Day

The first World Alzheimer's Day (WAD) launches on September 21 by Alzheimer's Disease International, the umbrella organization of Alzheimer's associations.

1995

First transgenic mouse model announced

First transgenic mouse model announced

Researchers announce the first transgenic mouse model that developed Alzheimer-like brain pathology. The mouse was developed by inserting one of the human APP genes linked to a rare, inherited form of Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Association first awarded a grant to develop a mouse model of a rare neurodegenerative disorder called Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome in 1989, laying the technical foundation for Alzheimer's mouse models.

1999

"Alzheimer's vaccine" successful in mice

The first in a series of reports is published showing that injecting transgenic "Alzheimer" mice with beta-amyloid prevents the animals from developing plaques and other Alzheimer-like brain changes.

2000-2009: Progress and hope

2003

National Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Study begins

National Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Study begins

The Alzheimer's Association partners with the National Institute on Aging to recruit participants for the National Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Study, a federal initiative to collect and bank blood samples from families with several members who developed Alzheimer's disease late in life in order to identify additional Alzheimer's risk genes.

2004

First report on Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB)

First report on Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB)

Researchers at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (AAICAD) share their first report on an imaging agent called Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB), a major potential breakthrough in disease monitoring and early detection. PIB enters the brain through the bloodstream and attaches itself to beta-amyloid deposits, where it can be detected by positron emission tomography (PET). The Alzheimer's Association provided significant support to initiatives to develop PIB and conduct preclinical testing it in animal studies.

2004

Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI)

Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI)

The Alzheimer's Association joins public and private donors as a major sponsor of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a nationwide study to establish standards for obtaining and interpreting brain images. The ultimate goal of ADNI is to determine whether standardized images, possibly combined with laboratory and psychological tests, can identify high-risk individuals; provide early detection; and track and monitor treatment effects, especially in clinical trials of disease-modifying drugs. In 2006, the Association launched the European Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (E-ADNI), to expand ADNI's scope by combining data from several European brain imaging initiatives with ADNI data. This effort has now grown into World Wide ADNI (WW-ADNI), a global network of flagship research sites united in a common effort to improve diagnosis and speed treatment development with standardized protocols and data shared internationally.

2005

Alzheimer's & Dementia® journal launched

Alzheimer's & Dementia® journal launched

The Alzheimer's Association launches Alzheimer's & Dementia®: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association to further support a global, interdisciplinary exchange within the Alzheimer's research community.

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2008

Healthy Brain Initiative launched

Healthy Brain Initiative launched

The Alzheimer’s Association and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launch the Healthy Brain Initiative with the publication of A National Public Health Road Map to Maintaining Cognitive Health. The Road Map advances 44 science-based actions emphasizing primary prevention of cognitive impairment. The goal of this initiative is to maintain or improve the cognitive performance of all adults.

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2008

International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment formed

International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment formed

To further the work of the global Alzheimer's research community, the Alzheimer's Association creates the International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART), the first and only professional society dedicated to Alzheimer's and dementia.

2009

International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease becomes an annual event

International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease becomes an annual event

With accelerating progress intensifying the need for global information exchange, the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease® (AAICAD®) becomes an annual event.

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2009

Effort to standardize biomarkers begins

Effort to standardize biomarkers begins

The Alzheimer's Association announces funding of the Alzheimer's Association QC Program for CSF Biomarkers to help overcome variation among institutions in measuring potential biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

2010-2019: Setting a national agenda

2010

Alzheimer's researchers unite to raise awareness and concern

Alzheimer's researchers unite to raise awareness and concern

Dozens of Alzheimer's researchers unite with the Alzheimer's Association for an "Alzheimer's Breakthrough Ride®," a 66-day bike relay across America to raise public and congressional awareness of the urgent need for more federal funding to support the search for effective Alzheimer's treatments.

2010

Alzheimer's clinical trial database established

Alzheimer's clinical trial database established

The Alzheimer's Association and its partners in the Coalition Against Major Diseases (CAMD) released a first-of-its kind database of 4,000 patients who participated in 11 pharmaceutical industry-sponsored clinical trials of Alzheimer's treatments. The combined data, accessible to any qualified researcher, will offer unprecedented power to understand the course of Alzheimer's.

2010

Alzheimer's Association TrialMatch® launched

Alzheimer's Association TrialMatch® launched

The Association launches TrialMatch®, a free, easy-to-use clinical studies matching service that connects individuals living with Alzheimer's disease, caregivers, and healthy volunteers with current research studies. Stakeholders unanimously identified building awareness of research studies and increasing enrollment as key strategies to accelerate treatment development.

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2010

An influential model of biomarker changes during Alzheimer’s disease progression is first published

A group of researchers publish a working model relating changes in Alzheimer’s biomarkers to disease stage and symptom severity. The model has become a focal point of research into Alzheimer’s biomarkers, and is revised periodically to account for new research.

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2011

President Obama signs National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) into law

President Obama signs National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) into law

Groundbreaking legislation establishes our first-ever framework for a national strategic plan to address the Alzheimer's crisis and to coordinate our response on multiple fronts, including research, care and support.

2011

New criteria and guidelines for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis

Three workgroups convened by the Alzheimer's Association and the National Institute on Aging issue updated criteria and guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease and propose a research agenda to define a new preclinical stage.

2011

Annual assessment for cognitive impairment for all Medicare Beneficiaries implemented as part of Annual Wellness visits

Annual assessment for cognitive impairment for all Medicare Beneficiaries implemented as part of Annual Wellness visits

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services implement Annual Wellness Visits for all Medicare Beneficiaries under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. A mandatory part of the Annual Wellness Visit is an assessment for detection of cognitive impairment.

2012

First major clinical trial for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease is initiated

First major clinical trial for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease is initiated

A multinational research consortium, the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network, launches the first major clinical trial testing drug therapy to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms in people who inherited an autosomal dominant mutation putting them at high risk for the disease.

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2013

International Genomics of Alzheimer’s Project (IGAP) researchers identify new genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease

International Genomics of Alzheimer’s Project (IGAP) researchers identify new genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease

Hundreds of researchers from around the world collaborate to perform a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies intended to identify genetic variations linked with an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The collaboration revealed 20 genetic variations associated with increased risk, 11 of which had not been linked with Alzheimer’s before. Some of the newly identified genetic variations are thought to be specific to the immune system, adding to mounting evidence of a role for the immune system in Alzheimer’s disease.

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2014

Rates of death caused by Alzheimer’s disease found to be much higher than reported on death certificates

Rates of death caused by Alzheimer’s disease found to be much higher than reported on death certificates

Researchers at Rush University find that the annual number of deaths attributable to Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. among people at least 75 years old is about 500,000, much higher than the number reported on death certificates (>84,000).

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2015

Alzheimer's Accountability Act signed into law

Alzheimer's Accountability Act signed into law

The Alzheimer's Association led the fight for this revolutionary law that allows scientists at the NIH to submit an annual research budget directly to Congress.

2017

Historic funding increase

Historic $400 million increase for federal Alzheimer’s disease research funding signed into law, bringing annual funding to $1.4 billion.

2018

Dementia Care Practice Recommendations published

Dementia Care Practice Recommendations published

Alzheimer’s Association released Dementia Care Practice Recommendations aimed at helping professional care providers deliver optimal quality, person-centered care for those living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

2019

International consortium established to improve care and psychosocial outcomes

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded the Alzheimer’s Association $1.34 million over five years for an international research network, Leveraging an Interdisciplinary Consortium to Improve Care and Outcomes for Persons Living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia (LINC-AD), to improve care and psychosocial outcomes for individuals living with dementia.

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2019

Bill Gates helps fund Part the Cloud Research Grant Program

Bill Gates joined the Alzheimer’s Association’s Part the Cloud global research grant program with a $10 million award that will stimulate an additional $20 million in funding to the Alzheimer’s Association.

2019

Alzheimer’s funding reaches all-time high

Alzheimer’s funding reaches all-time high

A $350 million increase for Alzheimer’s and dementia research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was signed into law, bringing the annual funding to $2.8 billion. An additional $10 million was also approved for the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act.

2020-present: A new era of treatment

2021

Aducanumab approved for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Aducanumab (Aduhelm®) received accelerated approval as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is the first FDA-approved therapy to address the underlying biology of Alzheimer's disease. (Aducanumab will be discontinued on Nov. 1, 2024. Please connect with your provider on treatment options.)

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2023

Lecanemab receives traditional approval for treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Lecanemab (Leqembi®) received traditional approval as a treatment for early Alzheimer's from the FDA. It is the first traditionally approved treatment that addresses the underlying biology of Alzheimer's and changes the course of the disease in a meaningful way for people in the early stages.

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2023

Donanemab results show drug slows progression of early Alzheimer's

Phase 3 clinical trial results showed that the drug donanemab (which is not yet FDA-approved) significantly slowed cognitive and functional decline in people living with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (either mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia).

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2023

CMS decides to cover PET imaging for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis

A policy change by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded coverage of brain amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, making a valuable tool more accessible across the country.

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2023

Alzheimer's Association announces milestone $100 million research investment

Alzheimer's Association announces milestone $100 million research investment

The Alzheimer's Association, the world's largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's and dementia research, invested a milestone $100 million in research initiatives in 2023, the largest single-year total since the organization's founding in 1980.

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