THE FACE OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Alexander “Sandy” Halperin, DDS, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2010 at age 60. Year’s earlier he graduated from the New York University College of Dentistry and continued his studies at Eastman Dental Center specializing in prosthodontics. He was co-owner of a community newspaper, president of a marketing firm and city commissioner for Weston, Fla. Toward the end of his professional career, as a consultant for the Florida Department of Health, he reviewed complains filed against dentists.
It was during one such review that Sandy began to notice changes in his memory. After spending up to an hour reviewing and writing an analysis of a specific case, he couldn’t recall a single detail within moments of closing the file. He reported these concerns to his physician and pursued a neuropsychological evaluation at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., and with his neurologist in Tallahassee, Fla. Upon receiving his diagnosis, he was relieved to have validation for the cognitive problems affecting his professional and personal life.
Sandy, the focus of a CNN documentary chronicling his journey with Alzheimer’s disease, remains active as an alumni member of the national Early-State Advisory Group. He hopes to bring awareness to what he calls “invisible illnesses” by speaking to a variety of audiences on behalf of patients dealing with dementias. Tireless in his networking and outreach efforts, he is compelled to be part of the discovery of treatments, preventions and cures, as well as de-stigmatizing the diagnosis of dementia. Sandy and his wife, Gail, live in Tallahassee. They have two daughters, Karen and Lauren, and three granddaughters, Emma, Rebecca and Madeline.
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE RESEARCH AT FSU
The goal of the Florida State University College of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s research program at the Center for Brain Repair is to develop innovative means of diagnosis, intervention and treatment, as well as to shape public policy and national advocacy to benefit Alzheimer’s patients, care givers and families.
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE RESEARCH AT THE CENTER FOR BRAIN REPAIR
As a group, the major neurodegenerative diseases – Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s – significantly affect the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. The goal of our research programs is to develop treatments that ameliorate the adverse effects of these diseases and improve the quality of life.
EXAMPLES OF ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDERWAY AT THE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
· Understanding links between traumatic brain injury and early-onset Alzheimer’s disease
· Melatonin therapy as an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s and other disorders of cognition
· Stem cells in the developing and mature brain
· Functional reorganization of brain circuits in Alzheimer’s disease
· Developing unique therapeutic agents to treat memory deficits
· Sex differences in the molecular pathology of Alzheimer's disease.
THE COST OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Alzheimer’s disease has become the leading cost for the U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs, totaling at least $142 billion this year – more than either heart disease or cancer. By the year 2050, it is expected that the costs for caring for people with Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorders will soar to an estimated $1.3 trillion. One-third of people who die have Alzheimer’s at the time of their death, and Alzheimer’s is now the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. Approximately 40 percent of Alzheimer’s caregivers suffer from depression.
A NATIONAL EMPHASIS ON ALZHEIMER’S
In January 2011, President Obama signed the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, which outlined five goals, including effective treatment strategies by 2025. Consequently, researchers have redoubled their efforts to find strategies for detection, prevention and treatment. While there’s still no cure, the last few years have brought promising discoveries.
For nearly three years CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta followed Alzheimer's patient Sandy Halperin's brave struggle against dementia. Watch Sandy’s story: Fighting Alzheimer’s online here.
You can help change the future by supporting research and discovery initiatives at the Florida State University College of Medicine through your tax-deductible gift.
For more information on ways to support Alzheimer’s research at the College of Medicine, please contact:
Jim McNeill, 850-544-1624
Cindy Tyler, 850-274-7145
Chrys Ivey Goodwyne, 850-294-3339