New U. of U. Clinic to Focus on Alzheimer's Disease

None by KCPW

Utah's Changing Population Make State Great Place for Such a Clinic

(KCPW News 11/22/06) The University of Utah will be home to the Intermountain West's first academic Alzheimer's disease clinic. Dr. Norman Foster, of the University of Utah's School of Medicine, says the age variety among Utah residents makes the state a good place for such a clinic:

"Part of this is good news because Utah is growing and Utah has one of the highest longevities in our population of any state. So the people who are at greatest risk of developing Alzheimer's disease are increasing at the greatest rate, namely those over age 85."

The Alzheimer's clinic will focus on care, imaging and research. With data indicating Utah can expect to see a large increase in cases of the disease, Foster and his clinical researchers are interested in looking at ways to prevent the onset of Alzheimer's:

"We know that there are some people who have plaques and tangles that Alzheimer described a hundred years ago that can accumulate in the brain of people who don't have any symptoms. So there are protective factor and we are trying to learn more about them."

While the Center for Alzheimer's Care, Imaging and Research won't open until January, an open house will be held November 29th. For details, click here.

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