October 11, 1995

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH GRANTS AWARDED

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- The Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded seven grants totaling $105,000 for Alzheimer's disease research, Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, today announced.

Funding for the grants is from the Alzheimer's Disease Research Fund, a special fund to which taxpayers can contribute through their IL-1040 income tax return. Since 1986 when the fund first appeared on the tax forms, more than $1.4 million has been donated to help support 67 research projects.

"Alzheimer's affects about 200,000 Illinoisans and their families. It is a disease that is physically, emotionally, socially and financially devastating to the person who suffers from it, and to his or her family," Dr. Lumpkin said. "Every dollar helps is move a step closer to finding a cure or a more effective way to diagnose and treat this debilitating disease."

Victims of this age-related form of dementia suffer a progressive loss of memory, attention span and the ability to learn. The number of Alzheimer's victims is expected to increase dramatically during the next 25 years as the country's population ages.

Grant requests were reviewed by the Department in consultation with the Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Act Committee and Peer Review Panel. Members of the advisory committee include professionals who work with people with Alzheimer's disease, researchers, family members of victims and representatives of the general public.

The seven grant recipients this year are --

• Numa R. Marquez-Sterling, M.D., Northwestern School of Medicine, "Trafficking of the Amyloid Precursor Protein in Cultured Cerebellar Macroneurons," $15,000
• Maria Teresa Sobreviela, Ph.D., M.D., Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, "Neurotrophins in Alzheimer's Disease," $15,000.
• Glen T. Stebbins, Ph.D., Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, "Functional MRI Analysis of Memory in Alzheimer's Disease and Isolated Memory Impairment," $15,000.
• Gregory J. Brewer, Ph.D., Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, "Beta-Amyloid Promoter Response to Free Radicals in Neurons," $15,000.
• John F. Smiley, Ph.D., Northwestern University Medical School, "Neurochemistry of Monoamines in the Nucleus Basalis of Meynert: A Model for Pharmacological Therapies of Alzheimer's Disease," $15,000.
• Jeffrey H. Kordower, Ph.D., Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, "Grafts of Human NGF Secreting Cells in Young and Aged Nonhuman Primates,"$15,000.

• Martha Clare Morris, Sc.D., Rush Institute on Aging, "Pilot Study of a Dietary Survey to Examine Nutritional Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease," $15,000.

Illinois' voluntary income tax funds must raise a minimum of $100,000 by October 1 each year to remain on the IL-1040 forms. So far this tax year, Illinois taxpayers have donated more than $105,000 to the Alzheimer's Disease Research Fund. Because the fund has surpassed $100,000, it will appear on the 1995 tax forms for the 10th consecutive year.

Illinois Department of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments