September 10, 1996

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
RESEARCH GRANTS AWARDED

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- The Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded six grants totaling $92,500 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 returns. Since 1986, when the fund first appeared on the tax forms, nearly $1.4 million has been donated to help support 74 research projects.

"Alzheimer's disease is a physically, emotionally, socially and financially devastating disease, not only for the person who suffers from it, but for his or her family," Dr. Lumpkin said. "The continued generosity of Illinois taxpayers allows critical research into the causes and treatment of the disease to continue."

Victims of this age-related form of dementia suffer a progressive loss of memory, attention span and the ability to learn. The disease affects nearly 4 million Americans, about 200,000 in Illinois. 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 Assistance Act Advisory Committee and Peer Review Panel. Members of the advisory committee include professionals who work with people with Alzheimer's disease, researchers, victims' family members and representatives of the general public.

The six grant recipients this year are --

• Jingru Hu, Northwestern University, "Amyloid B and glial neurotransmitter receptor signaling," $17,500.
• Lawrence C. Perlmuter, Ph.D., Finch University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, "Orthostatic hypotension in Alzheimer's disease: An unrecognized source of cognitive decline?" $15,000.
• John F. Smiley, Northwestern University, "Neurochemistry of monoamines in the nucleus basalis of Meynert: A model for pharmacological therapies of Alzheimer's disease," $15,000.
• Arlene Ouellette Tippy, Richland Memorial Hospital, "The value of social work intervention during the memory disorder assessment," $15,000.
• Sandra Weintraub, Northwestern University Medical School, "Neurology of attention and neglect: Selective attention in Alzheimer's disease," $15,000.
• Craig Weiss, Northwestern University, "Spatial and temporal learning in the mouse: A model for age-related learning and memory impairments," $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 $110,000 to the Alzheimer's Disease Research Fund. Because the fund has surpassed $100,000, it will appear on the 1996 tax forms for the 11th 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