Thanks to advances in medical technology, people are living longer than ever before in history. Average life expectancy for an individual born in 1900 was less than 50 years. Those born today are likely to approach their 80th birthday.
Although people are living longer, unfortunately they are not necessarily living better since age is the single greatest predictor of developing cognitive decline. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly every 70 seconds another American is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia. The number of Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease – 5.4 million – is expected to triple by 2050.
In this presentation, I will describe current methods and research for detection of cognitive decline, available treatments, and strategies for treatment development. In addition to pharmacologic interventions, I will discuss healthy behavior strategies that appear to delay the onset and progression of cognitive symptoms and possibly prevent future cognitive decline.
Presented by: GARY SMALL, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, the Parlow-Solomon Professor on Aging at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Director of the UCLA Longevity Center, and Director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Division at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
About Gary Small
Dr. Small’s team has developed brain imaging technologies that detect the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease years before patients show symptoms. In addition to testing medicines for delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. Small has developed healthy aging lifestyle and memory training programs that are available throughout the U.S. in senior centers, community hospitals, and assisted living facilities.
Dr. Small has authored over 400 scientific works and received numerous awards and honors, including the American College of Psychiatrist’s Research Award in Geriatric Psychiatry, and the American Psychiatric Association’s Weinberg Award for Excellence in Geriatric Psychiatry. He is the Immediate Past President of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Scientific American magazine named him one of the world’s top 50 innovators in science and technology.
He is the author of nine popular books, including The New York Times bestseller, “The Memory Bible”, and his most recent book, “SNAP! Change Your Personality in 30 Days”. For more information, visit www.drgarysmall.com, or follow him on Twitter (@drgarysmall).