research

Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama (ACA) has a long, proud history of supporting research.  We have funded seed research grants from 2001 to 2017 at Alabama universities.  Six of these grants yielded promising results that resulted in over $2.3 million in additional funding for continued study at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB).  Click to see all funded studies.

In 2019 the Junior Board established the Lindy Harrell Pre-Doctoral Scholars Program for Alzheimer’s Disease Research at UAB.  Funding from the Junior Board supports graduate students conducting Alzheimer’s disease research. By investing in student support, ACA is simultaneously investing in current research projects and developing the future workforce for Alzheimer’s disease research. Programs like this assist in recruiting the brightest, most promising students to establish careers in Alzheimer’s research. View the history of this research here.

When ACA established our Junior Board in 2015, the members, many of whom have family members with Alzheimer’s, selected research as their primary focus.  They have ambitiously raised money with 2 major annual fundraisers:  Glow for a Cure – a nighttime golf tournament and Ales for Alzheimer’s at a local brewery. 

Combating Alzheimer’s means fighting on multiple fronts; not every breakthrough includes a pharmaceutical answer. We’re learning more about how a person’s overall health is emerging as a key element of long-term brain health.  Would you be willing to take proactive, preventative measures today if it benefited your brain health as you age?  There is a growing movement to incorporate lifestyle choices as a way to delay cognitive decline, increase cognitive resilience and capacity, and minimize the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

ACA partnered with the Brain Health Institute (BHI) to establish the brainH.E.A.L.T.H. protocol.   BHI developed an intervention for dementia caregivers and people at risk that targets: 

H – healthy eating
E – emotional regulation
A – activity and leisure
L – learning  strategies
T – toxicant reduction
H – habit formation. 

Research, education and advocacy are essential to ACA’s mission.  And ACA is doing important work to fight on those fronts.  As we wait for a cure, ACA will continue to offer the services that make a real difference to families:  Project Lifesaver to keep patients safe; day care scholarships to provide respite for caregivers while providing care that fosters each participant’s unique skills and abilities; Ensure for nutrition and continence supplies that preserve dignity.

Above: 2019 Junior Board President Nick Beckham presents the first check to David G. Standaert, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Neurology, UAB.

Clinical Trials

Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama is dedicated to encouraging and supporting research. Clinical trials are a part of clinical research with the goal to determine if a new test or treatment works and is safe.

For clinical trial opportunities in our area please click below.