by Knox News

1900s: - Dr. Alois Alzheimer presents case study and Alzheimer’s disease is named.

1920s: - Amyloid is identified as the core substance of plaques.

1930s: - Familial AD is first suggested.

1940s: - Belief persists that senile dementia is normal part of aging caused by cerebral arteriosclerosis.

1950s: - Biological structure of plaques and tangles is investigated.

1960s: - Landmark study suggests that dementia is directly related to the number of senile plaques present in the cerebral cortex.

- Structure of neurofibrillary tangles is described as “paired helical filaments.”

1970s: - National Institute on Aging is created and assumes lead role in AD research.

- Mini-Mental State Exam is introduced.

- Memory and cholinergic function are linked; reduction of choline acetyltransferase is seen in AD.

- Editorial describes AD as a major public health problem and “Alzheimer’s disease” becomes a common term.

- Coalition of grassroots AD advocacy groups begins to rally public awareness of and interest in AD research.

1980s: - National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke/Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria are written.

- Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association forms, becomes the Alzheimer’s Association.

- First Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers are funded by NIA.

- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM III) categorizes AD.

- Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale is established.

- Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD) is created by NIA.

- AD is linked to chromosome 21 and amyloid precursor protein.

- Beta-amyloid protein is sequenced.

- NIA forms the Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center.

1990s: - Food and Drug Administration approves tacrine (Cognex) following successful clinical trial.

- NIA funds Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study.

- First amyloid precursor protein (APP) mutation is discovered.

- Early onset genes and late onset risk factor gene are discovered.

- First in series of transgenic mice models is created.

- Abnormal tau in neurofibrillary tangles is identified.

- NIA-Reagan criteria for AD pathology diagnosis are developed.

- Mutation in tau gene is cause of some chromosome 17 frontotemporal dementia.

- National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center is formed.

- Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) characteristics are defined.

2000s: - Clinical trials, initiatives, and studies examine cholinesterase inhibitors, anti-inflammatories, vitamins, statins, supplements, valproate, antioxidants, hormones, beta amyloid vaccines and alternative medicines.

- Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Study begins.

- Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative is launched.

- Pittsburgh B compound is developed, allowing researchers to “see” amyloid plaques in PET scans.

- Triple transgenic mouse is introduced.

- New focus on translational studies to facilitate drug discovery and development begins.

Source: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/15/alzheimers-timeline