2012
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the first National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, as required by the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) of 2011.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened the first Alzheimer’s Disease Research Summit.
HHS created alzheimers.gov as a resource for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their caregivers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed Healthy People 2020 baseline measures for Dementia, including Alzheimer's Disease, in collaboration with federal partners.
2013
NIH convened the first Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias Research Summit.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) created Veterans with Dementia: Skills for Managing Challenging Behaviors video in collaboration with South Central Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center ( MIRECC)
The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning & Evaluation (ASPE) developed the continuing education course Case Challenges in Early Alzheimer's Disease.
The Indian Health Service (IHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and VA launched REACH into Indian Country Pilot of Caregiver Coaching and Support, 2013-2018.
CDC published the second Healthy Brain Initiative: The Public Health Road Map for State and National Partnerships (2013-2018)
2014
NIH researchers developed the first Alzheimer’s model containing amyloid and tau, the two proteins that are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.
NIH launched the Accelerating Medicines Partnership Program for Alzheimer’s Disease ® (AMP AD)
The Administration for Community Living, NIH, and CDC collaborated on the development and delivery of Brain Health Resources (curriculum) for delivery in community and professional environments.
ACL, with funding from the Affordable Care Act expanded its longstanding Alzheimer’s Disease Supportive Services Program (ADSSP) state grant program.2015
NIH launched the Mind Your Risks® health campaign to educate the public about the importance of controlling blood pressure to help reduce the risk of having a stroke and developing dementia later in life
In partnership with CMS, the VA disseminated Hand-in-Hand Training to Community Living Centers (CLCs), with 76% of CLCs adopting training.
CDC made Cognitive Decline and Caregiving modules optional additions to states’ annual Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey.
ACL launched the National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center website, making a broad range of grantee and center developed resources available to the general public
2016
VA deployed Virtual Dementia Simulation for acute care providers
HRSA and the Office of Women’s Health (OWH) launched the continuing education course Bidirectional Impact of Alzheimer's Disease and Common Comorbid Conditions, which focused on assessing, managing, and treating Alzheimer’s disease in the context of multiple chronic conditions
HRSA released a 16-module Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias curriculum for health care workers to learn about dementia, including diversity and equity issues.
NIH launched MarkVCID to develop biomarkers to detect vascular damage related to dementia
2017
NIH convened the first National Research Summit on Dementia Care & Services.
The Madison, Wisconsin VA Medical Center was recognized as the first Dementia-Friendly VA facility.
NIH established the Model Organism Development and Evaluation for Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (MODEL-AD) consortium to develop new animal models of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
NIH launched the Alzheimer's Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC), a clinical trials infrastructure designed to accelerate and expand studies for therapies in ADRD.
VA’s Caring for Older Adults and Caregivers at Home (COACH) program was awarded a Gold Status practice by the Veteran’s Health Administration Diffusion of Excellence
IHS and VA released a Rural Interdisciplinary Team Training (RITT) to rural IHS and Tribal sites
CDC began the Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Newsletter.
ACL created and launched their Dementia Capability Assessment for long-term support systems.
2018
NIH released the National Strategy for Recruitment and Participation in Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Clinical Research
NIH-funded first large-scale genetic study of dementia with lewy bodies (DLB) [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29263008/] revealed that there is a strong genetic component of DLB with a unique genetic profile that is different from those of Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease.
CDC published the third Healthy Brain Initiative: State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia, the 2018-2023 Road Map
CDC released four State of Aging and Health in America Data Briefs.
ACL created the Alzheimer’s Disease Programs Initiative (ADPI), by consolidating separate ADRD state and community grant programs to create a new single program.
An NIH study reported that clearing senescent cells —cells that are alive but no longer divide or perform their designated functions— in the brain decreases tau pathology and cognitive decline in animal models.
2019
An NIH study found that a blood test of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a protein released when nerve cells are damaged, predicted disease progression and loss of nerve cell function in the brain among cognitively normal people at risk for familial Alzheimer’s disease.
NIH’s SPRINT Memory and Cognition in Decreased Hypertension (MIND) study demonstrated that intensive high blood pressure control may significantly reduce the buildup of white matter lesions in the brain and the occurrence of mild cognitive impairment, a precursor of dementia.
NIH funded the IMbedded Pragmatic Alzheimer’s Disease and AD-Related Dementias Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Collaboratory, which is designed to spur innovation to meet the challenges of the complex care management for people living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias
NIH established Alzheimer’s and Dementia Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement (ADORE), an online, searchable database of resources for engagement, recruitment, and retention of study participants
CDC and IHS published the first Healthy Brain Initiative: Roadmap for Indian Country published
ACL convened the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council.
2020
With partial funding from the NIH, the first blood test for amyloid, PrecivityAD, became commercially available.
FDA-approved flortaucipir is the first radioactive tracer to show the presence of tau protein tangles
An NIH-funded study led to an advance in the development of a blood test to help detect pathological AD in people showing signs of dementia. The blood test detects the abnormal accumulation of a form of tau protein (ptau181)
NIH launched the Center for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (CARD).
NIH launched the Drug Repurposing for Effective Alzheimer’s Medicines (DREAM) study to determine whether medicines currently used to treat conditions other than dementia can help prevent or treat Alzheimer’s disease
An NIH-funded study found that individuals who made multiple healthy lifestyle choices (physical activity, not smoking, light-to-moderate alcohol consumption, a high-quality diet, and cognitive activities) may have a much lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
ACL expanded ADPI programming to dedicate resources to expanding dementia-capability in Indian Country, launching grant and education programs in Tribes and Tribal consortiums.
2021
HHS added a new goal to the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease: Accelerate Action to Promote Healthy Aging and Reduce Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias.
IHS, in collaboration with Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB), created a dementia-focused Project ECHO for clinicians and caregiver support staff in Indian Country.
The RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council delivered its initial Report to Congress.
NIH launched the second iteration of the AMP Program for Alzheimer's Disease (AMP AD 2.0)
NIH revamped the Mind Your Risks® health campaign to focus more on health equity. The primary audience is now African American men, who are most at risk for mid-life high blood pressure and late-life dementia.2022
IHS published a funding opportunity: Addressing Dementia in Indian Country: Models of Care and announced the availability of $5 million to target resources directly to tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, and IHS direct service facilities to address Alzheimer’s disease within tribal communities.
VA launched the Dementia Education Portal for VHA dementia educators.
IHS created a collaborative to support Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation for IHS and Tribal entities.
CDC established the Healthy Brain Resource Center.
The Congressional Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) in the Department of Defense (DOD) required community collaboration (inclusion of persons with dementia, their care partners and/or family members) in all clinical research projects proposed to next Peer Reviewed Alzheimer’s Research Program.
NIH renewed the DetectCID consortium to conduct clinical trial testing on early dementia detection approaches in primary care.
