Two decades of research in Alzheimer disease: looking back to the first volume of ADAD.

During the first two decades of the life of this Journal (ADAD) much progress has been made in our understanding of Alzheimer disease (AD). Advancing knowledge, however, has been accompanied by increasing appreciation of the complexity and heterogeneity of this disease. Prevention and cure continue to elude us as the number of afflicted and the cost of their care continues to increase.

Age at Onset, Survival Duration, and Cognitive Performance in Probable Alzheimer's Disease.

The relative importance of age at onset, survival duration past testing, symptom duration, and education as predictors of cognitive performance was assessed in 50 patients with moderately severe dementia of the Alzheimer type. Survival past testing and duration of symptoms prior to assessment emerged as the strongest predictors of cognitive performance, and education effects were noted for several verbal tests. A robust association emerged between cognitive impairment and nearness to death.