ABSTRACT
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and the most common cause of dementia (Iqbal, 1991). There is currently no cure for the disease, nor are there effective treatments. As the disease inexorably progresses, tremendous physical, emotional, and economic burdens are placed on its sufferers and on their caregivers. In 1991, estimates of the direct yearly economic impact of AD in the U.S. exceeded $20 billion (Ernst and Hay, 1994). Extrapolation of current statistics to the year 2040 suggests that the number of AD patients will quintuple (Iqbal, 1991). These statistics emphasize the importance of developing efficacious therapies for the disease.
