Follow the National Academies’ Ongoing Study of Alzheimer’s Disease

The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine conducts studies and issues reports on various topics of interest to the science community and broader public. One such study of interest to psychological scientists, titled the “Decadal Survey of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias” is currently underway. The Academies conduct decadal surveys to help set research agendas for the next 10 years; this is only the second decadal study conducted in the area of behavioral science, reflecting the significant importance of the topic.

The Academies’ study seeks to identify research opportunities for the next decade that improve with the prevention and care of Alzheimer’s disease, and it aims to improve scientific understanding of how Alzheimer’s and its related dementias affect society. Research from the fields of behavioral, cognitive, and sensory sciences will be central to the study; extensive input from the scientific community will be collected throughout the project.

The study will be conducted in two phases. According to the Academies, the first phase will include two committee meetings, two workshops, commissioned papers, and two town halls. The second phase will include four committee meetings, two additional town halls, and delivery of a consensus report. The Academies are currently in the middle of the first phase of the project; the first two workshops took place on August 14 and October 17 of 2019.

Briefs from the first two workshops can be viewed or downloaded here:

• Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: Experience and Caregiving, Epidemiology, and Models of Care
• Challenging Questions about Epidemiology, Care, and Caregiving for People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias and Their Families

The decadal study also has an open call for commentaries from individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias and care partners. Comments can touch on any or all of the following topics:

• Experiences and challenges related to the diagnostic process
• Support services for both individuals with dementia and care partners
• Communication with medical providers
• How living with dementia or caregiving responsibilities has affected your employment and engagement in social activities and hobbies
• How communities might better support those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias

Individuals who wish to submit comments should visit the Call for Commentaries page.

To learn more about the goals of this Academies study, watch the workshop webcasts, meet the committee members, and learn more about decadal surveys at the National Academies, visit the “Decadal Survey of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias” page on the Academies website.