Clinical studies are any type of clinical research involving people and those that look at other aspects of care, such as improving quality of life. Every clinical trial or study contributes valuable knowledge, regardless if favorable results are achieved Visit alz.org/TrialMatch to learn more about Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch®, a clinical studies matching service that connects individuals living with Alzheimer’s, caregivers, healthy volunteers and physicians with current Alzheimer’s-related clinical studies. New directions in treatment and prevention One promising target is beta-amyloid. This protein fragment builds up into the plaques considered to be one hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have developed several ways to clear beta-amyloid from the brain or prevent it from clumping together into plaques. Experimental drugs that zero in on beta-amyloid are now being tested. Many other new approaches to treatment are also under investigation worldwide. We don’t yet know which of these strategies may work, but scientists say that with the necessary funding, the outlook is good for developing treatments that slow or stop Alzheimer’s. While there is no known way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, emerging research suggests that the steps people take to maintain heart health may also reduce the risk of cognitive decline. This connection makes sense, because the brain is nourished by one of the body’s richest networks of blood vessels, and the heart is responsible for pumping blood through these blood vessels to the brain. It’s especially important for people to do everything they can to keep weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar within recommended ranges to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Eating a diet low in saturated fats and rich in fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, and staying mentally and socially active may all help protect the brain. The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s disease®.This is an official publication of the Alzheimer’s Association but may be distributed by unaffiliated organizations and individuals. Such distribution does not constitute an endorsement of these parties or their activities by the Alzheimer’s Association. Loss of memory is among the first symptoms reported by patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) and by their caretakers. Working memory and long-term declarative memory are affected early during the course of the disease. The individual pattern of impaired memory functions correlates with parameters of structural or functional brain integrity. AD pathology interferes with the formation of memories from the molecular level to the framework of neural networks. The investigation of AD memory loss helps to identify the involved neural structures, such as the default mode network, the influence of epigenetic and genetic factors, such as ApoE4 status, and evolutionary aspects of human cognition. Clinically, the analysis of memory assists the definition of AD subtypes, disease grading, and prognostic predictions. Despite new AD criteria that allow the earlier diagnosis of the disease by inclusion of biomarkers derived from cerebrospinal fluid or hippocampal volume analysis, neuropsychological testing remains at the core of AD diagnosis.Asked to name a disease that affects “memory,” most physicians would probably choose Alzheimer's disease (AD).